जीवन्ति मानुषे लोके सर्वे वर्णा द्विजातयः । अन्त्यजाम्लेच्छजाश्चैव खण्डे भारतसंज्ञके ॥ २,२४.
In the world of humans, all castes and twice-born live, as well as those born among outcastes and foreigners, in the land called Bhārata.
न दृश्यते कलौ तच्च कस्माद्देव समादिश । (आधानान्मृत्युमाप्नोति बालो वा स्थविरो युबा ॥ २,२४.
But this is not seen in the present age; why is this so, O god? (Whether a child, an old man, or a youth, death comes at the time of initiation.)
सधनो निर्धनो वापि सुकुमारः सुरूपवान् । अविद्वांश्चैव विद्वांश्च ब्राह्मणस्त्वितरो जनः ॥ २,२४.
Whether wealthy or poor, delicate or handsome, ignorant or learned, Brāhmaṇa or someone else—
तपोरतो योगशीलो महाज्ञानी च यो नरः । सर्वज्ञानरतः श्रीमान्धर्मात्मातुलविक्रमः ॥ २,२४.
A man devoted to austerity, skilled in yoga, a great knower, absorbed in all knowledge, prosperous, righteous, and of incomparable valor—
) सर्वमेतदशषेण जायते वसुधातले । कस्मान्मृत्युमवाप्नोति राजा वा श्रोत्रियोऽपि वा ॥ २,२४.
All of these are born on the surface of the earth; then why does death come to a king or even to a learned Brāhmaṇa?
श्रीभगवानुवाच । साधुसाधु महाप्राज्ञ यस्त्वं भक्तोऽसि मे प्रियः । श्रूयतां वचनं गुह्यं नानादेशविनाशनम् ॥ २,२४.
The Blessed Lord said: Well asked, O great wise one, you are my devoted and dear one. Listen to this secret teaching, which destroys all kinds of misfortune.
विधातृविहितो मृत्युः शीघ्रमादाय गच्छति । ततो वक्ष्यामि पक्षीन्द्र काश्यपेय महाद्युते ॥ २,२४.
Death, ordained by the Creator, swiftly takes away life. Therefore, O king of birds, descendant of Kaśyapa, of great splendor, I will explain.
मानुषः शतजीवीति पुरा वेदेन भाषितम् । विकर्मणः प्रभावेण शीघ्रं चापि विनश्यति ॥ २,२४.
It was formerly declared in the Veda that a human lives for a hundred years; but due to the influence of wrong actions, he quickly perishes.
वेदानभ्यसनेनैव कुलाचारं न सेवते । आलस्यात्कर्मणां त्यागो निषिद्धेऽप्यादरः सदा ॥ २,२४.
By not studying the Vedas, not following family customs, abandoning actions out of laziness, and always showing respect for what is forbidden—
यत्र तत्र गृहेऽश्राति परक्षेत्ररतस्तथा । एतैरन्यैर्महादोषैर्जायते चायुषः क्षयः ॥ २,२४.
Dwelling in any house, delighting in another's field, and through these and other great faults, there arises a decline of lifespan.
अश्रद्दधानमशुचिं नास्तिकं त्यक्तमङ्गलम् । परद्रोहानृतरं ब्राह्मणं यत (म) मन्दिरम् ॥ २,२४.
A Brāhmaṇa who is faithless, impure, atheistic, forsaken by auspiciousness, harmful to others, and false—such a one, do not approach his house.
अरक्षितारं राजानं नित्यं धर्मविवर्जितम् । क्रूरं व्यसनिनं मूर्खं वेदवादबहिष्कृतम् । प्रजापीडनकर्तारं राजानं यमशासनम् ॥ २,२४.
A king who does not protect, who always abandons righteousness, who is cruel, addicted to vice, foolish, excluded from Vedic discourse, and oppresses his subjects—such a king is under the rule of Yama.
प्रापयन्ति वशं मृत्योस्ततो याति च यातनाम् । स्वकर्माणि परित्यज्य मुख्यवृत्तानि यानि च ॥ २,२४.
They are delivered into the power of death and then go to suffering, having abandoned their own proper duties and main occupations.
परकर्मरतो नित्यं यमलोकं स गच्छति । शूद्रः करोतिः यत्किञ्चिद्विजशुश्रूषणं विना ॥ २,२४.
One who is always engaged in another's duties goes to the world of Yama; if a Śūdra does anything without serving the twice-born—
उत्तमाधममध्ये वा यमलोके स पच्यते । स्नानं दानं जपो होमो स्वाध्यायो दवर्ताच्चनम् ॥ २,२४.
