Adhyaya 159

Verse 1

इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे स्रावाद्यशौचं नाम अष्टपञ्चाशदधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः अथैकोनषष्ट्यधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः असंस्कृतादिशौचं पुष्कर उवाच संस्कृतस्यासंस्कृतस्य स्वर्गो मोक्षो हरिम्मृतेः अस्थ्नाङ्गङ्गाम्भसि क्षेपात् प्रेतस्याभ्युदयो भवेत्

Thus, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa, the one-hundred-and-fifty-eighth chapter, called “Impurity beginning with bodily discharges,” ends. Now begins the one-hundred-and-fifty-ninth chapter: “Purification concerning one who is unsanctified (without rites) and related cases.” