Garuda Purana

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.

मृतो दानप्रभावेण जीवन्मर्त्यश्चिरं भुवि । सूत उवाच । इति कृष्णवचः श्रुत्वा गरुडो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ २,२४.

Having died, by the power of giving, a mortal lives long on earth. Sūta said: Having heard Krishna's words, Garuda spoke.

गरुड उवाच । मृते बाले कथं कुर्यात्पिण्डदानादिकाः क्रियाः । गर्भेषु च विपन्नानामाचूडाकरणाच्छिशोः ॥ २,२४.

Garuda said: When a child dies, how should one perform rites such as offering balls of rice? And for those who perish in the womb, or before the first shaving of the child's head?

कथं किं केन दातव्यं मृतान्ते को विधिः स्मृतः । गरुडोक्तमिति श्रुत्वा विष्णुर्वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ॥ २,२४.

How, what, and by whom should offerings be made at the time of death? What is the prescribed rite? Hearing Garuḍa’s words, Viṣṇu then spoke as follows:

श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । यदि गर्भो विपद्यते स्त्रवते वापि योषितः । यावन्मासं स्थितो गर्भस्तावद्दिनमशौचकम् ॥ २,२४.

Śrī Viṣṇu said: If a pregnancy is lost or a woman miscarries, for as many months as the fetus remained, that many days of impurity are observed.

तस्य किञ्चिन्न कर्तव्यमात्मनः श्रेय इच्छता । ततो जाते विपन्ने तु आ चूडाकरणाच्छिशोः ॥ २,२४.

Nothing should be done by one who desires their own welfare in such a case; but if the child is born and then dies, rites are performed up to the time of the child’s first tonsure.

दुग्धं भोज्यं ताशक्ति बालानां च प्रदीयते । आ चूडात्पञ्चवर्षे तु देहदाहो विधीयते ॥ २,२४.

Milk and food, according to ability, are to be given for children; up to the tonsure or five years, cremation of the body is prescribed.

दुग्धं तस्य प्रदेयं स्याद्बालानां भोजनं शुभम् । पञ्चवर्षाधिके प्रेते स्वजातिविहितानि च ॥ २,२४.

Milk should be offered for them, and wholesome food for children; if one dies after five years, the rites prescribed for their own caste should be performed.

कुर्यात्कर्माणि सर्वाणि चोदकुम्भादि पायसम् । दातव्यं तु खगश्रेष्ठ ऋणसम्बन्धकस्तु सः ॥ २,२४.

All the rites should be performed, including the water-pot and rice pudding; these should be given, O best of birds, for he is bound by the debt of birth.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । कर्तव्यं पक्षिशार्दूल पुनर्देहक्षयाय वै ॥ २,२४.

For one who is born, death is certain, and for the dead, birth is certain; therefore, O tiger among birds, the rites must be performed for the dissolution of the body.

तस्मै यद्रोचते देयमदत्त्वा निर्धने कुले । स्वल्पायुर्निर्धनो भूत्वा रतिभक्तिविवर्जितः ॥ २,२४.

Whatever pleases him should be given; if not given in a poor family, one becomes short-lived, impoverished, and deprived of pleasure and devotion.