In Yama's realm, whether one is superior, inferior, or intermediate, he is tormented; bathing, giving, reciting, offering oblations, and self-study are absent there.
यस्मिन्दिने न सेव्यन्ते स वृथा दिवसो नृणाम् । अनित्यमध्रुवं देहमनाधारं रसोद्भवम् ॥ २,२४.
The day on which these are not practiced is wasted for humans; the body is impermanent, unstable, unsupported, and born of essence.
अन्नोदकमये देहे गुणानेतान्वदाम्यहम् । यत्प्रातः संस्कृतं सायं नूनमन्नं विनश्यति ॥ २,२४.
I declare these qualities in the body made of food and water: whatever is prepared in the morning, by evening, that food surely perishes.
तदीयरससम्पुष्टकाये का बत नित्यता । गतं ज्ञात्वा तु पक्षीन्द्र वपुरर्धं स्वकर्मभिः ॥ २,२४.
How can there be permanence in a body nourished by its essence? Knowing this, O king of birds, half the body departs through one's own actions.
नरः पापविनाशाय कुर्वीत परमौषधम् । देहः किमन्नदातुः स्विन्निषेक्तुर्मातुरेव वा ॥ २,२४.
A man should perform the supreme remedy for the destruction of sin; what is the body of the food-giver, the seed-caster, or even the mother?
उभयोर्वा प्रभोर्वापि बालनोग्नेः शुनोऽपि वा । कस्तत्र परमो यज्ञः कृमिविड्भस्मसंज्ञके ॥ २,२४.
Whether of both parents, or either lord, or even of a young fire, or a dog—what is the supreme sacrifice there, among those named worm, excrement, or ashes?
कर्तव्यः परमो यत्नः पातकस्य विनाशने । अनेकभवसम्भूतं पातकं तु त्रिधा कृतम् ॥ २,२४.
The utmost effort must be made to destroy sin; sin arising from many births is committed in three ways.
यदा प्राप्नोति मानुष्यं तदा सर्वं तपत्यपि । सर्वजन्मानि संस्मृत्य विषादी कृतचेतनः ॥ २,२४.
When he attains human birth, then he suffers all; remembering all births, he becomes conscious and afflicted with sorrow.
अवेक्ष्य गर्भवासांश्च कर्मजा गतयस्तथा । मानुषोदरवासी चेत्तदा भवति पातकी ॥ २,२४.
Observing the states of dwelling in the womb and the destinies born of karma, if one resides in a human womb, then he becomes sinful.
अण्डजादिषु भूतेषु यत्रयत्र प्रसर्पति । आधयो व्याधयः क्लेशा जरारूपविपर्ययः ॥ २,२४.
Among beings born from eggs and others, wherever he wanders, there are afflictions, diseases, troubles, old age, and reversal of form.
गर्भवासाद्विनिर्मुक्तस्त्वज्ञानतिमिरावृतः । न जानातिः खगश्रेष्ठ बालभावं समाश्रितः ॥ २,२४.
Released from dwelling in the womb, but enveloped by the darkness of ignorance, he does not know, O best of birds, having assumed the state of infancy.
यौवने तिमिरान्धश्च यः पश्यति स मुक्तिभाक् । आधानान्मृत्युमाप्नोति बालो वा स्थविरो युवा ॥ २,२४.
Blinded by darkness in youth, he who perceives is destined for liberation; from afflictions, one attains death, whether child, old man, or youth.
सधनो निर्धनश्चैव सुकुमारः कुरूपवान् । अविद्वांश्चैव विद्वांश्च ब्राह्मणास्त्वितरो जनः ॥ २,२४.
Whether wealthy or poor, delicate or ugly, ignorant or learned, Brahmin or other people—
तपोरतो योगशीलो महाज्ञानी च यो नरः । महादानरतः श्रीमान्धर्मात्मातुलविक्रमः । विना मानुपदेहं तु सुखं दुः खं न विन्दति ॥ २,२४.
A man devoted to austerity, skilled in yoga, greatly wise, devoted to great giving, prosperous, righteous, and of incomparable valor—without a human body, he does not find happiness or sorrow.
प्राकृतैः कर्मपाशैस्तु मृत्युमाप्नोति मानवः । आधानात्पञ्च वर्षाणि स्वल्पपापैर्विपच्यते ॥ २,२४.
By the bonds of natural actions, a man attains death; for five years, he is tormented by minor sins.
पञ्चवर्षाधिको भूत्वा महापापैर्विपच्यते । योनिं पूरयते यस्मान्मृतोऽप्यायाति याति च ॥ २,२४.
Having exceeded five years, he is tormented by great sins; he fills a womb, and because of this, even after death, he comes and goes.