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.
नौषधं न तपो दानं न माता न च बांधवाः । शक्नुवंति परित्रातुं नरं कालेन पीडितम्
No medicine, no austerity, no gift, neither mother nor relatives, can save a man afflicted by time.
रसायन तपो जाप्ययोगसिद्धैर्महात्मभिः । अवांतरितशांतिः स्यात्कालमृत्युमवाप्नुयात्
Through elixirs, austerity, recitation, and yogic accomplishments by great souls, only temporary relief is possible; but death ordained by time will still be attained.
जायते योनिकीटेषु मृतः कर्मवशात्पुनः । देहभेदेन यः पश्येद्वियोगं कर्मसंक्षयात्
One who dies is born again among wombs of insects and the like, according to karma; he perceives separation through the dissolution of karma, with a change of body.
मरणं तद्विनिर्दिष्टं न नाशः परमार्थतः । महातमः प्रविष्टस्य छिद्यमानेषु मर्मसु
That which is called death is only so designated; in truth, there is no destruction, even when vital points are severed and one enters deep darkness.
यद्दुःखं मरणे जंतोर्न तस्येहोपमा क्वचित् । हा तात मातः कांतेति क्रंदत्येवं सुदुःखितः
There is no suffering in existence to compare with the pain of death for a living being; in such deep distress, he cries out, 'Alas, father! Mother! Beloved!'
मंडूक इव सर्पेण ग्रस्यते मृत्युना जगत् । बांधवैः स परित्यक्तः प्रियैश्च परिवारितः
Just as a frog is swallowed by a serpent, so the world is seized by death; abandoned by relatives, yet surrounded by loved ones.
निःश्वसन्दीर्घमुष्णं च मुखेन परिशुष्यता । खट्वायां परिवृत्तो हि मुह्यते च मुहुर्मुहुः
Breathing long and hot through a parched mouth, lying on a bed, he turns restlessly and loses consciousness again and again.
संमूढः क्षिपतेत्यर्थं हस्तपादावितस्ततः । खट्वातो वांछते भूमिं भूमेः खट्वां पुनर्महीम्
Confused, he flings his hands and feet about aimlessly; from the bed he longs for the ground, and from the ground he again desires the bed.
विवशस्त्यक्तलज्जश्च मूत्रविष्ठानुलेपितः । याचमानश्च सलिलं शुष्ककंठोष्ठतालुकः
Helpless, having lost all shame, smeared with urine and feces, he begs for water, his throat, lips, and palate dried up.
चिंतयानः स्ववित्तानि कस्यैतानि मृते मयि । यमदूतैर्नीयमानः कालपाशेन कर्षितः
Reflecting on his wealth—'To whom will these belong when I am gone?'—he is dragged by the noose of time, led away by the messengers of Yama.