तस्यान्ते च स्वयं प्राणैर् अनिच्छन्न् अपि मुच्यते जलम् अग्निर् विषं शस्त्रं क्षुद् व्याधिः पतनं गिरेः
At its end, even unwillingly, is released from life; whether by water, fire, poison, weapon, hunger, disease, or falling from a mountain.
निमित्तं किंचिद् आसाद्य देही प्राणैर् विमुच्यते विहाय सुमहत् कृत्स्नं शरीरं पाञ्चभौतिकम्
Upon encountering some cause, the embodied soul is released from life, leaving behind the entire great body composed of the five elements.
अन्यच् छरीरम् आदत्ते यातनीयं स्वकर्मजम् दृढं शरीरम् आप्नोति सुखदुःखोपभुक्तये
It takes on another body, one meant for suffering, born of its own deeds; it attains a firm body to experience pleasure and pain.
तेन भुङ्क्ते स कृच्छ्राणि पापकर्ता नरो भृशम् सुखानि धार्मिको हृष्ट इह नीतो यमक्षये
With that, the sinful man intensely endures hardships, while the righteous, brought to Yama’s abode, joyfully enjoys happiness.
ऊष्मा प्रकुपितः काये तीव्रवायुसमीरितः भिनत्ति मर्मस्थानानि दीप्यमानो निरन्धनः
Heat, agitated in the body and driven by a fierce wind, breaks the vital points, blazing without fuel.
उदानो नाम पवनस् ततश् चोर्ध्वं प्रवर्तते भुज्यताम् अम्बुभक्ष्याणाम् अधोगतिनिरोधकृत्
Then the wind called Udana moves upward, causing the consumption of water and food to cease, and blocking the downward path.
ततो येनाम्बुदानानि कृतान्य् अन्नरसास् तथा दत्ताः स तस्याम् आह्लादम् आपदि प्रतिपद्यते
Then, whoever has given water and food, as well as nourishing substances, attains delight in adversity through that act.
अन्नानि येन दत्तानि श्रद्धापूतेन चेतसा सो ऽपि तृप्तिम् अवाप्नोति विनाप्य् अन्नेन वै तदा
He who has given food with a mind purified by faith also attains satisfaction, even without food at that time.
येनानृतानि नोक्तानि प्रीतिभेदः कृतो न च आस्तिकः श्रद्दधानश् च सुखमृत्युं स गच्छति
He who has not spoken falsehoods, has not caused discord, is faithful and believing, attains a happy death.
देवब्राह्मणपूजायां निरताश् चानसूयकाः शुक्ला वदान्या ह्रीमन्तस् ते नराः सुखमृत्यवः
Those men who are devoted to honoring gods and Brahmins, free from envy, pure, generous, and modest, experience a happy death.
यः कामान् नापि संरम्भान् न द्वेषाद् धर्मम् उत्सृजेत् यथोक्तकारी सौम्यश् च स सुखं मृत्युम् ऋच्छति
He who does not abandon righteousness out of desire, anger, or hatred, who acts as instructed and is gentle, attains a pleasant death.
वारिदास् तृषितानां ये क्षुधितान्नप्रदायिनः प्राप्नुवन्ति नराः काले मृत्युं सुखसमन्वितम्
Those who give water to the thirsty and food to the hungry, at the proper time, attain a death accompanied by happiness.
शीतं जयन्ति धनदास् तापं चन्दनदायिनः प्राणघ्नीं वेदनां कष्टां ये चान्योद्वेगधारिणः
Those who give wealth overcome cold; those who give sandalwood overcome heat; those who relieve others' suffering and distress overcome deadly pain.
मोहं ज्ञानप्रदातारस् तथा दीपप्रदास् तमः कूटसाक्षी मृषावादी यो गुरुर् नानुशास्ति वै
Those who grant knowledge dispel delusion; those who give lamps dispel darkness; a false witness, a liar, and a teacher who does not instruct—
ते मोहमृत्यवः सर्वे तथा ये वेदनिन्दकाः विभीषणाः पूतिगन्धाः कूटमुद्गरपाणयः
All these are subject to delusion and death, as are those who revile the Vedas: terrifying, foul-smelling, wielding false clubs.
