Garuda Purana

निष्क्रम्यमाणो वातेन प्राजापत्येन पीड्यते । निष्क्रमते च विलपंस्तदा दुःखनिपीडितः ॥ २,३२.

As he is being expelled by the wind of Prajapati, he is afflicted; he emerges, crying, pressed by suffering.

निष्क्रामंश्चोदरान्मूर्छामसह्यां प्रतिपद्यते । प्राप्नोति चेतनां चासौ वायुस्पर्शसुखान्वितः ॥ २,३२.

Emerging from the womb, he experiences unbearable faintness; then, touched by the wind, he regains consciousness, accompanied by the comfort of air.

ततस्तं वैष्णवी माया समास्कन्दति मोहिनी । तया विमोहितात्मासौ ज्ञानभ्रंशमवाप्नुते ॥ २,३२.

Then, the enchanting Māyā of Viṣṇu envelops him; deluded by her, he falls from knowledge.

भ्रष्टज्ञानं बालभावे ततो जन्तुः प्रपद्यते । ततः कौमारकावस्थां यौवनं वृद्धतामपि ॥ २,३२.

Deprived of knowledge, the being enters infancy; then he attains childhood, youth, and even old age.

पुनश्च तद्वन्मरणं जन्म प्राप्नोति मानवः । ततः संसारचक्रेऽस्मिन् भ्राम्यते घटयन्त्रवत् ॥ २,३२.

Again, in the same way, a person attains death and birth; thus, in this cycle of existence, he wanders like a wheel driven by a machine.

कदाचित्स्वर्गमाप्नोति कदाचिन्निरयं नरः । स्वर्गं च निरयं चैव स्वकर्मफलमश्नुते ॥ २,३२.

Sometimes a man attains heaven, sometimes hell; he experiences heaven and hell as the result of his own actions.

कदाचिद्भुक्तकर्मा च भुवं स्वल्पेन गच्छति । स्वर्लोके नरके चैव भुक्तप्राये द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ २,३२.

Sometimes, having exhausted his deeds, he comes to earth for a short time; when his experiences in heaven or hell are nearly finished, O best of twice-born, he returns.

नरकेषु महद्दुःखमेतद्यत्स्वर्गवासिनः । दृश्यते नात्र मोदन्ते पात्यमानास्तु नारकैः ॥ २,३२.

In the hells, there is great suffering, as seen by those who dwell in heaven; they do not rejoice there, being cast down among the denizens of hell.

स्वर्गेऽपि दुः खमतुलं यदारोहणकालतः । प्रभृत्यहं पतिष्यामीत्येतन्मनसि वर्तते ॥ २,३२.

Even in heaven, there is incomparable suffering from the time of ascent, for the thought persists: "From here, I will fall."

नारकांश्चैव सम्प्रेक्ष्य महद्दुःखमवाप्यते । एवं गतिमहं गन्तेत्यहर्निशमनिर्वृतः ॥ २,३२.

Seeing the inhabitants of hell, one experiences great suffering; thinking, "I will go there," he remains day and night without peace.

गर्भवासे महद्दुःखं जायमानस्य योनिजम् । जातस्य बालभावेऽपि वृद्धत्वे दुःखमेव च ॥ २,३२.

In the womb, there is great suffering for the one being born; even after birth, in childhood and old age, there is only suffering.

कामेर्ष्याक्रोधसम्बन्धाद्यौवनेऽपि च दुः सहम् । दुःस्वप्नं या वृद्धता च मरणे दुःखमुत्कटम् ॥ २,३२.

Because of desire, envy, and anger, there is suffering even in youth; old age is like a bad dream, and at death, the suffering is intense.

कृष्यमाणश्च याम्यैः स नरकेऽपि च यात्यधः । पुनश्च गर्भाज्जन्म स्यान्मरणं दुष्करं तथा ॥ २,३२.

Dragged by the servants of Yama, he goes to even lower hells; again, there is birth from the womb, and death, which is difficult to endure.

एवं संसारचक्रेऽस्मिज्जन्तवो घटयन्त्रवत् । भ्राम्यन्ते प्राक्तनैर्बधैर्बद्धा विध्यन्ति चासकृत् ॥ २,३२.

Thus, in this cycle of worldly existence, beings, bound by previous fetters, are whirled about like the wheels of a machine, and are struck again and again.

नास्ति पक्षिन्सुखं किञ्चित्क्षेत्रे दुः खशताकुले । विनतासुत मोक्षाय यतितव्यं ततो नरैः ॥ २,३२.

