The Soul's Departure and the Signs of Approaching Death

Verse 1 (12.322.1)

तथैवोत्क्रमतां स्थानं शृणुष्वावहितो नृप । पद्भ्यामुत्क्रममाणस्य वैष्णवं स्थानमुच्यते ॥

tathaivotkramatāṃ sthānaṃ śṛṇuṣvāvahito nṛpa | padbhyāmutkramamāṇasya vaiṣṇavaṃ sthānamucyate

Now hear, O king, with close attention, the places from which the departing soul leaves. For one who departs by way of the feet, the abode of Vishnu is declared.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads तथैवोत्क्रमतां स्थानम् (CE tathaivotkramamāṇaṃ tu), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 2 (12.322.2)

जङ्घाभ्यां तु वसून्देवानाप्नुयादिति नः श्रुतम् । जानुभ्यां च महाभागान्साध्यान्देवानवाप्नुयात् ॥

jaṅghābhyāṃ tu vasūndevānāpnuyāditi naḥ śrutam | jānubhyāṃ ca mahābhāgānsādhyāndevānavāpnuyāt

By way of the shins he reaches the Vasus, the gods; so we have heard. By way of the knees he reaches the Sadhyas, the great and glorious gods.

Verse 3 (12.322.3)

पायुनोत्क्रममाणस्तु मैत्रं स्थानमवाप्नुयात् । पृथिवीं जघनेनाथ ऊरुभ्यां च प्रजापतिम् ॥

pāyunotkramamāṇastu maitraṃ sthānamavāpnuyāt | pṛthivīṃ jaghanenātha ūrubhyāṃ ca prajāpatim

Departing by way of the anus he reaches the abode of Mitra; by the hips, the Earth; and by the thighs, Prajapati.

Verse 4 (12.322.4)

पार्श्वाभ्यां मरुतो देवान्नासाभ्यामिन्दुमेव च । बाहुभ्यामिन्द्रमित्याहुरुरसा रुद्रमेव च ॥

pārśvābhyāṃ maruto devānnāsābhyāmindumeva ca | bāhubhyāmindramityāhururasā rudrameva ca

By way of the sides he reaches the Maruts, the gods; by the nostrils, the Moon; by the arms, they say, Indra; and by the chest, Rudra.

Verse 5 (12.322.5)

ग्रीवया तु मुनिश्रेष्ठं नरमाप्नोत्यनुत्तमम् । विश्वेदेवान्मुखेनाथ दिशः श्रोत्रेण चाप्नुयात् ॥

grīvayā tu muniśreṣṭhaṃ naramāpnotyanuttamam | viśvedevānmukhenātha diśaḥ śrotreṇa cāpnuyāt

By way of the neck he reaches Nara, the best of sages, the unsurpassed; by the mouth, the Vishvedevas; and by the ear, the quarters of space.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads ग्रीवया तु मुनिश्रेष्ठं नरम् (CE grīvāyās tam ṛṣiśreṣṭhaṃ naram), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 6 (12.322.6)

घ्राणेन गन्धवहनं नेत्राभ्यां सूर्यमेव च । भ्रूभ्यां चैवाश्विनौ देवौ ललाटेन पितॄनथ ॥

ghrāṇena gandhavahanaṃ netrābhyāṃ sūryameva ca | bhrūbhyāṃ caivāśvinau devau lalāṭena pitṝnatha

By way of the nose he reaches the Wind, the bearer of scent; by the eyes, the Sun; by the eyebrows, the two Ashvin gods; and by the forehead, the Fathers.

Note on the text: Corrected पितृनथ → पितॄनथ (misprint in Wikisource; accusative plural needs long ॠ; CE pitṝn atha).

Verse 7 (12.322.7)

ब्रह्माणमाप्नोति विभुं मूर्ध्ना देवाग्रजं तथा । एतान्युत्क्रमणस्थानान्युक्तानि मिथिलेश्वर ॥

brahmāṇamāpnoti vibhuṃ mūrdhnā devāgrajaṃ tathā | etānyutkramaṇasthānānyuktāni mithileśvara

By way of the crown of the head he reaches Brahma, the all-pervading, the elder of the gods. These, O lord of Mithila, are the places of departure that have been told.

Verse 8 (12.322.8)

अरिष्टानि प्रवक्ष्यामि विहितानि मनीषिभिः । संवत्सराद्धिमोक्षस्तु संभवेत शरीरिणः ॥

ariṣṭāni pravakṣyāmi vihitāni manīṣibhiḥ | saṃvatsarāddhimokṣastu saṃbhaveta śarīriṇaḥ

Now I shall tell the signs of ill omen laid down by the wise, by which the release of embodied beings from life may come within a year.

Note on the text: Corrected अरिगनि → अरिष्टानि (misprint in Wikisource; letters garbled; CE ariṣṭāni). Line 2 reads संवत्सराद्धि मोक्षस्तु संभवेत शरीरिणः, a recension variant of CE saṃvatsaraviyogasya saṃbhaveyuḥ śarīriṇaḥ (the page's footnote cites the reading संवत्सरवियोगस्य संभवे नु), kept. The alignment found no match; the verse is CE 12.305.8.