आगच्छन्ति दुरात्मानो यमस्य पुरुषास् तथा प्राप्तेषु दृक्पथं तेषु जायते तस्य वेपथुः
Evil-minded ones, the servants of Yama, approach; when they come into view, trembling arises in him.
क्रन्दत्य् अविरतः सो ऽथ भ्रातृमातृपितृंस् तथा सा तु वाग् अस्फुटा विप्रा एकवर्णा विभाव्यते
He cries out incessantly, calling for brothers, mother, and father; his speech becomes indistinct, and only a single syllable is perceived by the Brahmins.
दृष्टिर् विभ्राम्यते त्रासात् कासावृष्ट्य् अत्य् अथाननम् ततः स वेदनाविष्टं तच् छरीरं विमुञ्चति
His vision spins from fear, his face is covered with cough and tears; then, overwhelmed by pain, he abandons that body.
वाय्वग्रसारी तद्रूपदेहम् अन्यत् प्रपद्यते तत्कर्मयातनार्थे च न मातृपितृसंभवम्
Carried away by the wind, he attains another body of that form, for the purpose of experiencing the results of his actions, not born from mother and father.
तत्प्रमाणवयोवस्थासंस्थानैः प्राप्यते व्यथा ततो दूतो यमस्याथ पाशैर् बध्नाति दारुणैः
He experiences suffering according to the measure, age, condition, and form of that body; then Yama's messenger binds him with harsh ropes.
जन्तोः संप्राप्तकालस्य वेदनार्तस्य वै भृशम् भूतैः संत्यक्तदेहस्य कण्ठप्राप्तानिलस्य च
When the time comes for the creature, greatly afflicted by pain, having abandoned the body and with breath at the throat, the beings—
शरीराच् च्यावितो जीवो रोरवीति तथोल्बणम् निर्गतो वायुभूतस् तु षाट्कौशिककलेवरे
The soul, cast out from the body, cries out intensely; having departed, becoming wind-like, it enters the six-sheathed body.
मातृभिः पितृभिश् चैव भ्रातृभिर् मातुलैस् तथा दारैः पुत्रैर् वयस्यैश् च गुरुभिस् त्यज्यते भुवि
He is abandoned on earth by mothers, fathers, brothers, maternal uncles, wives, sons, friends, and teachers.
दृश्यमानश् च तैर् दीनैर् अश्रुपूर्णेक्षणैर् भृशम् स्वशरीरं समुत्सृज्य वायुभूतस् तु गच्छति
Though seen by those sorrowful ones, their eyes filled with tears, he leaves his own body and, becoming wind-like, departs.
अन्धकारम् अपारं च महाघोरं तमोवृतम् सुखदुःखप्रदातारं दुर्गमं पापकर्मणाम्
A darkness without end, immense and terrible, shrouded in gloom, a place that brings both pleasure and pain, difficult to cross for those of evil deeds.
दुःसहं च दुरन्तं च दुर्निरीक्षं दुरासदम् दुरापम् अतिदुर्गं च पापिष्ठानां सदाहितम्
It is unbearable, endless, impossible to behold, hard to approach, difficult to reach, exceedingly perilous, and always blazing for the most wicked.
कृष्यमाणाश् च तैर् भूतैर् याम्यैः पाशैस् तु संयताः मुद्गरैस् ताड्यमानाश् च नीयन्ते तं महापथम्
Dragged by those beings, bound with Yama’s nooses, struck with mallets, they are led along that great path.
क्षीणायुषं समालोक्य प्राणिनं चायुषक्षये निनीषवः समायान्ति यमदूता भयंकराः
When a living being, his lifespan exhausted, is seen at the end of his life, the terrifying messengers of Yama come, intent on taking him.
आरूढा यानकाले तु ऋक्षव्याघ्रखरेषु च उष्ट्रेषु वानरेष्व् अन्ये वृश्चिकेषु वृकेषु च
At the time of departure, some mount the backs of bears, tigers, donkeys, camels, monkeys, scorpions, and wolves.
उलूकसर्पमार्जारं तथान्ये गृध्रवाहनाः श्येनशृगालम् आरूढाः सरघाकङ्कवाहनाः
Others ride owls, snakes, cats, vultures, hawks, jackals, and some on locusts and herons.