स्पृष्टमात्रस्य घोरेण ज्वरः समुपजायते । तेन ज्वरेण महता महामोहः प्रजायते
As soon as one is touched by severe fever, it arises; from that great fever, profound delusion is produced.
संमूढस्य स्मृतिभ्रंशः शीघ्रं संजायते पुनः । स्मृतिभ्रंशात्ततस्तस्य पूर्वकर्मवशेन च
For one who is bewildered, loss of memory quickly occurs again; from that loss of memory and the influence of previous actions,
रतिः संजायते तस्य जंतोस्तत्रैव जन्मनि । रक्तो मूढश्च लोकोयमकार्ये संप्रवर्त्तते
Desire arises in that creature in the very same birth; thus, the world, attached and deluded, engages in improper actions.
न चात्मानं विजानाति न परं न च दैवतम् । न शृणोति परं श्रेयः सचक्षुरपि नेक्षते
He does not know himself, nor others, nor the divine; he does not hear the highest good, nor does he see, even with eyes.
समे पथि शनैर्गच्छन्स्खलतीव पदेपदे । सत्यां बुद्धौ न जानाति बोध्यमानो बुधैरपि
Walking slowly on the same path, he stumbles at every step; though his intellect is present, he does not understand, even when instructed by the wise.
संसारे क्लिश्यते तेन नरो लोभवशानुगः । गर्भस्मृतेरभावे च शास्त्रमुक्तं शिवेन च
Thus, a man suffers in worldly existence, following the power of greed; and in the absence of memory from the womb, the scripture spoken by Shiva is declared.
तद्दुःखकथनार्थाय स्वर्गमोक्षप्रसाधकम् । येन तस्मिञ्छिवे ज्ञाते धर्मकामार्थसाधने
For the sake of describing that suffering, which brings about heaven and liberation, when Shiva is known in the pursuit of righteousness, desire, and wealth,
न कुर्वंत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्तदत्र महदद्भुतम् । अव्यक्तेंद्रियबुद्धित्वाद्बाल्येदुःखं महत्पुनः
They do not act for their own highest good; this is a great wonder here. Because of undeveloped senses and intellect, childhood brings great suffering again.
इच्छन्नपि न शक्नोति वक्तुं कर्तुं न सत्कृती । दंतजन्ममहद्दुःखं लौल्येन वायुना तथा
Even when he wishes, he is unable to speak or act; the honored one endures the great pain of teething, and likewise the restlessness caused by wind.
बालरोगैश्च विविधैः पीडाबालग्रहैरपि । तृड्बुभुक्षा परीतांगः क्वचित्तिष्ठति गच्छति
Afflicted by various childhood diseases and the torments of evil spirits, his body is beset by thirst and hunger, sometimes sitting, sometimes moving.
विण्मूत्रभक्षणाद्यं च मोहाद्बालः समाचरेत् । कौमारः कर्णवेधेन मातापित्रोश्च ताडनैः
Out of delusion, the child may eat excrement and urine and the like; in childhood there is ear-piercing and beatings from mother and father.
अक्षराध्ययनाद्यैश्च दुःखं गुर्वादिशासनात् । प्रमत्तेंद्रियवृत्तेश्च कामरागप्रपीडिनः
There is suffering from learning letters and other studies, from the commands of teachers and elders, and from the torment of uncontrolled senses and desires.
रोगार्दितस्य सततं कुतः सौख्यं हि यौवने । ईर्ष्यासु महद्दुःखं मोहाद्दुःखं प्रजायते
For one constantly afflicted by disease, where is happiness in youth? Great suffering arises from jealousy, and suffering is born from delusion.
तत्रस्यात्कुपितस्यैव रागो दुःखाय केवलम् । रात्रौ न विंदते निद्रा कामाग्नि परिखेदितः
There, for one who is angry, passion brings only suffering; at night, tormented by the fire of desire, he finds no sleep.