Verse 9 (12.322.9)

योऽरुन्धतीं न पश्येत दृष्टपूर्वां कदाचन । तथैव ध्रुवमित्याहुः पूर्णेन्दुं दीपमेव च ॥

yo'rundhatīṃ na paśyeta dṛṣṭapūrvāṃ kadācana | tathaiva dhruvamityāhuḥ pūrṇenduṃ dīpameva ca

He who cannot see Arundhati, though he has seen her before, and likewise, they say, the Pole Star, the full moon, or a lamp,

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; it is CE 12.305.9a and 9c. Corrected दृष्टपूर्वा → दृष्टपूर्वाम् (printed दृष्टपूर्वा; misprint in Wikisource, the anusvara is lost; CE dṛṣṭapūrvāṃ, agreeing with अरुन्धतीम्) and ध्रुवमतित्याहुः → ध्रुवमित्याहुः (misprint in Wikisource; stray letters; CE dhruvam ity āhuḥ).

Verse 10 (12.322.10)

खण्डाभासं दक्षिणतस्तेऽपि संवत्सरायुषः । परचक्षुषि चात्मानं ये न पश्यन्ति पार्थिव ॥

khaṇḍābhāsaṃ dakṣiṇataste'pi saṃvatsarāyuṣaḥ | paracakṣuṣi cātmānaṃ ye na paśyanti pārthiva

or who sees it broken in appearance on the south side, he too has a year to live. And those who do not see themselves in the eye of another, O king,

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; line 1 is CE 12.305.9e (the third line of a three-line CE verse; खण्डाभासं दक्षिणतस्ते 'पि संवत्सरायुषः) and line 2 is CE 12.305.10a. The page's footnote cites the variant खण्डभागं दक्षिणतः.

Verse 11 (12.322.11)

आत्मच्छायाकृतीभूतं तेऽपि संवत्सरायुषः । अतिद्युतिरतिप्रज्ञा अप्रज्ञा चाद्युतिस्तथा ॥

ātmacchāyākṛtībhūtaṃ te'pi saṃvatsarāyuṣaḥ | atidyutiratiprajñā aprajñā cādyutistathā

or do not see their own shadow take shape, they too have a year to live. Excess of radiance, excess of wisdom, or want of wisdom and want of radiance as well:

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; line 1 is CE 12.305.10c (ātmacchāyākṛtībhūtaṃ te 'pi saṃvatsarāyuṣaḥ) and line 2 is CE 12.305.11a.

Verse 12 (12.322.12)

प्रकृतेर्विक्रियापत्तिः षण्मासान्मृत्युलक्षणम् । दैवतान्यवजानाति ब्राह्मणैश्च विरुध्यते ॥

prakṛtervikriyāpattiḥ ṣaṇmāsānmṛtyulakṣaṇam | daivatānyavajānāti brāhmaṇaiśca virudhyate

such a change in one's nature is a sign of death within six months. Such a one slights the gods and quarrels with Brahmins;

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; line 1 is CE 12.305.11c and line 2 is CE 12.305.12a.

Verse 13 (12.322.13)

कृष्णश्यावच्छविच्छायः षण्मासान्मृत्युलक्षणम् । शीर्णनाभिं यथा चक्रं छिद्रं सोमं प्रपश्यति ॥

kṛṣṇaśyāvacchavicchāyaḥ ṣaṇmāsānmṛtyulakṣaṇam | śīrṇanābhiṃ yathā cakraṃ chidraṃ somaṃ prapaśyati

his complexion and glow turn black and dusky, a sign of death within six months. He sees the moon full of holes, like a wheel whose hub has split,

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; line 1 is CE 12.305.12c and line 2 is CE 12.305.13a.

Verse 14 (12.322.14)

तथैव च सहस्रांशुं सप्तरात्रेण मृत्युभाक् । शवगन्धमुपाघ्राति सप्तरात्रेण मृत्युभाक् ॥

tathaiva ca sahasrāṃśuṃ saptarātreṇa mṛtyubhāk | śavagandhamupāghrāti saptarātreṇa mṛtyubhāk

and the sun likewise; such a man meets death within seven nights. He who smells the odour of a corpse meets death within seven nights.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; line 1 is CE 12.305.13c. Line 2 (शवगन्धमुपाघ्राति सप्तरात्रेण मृत्युभाक्) is not in the critical edition in this form: the CE has two lines here, 12.305.14a śavagandham upāghrāti surabhiṃ prāpya yo naraḥ and 14c devatāyatanasthas tu ṣaḍrātreṇa sa mṛtyubhāk ("who smells a corpse-smell on reaching a fragrance, while staying in a temple, dies within six nights"). Wikisource's line, which also closes with a single danda, is a shorter vulgate reading (the page's footnote 12-322-14 glosses the fragrance clause); kept as printed.