There is no happiness for birds in a field filled with suffering and distress; therefore, O son of Vinatā, humans must strive for liberation.

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यथा गर्भस्य संस्थितिः । कथयामि क्रमप्रश्रं पृष्टं वा वर्तते स्पृहा ॥ २,३२.

All this has been explained to you—how the fetus abides; I will narrate further in sequence, or answer what you desire to ask.

गरुड उवाच । मध्ये कृतमहाप्रश्नद्वयस्याप्तं मयोत्तरम् । प्रश्नस्यापि तृतीयस्य उत्तरं च विधीयताम् ॥ २,३२.

Garuda said: In the midst of your two great questions, I have received the answers; now, let the answer to the third question also be given.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । म्रियमाणस्य किं कृत्यमिति त्वं पृष्टवानसि । शृणु तत्रोत्तरं तूक्तं कथयामि समासतः ॥ २,३२.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: You have asked, 'What should be done for one who is dying?' Listen, I will briefly tell you the answer to that.

आसन्नमरणं ज्ञात्वा पुरुषं स्नापयेत्ततः । गोमूत्रगोमयसुमृत्तीर्थोदककुशोदकैः ॥ २,३२.

Knowing that death is near, one should bathe the person with cow urine, cow dung, pure clay, holy water, and water with kuśa grass.

वाससी परिधार्याथ धौते तु शुचिनी शुभे । दर्भाण्यादौ समास्तीर्य दक्षिणाग्रान्विकीर्य च ॥ २,३२.

Then, after putting on clean and pure garments, and having washed, one should first spread darbha grass with the tips facing south.

तिलान् गोमयलिप्तायां भूमौ तत्र निवेशयेत् ॥ २,३२.

On earth smeared with cow dung, sesame seeds should be placed there.

प्रागुदक्शिरसं वापि मुखे स्वर्णं विनिः क्षेपेत् । शालग्रामशिला तत्र तुलसी च खगेश्वर ॥ २,३२.

One should place gold in the mouth, or at the head facing east or north; there, O lord of birds, a Śālagrāma stone and tulasī should also be present.

विधेया सन्निधौ सर्पिर्दीपं प्रज्वालयेत्पुनः । नमो भगवते वासुदेवायेति जपस्तथा ॥ २,३२.

In the presence of these, one should light a ghee lamp again, and recite the mantra 'Obeisance to Bhagavān Vāsudeva.'

आदौ तु प्रणवं कृत्वा पूजादाने ततः स्मृते । समभ्यर्च्य हृषीकेशं पुष्पधूपादिभिस्ततः ॥ २,३२.

First uttering the praṇava (Oṃ), then performing worship and offering, one should duly honor Hṛṣīkeśa with flowers, incense, and the like.

प्रणिपातैः स्तवैः पुण्यैर्ध्या नयोगेन पूजयेत् । दत्त्वा दानं च विप्रेभ्यो दीनानाथेभ्य एव च ॥ २,३२.

With prostrations, hymns, and meritorious praises, and by meditation and yoga, one should worship; and give charity to brāhmaṇas and also to the poor and helpless.

पुत्त्रे मित्रे कलत्रे च क्षेत्रधान्यधनादिषु । निवर्तयेन्ममत्वं च विष्णोः पादौ हृदि स्मरन् ॥ २,३२.

One should renounce attachment to sons, friends, spouse, fields, grain, wealth, and so on, remembering the feet of Viṣṇu in the heart.

उच्चैः पुरुषसूक्तं च यदि श्रेष्ठापदस्तदा । पुत्त्राद्याः प्रपठेयुस्ते म्रियमाणे निजे जने ॥ २,३२.

If possible, the Puruṣa Sūkta should be recited aloud; then, the sons and others should recite it for their dying relative.

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं कृत्यं मृत्यावुपस्थिते । फलमप्यस्य कृत्स्नस्य समासात्ते वदाम्यहम् ॥ २,३२.

All this has been explained to you—what should be done when death is near; now I will briefly tell you the complete fruit of these acts.

स्नानेन शुचिताप्राप्तिरपावित्र्यहृतिस्ततः । ततो विष्णोः स्मृतिस्तस्य ज्ञानात्सर्वफलप्रदा ॥ २,३२.

By bathing, purity is attained and impurity is removed; then, by remembering Viṣṇu, all the fruits of knowledge are bestowed.