याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच तथैवोत्क्रममाणं तु शृणुष्वावहितो नृप। पद्भ्यामुत्क्रममाणस्य वैष्णवं स्थानमुच्यते॥
Yajnavalkya said Listen now to me, with attention, O king, as to what the places are to which those who die have to go. If the Individual soul escapes through the feet, it is said that the man goes to the region of Vishnu.
जवाभ्यां तु वसून् देवानाप्नुयादिति न श्रुतम्। जानुभ्यां च महाभागान् साध्यान् देवानवाप्नुयात्॥
If through the calves, it has been heard by us that the man goes to the regions of the Vasus. If through the knees, he acquires the companionship of those gods who are called Sadhyas.
पायुनोत्क्रममाणस्तु मैत्रं स्थानमवाप्नुयात्। पृथिवीं जधनेनाथ उरुभ्यां च प्रजापतिम्॥
If through the lower duct, the man acquires the regions of Mitra. If through the posteriors, the man returns of the Earth, and if through the things to the region of Patriarch.
पार्श्वभ्यां मरुतो देवान् नाभ्यामिन्द्रत्वमेव च। बाहुभ्यामिन्द्रमेवाहुरुरसा रुद्रमेव च॥
If through the flanks, the man acquires the regions of the Maruts, and if through the nostrils, to the region of the Moon. If through the arms, the man goes to the region of Indra, and if through the chest, to that of Rudra.
ग्रीवया तु मुनिश्रेष्ठं नरमाप्नोत्यनुत्तमम्। विश्वेदेवान् मुखेनाथ दिशः श्रोत्रेण चाप्नुयात्॥
If through the neck, the man goes to the excellent region of that foremost of ascetics known as Nara. If through the mouth, the man acquires the region of the Vishvedevas, and if through the ears, to the region of the gods presiding over the several points of the horizon.
घ्राणेन गन्धवहनं नेत्राभ्यामग्निमेव च। भूभ्यां चैवाश्विनौ देवौ ललाटेन पितृनथ॥
If through the nose, the man acquires the region of the Wind-god; and if through the eyes, to the region of Agni. If through this brows, the man goes to the region of the Ashvins; and if through the forehead, to that of the departed manes.
ब्रह्माणमाप्नोति विभुं मूर्धा देवाग्रजं तथा। एतान्युत्क्रमणस्थानान्युक्तानि मिथिलेश्वर।॥
If through the crown of the head, the man goes to the region of the powerful Brahman, that foremost of the gods. I have thus told you, O king of Mithila, the several places to which men go according to the manner in which their individual souls escape from their bodies.
अरिष्टानि प्रवक्ष्यामि विहितानि मनीषिभिः। संवत्सरवियोगस्य सम्भवन्ति शरीरिणः॥
I shall now tell you the presaging marks, as laid down by the wise, of those who have but one year to live.
योऽरुन्धतीं न पश्येत दृष्टपूर्वां कदाचन। तथैव ध्रुवमित्याहुः पूर्णेन्दुं दीपमेव च॥ खण्डाभासं दक्षिणतस्तेऽपि संवत्सरायुषः।
One who, having previously seen the fixed star called Arandhati, cannot see it, or that other star called Dhruva, or one that sees the full Moon or the flame of a burning lamp to be broken towards the south, has but one year to live.
परचक्षुषि चात्मानं ये न पश्यन्ति पार्थिव॥ आत्मच्छायाकृतीभूतं तेऽपि संवत्सरायुषः।
Those men, O king, who can no longer behold their own images reflected in the eyes of others, have but one year to live.
अतिद्युतिरतिप्रज्ञा अप्रज्ञा चाद्युतिस्तथा॥ प्रकृतेर्विक्रियापत्तिः पण्मासान्मृत्युलक्षणम्।
One who being gifted with lustre loses it, or being endued with wisdom loses it,-indeed, one whose inward and outward nature is thus metamorphosed,-has but six months more to live.
दैवतान्यवजानाति ब्राह्मणैश्च विरुद्ध्यते॥ कृष्णश्यावच्छविच्छायः षण्मासान्मृत्युलक्षणम्।
He who disregards the gods, or falls out with the Brahmanas, or one who being naturally of a dark colour become pale of hue, has but six months more to live.
ऊर्णनाभेर्यथा चक्रं छिद्रं सोमं प्रपश्यति॥ तथैव च सहस्रांशुं सप्तरात्रेण मृत्युभाक्।
One who sees the lunar disc full of holes like spider's web, or one who sees the solar disc to have similar holes, has but one week more to live.
शवगन्धमुपाघ्राति सुरभिं प्राप्य यो: नरः॥ देवतायतनस्थस्तु सप्तरात्रेण मृत्युभाक्।
One who, when smelling sweet scents in places of Worship, perceives them to be as offensive as the smell of dead bodies, has but one week more to live.
कर्णनासावनमनं दन्तदृष्टिविरागिता॥ संज्ञालोपो निरूष्मत्वं सद्योमृत्युनिदर्शनम्।
The depression of the nose or of the cars, the discolour of the teeth or of the eyes, the loss of all consciousness, and the loss also of all animal magnetism, are symptoms indicating death that very day.
अकस्माच्च स्रवेद् यस्य वाममक्षि नराधिप।॥ मूर्धतश्चोत्पतेद् धूमः सद्योमृत्युनिदर्शनम्।
If, without any ostensible cause tears suddenly flow from one's left eye, and if vapours be seen to issue from his head, it is a sure mark that the man will die before that day is over.
एतावन्ति त्वरिष्टानि विदित्वा मानवोऽऽत्मवान्॥ निशि चाहनि चात्मानं योजयेत् परमात्मनि।
on Knowing all these presaging symptoms, the man of purified soul should day and night unite his soul with the Supreme Soul.
प्रतीक्षमाणस्तत्कालं यत्कालं प्रेतता भवेत्॥ अथास्य नेष्टं मरणं स्थातुमिच्छेदिमां क्रियाम्। सर्वगन्धान रसांश्चैव धारयीत नराधिप।१९।।
Thus should he go on till the day comes for his death. If, however, instead of wishing to die he wishes to live in this world, he renounces all enjoyments,-0 king, and lives in abstinence. He thus conquers death by uniting his Soul with the Supreme Soul.
ससांख्यधारणं चैव विदितात्मा नरर्षभ। यजेच्च मृत्यु योगेन तत्परेणान्तरात्मना॥
Indeed, the man who is gifted with knowledge of the Soul, O king, follows the practises recommended by the Sankhyas and conquers death by uniting his Soul with Supreme Soul.
गच्छेत् प्राप्याक्षयं कृत्स्नमजन्म शिवमव्ययम्। शाश्वतं स्थानमचलं दुष्प्रापमकृतात्मभिः॥
At last, he acquires what is entirely indestructible, which is without birth, which is auspicious, and immutable, and eternal, and stable, and which is incapable of being acquired by men of impure souls.