Garuda Purana

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.

दर्भतूली नयेत्स्वर्गमातुरं तु न संशयः । तिलैर्दर्भैश्च निः क्षिप्तैः स्नानं क्रतुमयं भवेत् ॥ २,३२.

There is no doubt that by a seat of darbha grass, one leads the dying to heaven; and by bathing with sesame and darbha, the rite becomes like a sacrifice.

ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च श्रीर्हुताशस्तथैव च । मण्डले चोपतिष्ठन्ति तस्मात्कुर्वीत मण्डलम् ॥ २,३२.

Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Śrī, and Agni are present in the maṇḍala; therefore, one should make the maṇḍala.

प्रागुदग्वा कृतेनेह शिरसा लोकमुत्तमम् । व्रजते यदि पापस्याल्पत्वं पुंसो भवेत्खग ॥ २,३२.

If, here, one bows the head to the east or north-east, O bird, even if a person's sin is small, he attains the highest world.

पञ्चरत्ने मुखे मुक्ते जिवे ज्ञानं प्ररोहति । तुलसी ब्राह्मणा गावो विष्णुरेकादशी खग ॥ २,३२.

When five gems, pearls, or liberated souls are in the mouth, knowledge grows; tulasī, a brāhmaṇa, cows, Viṣṇu, and Ekādaśī, O bird.

पञ्च प्रवहणान्येव भवाब्धौ मज्जतां नृणाम् । विष्णुरेकादशी गीता तुलसी विप्रधेनवः ॥ २,३२.

There are five rafts for those sinking in the ocean of existence: Viṣṇu, Ekādaśī, the Gītā, tulasī, a brāhmaṇa, and cows.

असारे दुर्गसंसारे षट्पदी भक्तिदायिनी । नमो भगवते वासुदेवायेति जपन्नरः ॥ २,३२.

In this insubstantial, difficult world, the six-footed verse bestows devotion; a man who chants 'Salutations to Bhagavān Vāsudeva'—

ओङ्कारपूर्वं सायुज्यं प्राप्नुयान्नात्र संशयः । पूजयापि च मल्लोकप्राप्तिराराद्दिवं व्रजेत् ॥ २,३२.

Preceded by Oṃ, attains union without doubt; even by worship, one quickly attains my world and goes to heaven.

बन्धाभावे ममत्वेतु ज्ञानं पुरुषसूक्ततः । यस्ययस्याधिकत्वं तु साधनेष्वेषु काश्यप ॥ २,३२.

When there is no bondage, but attachment remains, knowledge comes from the Puruṣa Sūkta; O Kāśyapa, the greater the effort in these practices—

तत्तत्फलस्याप्याधिक्यं भवतीत्यवधारय । दातव्यानि यथाशक्त्या प्रीतोऽसौ सर्वदा भवेत् ॥ २,३२.

So too is the greater the result of that act; one should give as able, and he will always be pleased.

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं स्नानादिषु फलं मया । ब्रह्माण्डे ये गुणाः सन्ति शरीरे ते व्यवस्थिताः ॥ २,३२.

All this has been told to you by me—the fruit of bathing and so on; the qualities present in the universe are established in the body.