196 - The city of Yama

Vaishamyäyana said:

1. Hearing these words of the great sages, he began to tell them everything in detail.

Nachiketas said:

2. O great sages, listen to me. The city of the god of death is one thousand yojanas in breadth, double that in length and double that in perimeter.

3. It is full of mansions, golden spires and beautiful rows of buildings.

4. It has got a golden fort also of great height.

5. The houses there Shiny like the Kailäsa mountain. Rivers flow There full of spotless water.

6. There are beautiful lakes, lotus-ponds and pools; also tanks and wells.

7. It is full of men and women and elephants and horses of different kinds and from different places.

8. We find There every kind of living being. Here and there battles and single combats are also seen.

9-10. Hundreds of thousands of people are there, some singing, some laughing, some sorrowing, some playing, some eating, some sleeping, some dancing, some standing and some remaining bound.

11. In accordance with their actions, some are found big and some small.

12. My limbs become languid and the mind becomes disturbed when I think further. Still, a divine feeling comes upon me. So I shall tell you what I have seen and heard.

13. There is an important river named pushpodakä (flowery water) full of all sorts of trees on the bank, but it is (alternately) seen and not seen.

14. There are golden flights of steps in it and it is full of golden sand.

15. Its water is placid, cool and sweet-smelling. On its banks are groves of flowering and fruit-bearing trees with numerous birds on them.

 16. That great river flows there removing all sins. I saw thousands of trees on its sides.

17. The gods play in its water. The Gandharvas seem to be singing Säman There with their wives.

18. The Näga and Kinnara women sing and play there.

19. Thousands of divine damsels play in this manner in the water and in the mansions.

20. There are many trees whose branches bear fruits and flowers at all times, and birds flock there to get what they need.

21. Beautiful women with lovely girdles provide delight to men there to their heart’s content.

22. They splash the water with their lovers and sweetly sing with inebriation.

23. With the splashing of water and jingling of jewels, the river appears to be decked with divine gems.

24. The great and auspicious river named Vaivasvati beautifully flows in the middle of the city, protecting it like a mother her son.

25. Swans, white like the jasmine and the moon, gracefully move about in its sands in the midst of the charming water.

26. With fine Chakraväkas and lotuses with golden carpets and with attractive golden flights of steps, it is very resplendent.

27. Its water is clear, pure, sweet-smelling and very tasty like ambrosia. The trees in the forests on the banks are full of flowers and fruits.

28. Inebriated beautiful women play in it as much as they like but they never get weary.

29. It is worshipped by gods and sages. With its plentiful water, it is like the weighty words of poets pregnant with meaning.

30. There is an image of the river erected there, on which numerous people pour water (in reverence). The lofty rows of buildings on the bank inspire wonder.

31. In the fine groves there women gather in large numbers and sing playing instruments and beating täla.

32. They provide great pleasure to the gods in heaven with their fine voice mixed with the sound of the drum, the lute and the flute.

33. They never get satisfied with playing in the balconies from where the wind wafts the scent of Agaru and sandal.

 34. In some places the scent spreads in such an intense manner as to block entry there, in some other places people engage themselves with playthings, and in yet other places the music of women fills the air.

35. Some play with their beloveds in golden pedestals. Some play in the water with great delight.

36. The different items of beauty there cannot be recounted even if we take a number of days for it.