दिवा वापि कुतः सौख्यमर्थोपार्जनचिंतया । स्त्रीष्वायासितदेहस्य ये पुंसः शुक्रबिंदवः
How can there be happiness even by day, when the mind is anxious about acquiring wealth? The drops of semen from a man whose body is exhausted by women—
न ते सुखाय मंतव्याः स्वेदजा इव बिंदवः । कृमिभिस्ताड्यमानस्य कुष्ठिनः पामरस्य च
These are not to be considered sources of happiness, just like drops of sweat; for one afflicted by worms, leprosy, or low birth,
कंडूयनाग्नितापेन यत्सुखं स्त्रीषु तद्विदुः । यादृशं मन्यते सौख्यमर्थोपार्जनचिंतया
The pleasure known in women is like the burning itch of scratching, as is the happiness thought to come from the pursuit of wealth.
तादृशं स्त्रीषु मंतव्यमधिकं नैव विद्यते । मर्त्यस्य वेदना सैव यां विना चित्तनिर्वृतिः
Such is to be considered the pleasure in women; there is nothing greater than this. The pain of mortals is that which exists without peace of mind.
ततोन्योन्यं पुरा प्राप्तमंते सैवान्यथा भवेत् । तदेवं जरया ग्रस्तमामया व्यपिनप्रियम्
That which was once obtained from one another may later become otherwise; thus, when seized by old age and disease, even what was dear becomes different.
अपूर्ववत्समात्मानं जरया परिपीडितम् । यः पश्यन्न विरज्येत कोन्यस्तस्मादचेतनः
Seeing oneself, previously youthful, now oppressed by old age, who would not become detached, except one devoid of sense?
जराभिभूतोपि जंतुः पत्नीपुत्रादिबांधवैः । अशक्तत्वाद्दुराचारैर्भृत्यैश्च परिभूयते
Even when overcome by old age, a person is scorned by wife, son, and other relatives, and, being powerless, is insulted by wicked servants.
न धर्ममर्थं कामं च मोक्षं च जरयायुतः । शक्तः साधयितुं तस्माद्युवा धर्मं समाचरेत्
One afflicted by old age is unable to accomplish righteousness, wealth, desire, or liberation; therefore, a young man should practice righteousness.
वातपित्तकफादीनां वैषम्यं व्याधिरुच्यते । वातादीनां समूहेन देहोयं परिकीर्तितः
Disease is said to be the imbalance of wind, bile, and phlegm; this body is described as a combination of wind and the others.
तस्माद्व्याधिमयं ज्ञेयं शरीरमिदमात्मनः । वाताद्यव्यतिरिक्तत्वाद्व्याधीनां पंजरस्य च
Therefore, this body of one's own should be known as full of disease, since it is not separate from wind and the rest, nor from the cage of diseases.
रोगैर्नानाविधैर्याति देही दुःखान्यनेकधा । तानि च स्वात्मवेद्यानि किमन्यत्कथयाम्यहम्
Afflicted by various diseases, the embodied one experiences many kinds of suffering; these are known by oneself—what else should I say?
एकोत्तरं मृत्युशतमस्मिन्देहे प्रतिष्ठितम् । तत्रैकः कालसंयुक्तः शेषाश्चागंतवः स्मृताः
In this body, one hundred and one forms of death are established; among them, one is joined with time, the rest are considered incidental.
ये त्विहागंतवः प्रोक्तास्ते प्रशाम्यंति भेषजैः । जपहोमप्रदानैश्च कालमृत्युर्न शाम्यति
Those diseases mentioned here can be pacified by medicines, by recitation, offerings, and gifts; but death ordained by time cannot be appeased by these means.
यदि वापमृत्युर्न स्याद्विषास्वादादशंकितः । न चात्ति पुरुषस्तस्मादपमृत्योर्बिभेति सः
If untimely death did not exist, marked by the tasting of poison and the like, then a person would not fear it, nor would he avoid consuming such things.
विविधा व्याधयस्तत्र सर्पाद्याः प्राणिनस्तथा । विषाणि चाभिचाराश्च मृत्योर्द्वाराणि देहिनाम्
Various diseases, serpents and other creatures, poisons, and acts of sorcery—these are the doors to death for embodied beings.
पीडितं सर्वरोगाद्यैरपि धन्वंतरिः स्वयम् । स्वस्थीकर्तुं न शक्नोति कालप्राप्तं न चान्यथा
Even Dhanvantari himself cannot restore to health one afflicted by all diseases, if the destined time has come; it cannot be otherwise.