Shouldst thou point out the road to one gone hopelessly astray,
And he should follow thy advice, no thorns beset his way.

But he that walks in evil ways, shouldst thou direct aright,
And he should follow thy advice, escapes from woeful plight."

[266] Thus did he admonish the king, and moreover taught him the Faith, saying,

Right is like the high road,
Wrong is but a bye-road.

Right to heaven aye wins its way,
Wrong to hell leads men astray.

Men that transgress the law, O sire, and live unrighteously,
What fate they suffer after death in hell, now hear from me.

Sanjiva, Kalasutta and Roruva, great and small,
Sanghata, Great Avici, are names that may well appal,
With Tapana and Patapana, eight major hells in all.

Escape from hence is hopeless, and of Ussadas they tell,
Twice eight times more in number, a kind of minor hell--

Dread flames here torture sinful men, all cruel deeds abound,
Horror, amazement, anguish, woe and terror reign around.

Four square with fourfold doors is each, in due proportion spaced,
With dome of iron 'twas o'erarched, by iron wall embraced,

Its base of iron wrought is such no raging flame may melt,
Though e'en a hundred leagues around its mighty power is felt.

All that have outrage done to saints or injured holy men
Fall headlong into hell's abyss, no more to rise again.

In evil plight their mangled frames, piece-meal like fish on toast,
For their misdeeds through countless years in hell are doomed to roast.

Their limbs consumed with burning heat, to torture dread a prey,
Though eager to escape from hell they never find a way.

Seeking an outlet to and fro to east or west they fly,
Or baffled hurry north or south, a hopeless quest to ply,
For gods are there to bar the way, whichever door they try.

[267] Poor souls, for many thousand years they dwell in hell's domain,
With arms outstretched they sore lament their overwhelming pain.

Like deadly poison-snake whose wrath 'twere fatal to arouse,
Shun to attack the saints that live bound by ascetic vows.

Ajjuna , lord of Kekakas, great archer, who annoyed
Gotama, was despite his bulk and thousand arms destroyed.

So Dandaki defiling Kisavaccha, sinless one,
Like palm tree from the roots cut down, was utterly undone.

Mejjha for famed Matanga's sake fell from its place of pride,
The land became a wilderness and king and people died.

Assailing black Dipayana the men of Vishnu race
With Andhakas sought Yama's realm, each slain by other's mace

Cursed by a sage, Cecca who once could tread the air, they say,
Was lost and swallowed by the earth on his appointed day.