Verse 15 (12.322.15)

कर्णनासावनमनं दन्तदृष्टिविरागिता ॥

karṇanāsāvanamanaṃ dantadṛṣṭivirāgitā

Drooping of the ears and nose, and a fading of the colour of the teeth and eyes;

Note on the text: Wikisource prints the line twice (12-322-15a कर्णनासावनमनं दन्तदृष्टिविरागितां, with a doubled danda, and 15b कर्णनासावनमनं दन्तदृष्टिविरागिता); the first copy is a repeat and is dropped, leaving the one line, which is CE 12.305.15a. The CE's 15c (संज्ञालोपो निरूष्मत्वं …) is the first line of the next Wikisource verse. The result is a one-line verse. The alignment found no match.

Verse 16 (12.322.16)

संज्ञालोपो निरूष्मत्वं सद्योमृत्युनिदर्शनम् । अकस्माच्च स्रवेद्यस्य वाममक्षि नराधिप ॥

saṃjñālopo nirūṣmatvaṃ sadyomṛtyunidarśanam | akasmācca sravedyasya vāmamakṣi narādhipa

loss of consciousness and of bodily warmth are signs of death at once. If the left eye suddenly weeps, O lord of men,

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; line 1 is CE 12.305.15c and line 2 is CE 12.305.16a.

Verse 17 (12.322.17)

मूर्धतश्चोत्पतेद्धूमः सद्योमृत्युनिदर्शनम् । एतावन्ति त्वरिष्टानि विदित्वा मानवोऽऽत्मवान् ॥

mūrdhataścotpateddhūmaḥ sadyomṛtyunidarśanam | etāvanti tvariṣṭāni viditvā mānavo''tmavān

or smoke rises from the head, these are signs of death at once. A man in command of himself, knowing so many omens,

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; line 1 is CE 12.305.16c and line 2 is CE 12.305.17a. Corrected मूर्ध्रतश्चोत्पतेद्धूमः → मूर्धतश्चोत्पतेद्धूमः (misprint in Wikisource; stray र; CE mūrdhataś cotpated dhūmaḥ).

Verse 18 (12.322.18)

निशि चाहनि चात्मानं योजयेत्परमात्मनि । प्रतीक्षमाणस्तत्कालं यः कालः प्रकृतो भवेत् ॥

niśi cāhani cātmānaṃ yojayetparamātmani | pratīkṣamāṇastatkālaṃ yaḥ kālaḥ prakṛto bhavet

join himself to the Supreme Self by night and by day, awaiting the time that has been set for him.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; line 1 is CE 12.305.17c and line 2 is CE 12.305.18a (यः कालः प्रकृतो भवेत् for CE yat kālaṃ prati tad bhavet, a variant, kept).

Verse 19 (12.322.19)

अथास्य नेष्टं मरणं स्थातुमिच्छेदिमां क्रियाम् । सर्वगन्धान्रसांश्चैव धारयीत समाहितः ॥

athāsya neṣṭaṃ maraṇaṃ sthātumicchedimāṃ kriyām | sarvagandhānrasāṃścaiva dhārayīta samāhitaḥ

But if he does not wish for death and wishes to stay, let him practise this rite: composed, let him hold in himself all scents and flavours,

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; line 1 is CE 12.305.18c and line 2 is CE 12.305.19a (धारयीत for CE dhārayeta, a variant form, kept).

Verse 20 (12.322.20)

तथा मृत्युमुपादाय तत्परेणान्तरात्मना । स साङ्ख्यधारणं चैव विदित्वा मनुजर्षभ । जयेच्च मृत्युं योगेन तत्परेणान्तरात्मना ॥

tathā mṛtyumupādāya tatpareṇāntarātmanā | sa sāṅkhyadhāraṇaṃ caiva viditvā manujarṣabha | jayecca mṛtyuṃ yogena tatpareṇāntarātmanā

So, having laid hold of death with his inner self intent upon it, and knowing too the Sankhya practice of retention, O best of men, he may conquer death by yoga, with his inner self intent upon it.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match, but the critical edition has the passage; line 1 is CE 12.305.19c (tathā hi mṛtyuṃ jayati tatpareṇāntarātmanā; Wikisource has a different first half, a variant), line 2 is CE 12.305.20a and line 3 is CE 12.305.20c. Removed the stray backtick and apostrophe quote marks and the doubled danda printed around line 1. Corrected तत्परेणान्दरात्मना → तत्परेणान्तरात्मना (misprint in Wikisource; द for त; CE tatpareṇāntarātmanā).

Verse 21 (12.322.21)

गच्छेत्प्राप्याक्षयं कृत्स्नमजन्म शिवमव्ययम् । शाश्वतं स्थानमचलं दुष्प्रापमकृतात्मभिः ॥

gacchetprāpyākṣayaṃ kṛtsnamajanma śivamavyayam | śāśvataṃ sthānamacalaṃ duṣprāpamakṛtātmabhiḥ

He would go, having attained the imperishable, the whole, the unborn, the auspicious, the changeless: the everlasting, unmoving abode, hard to reach for those whose selves are unrefined.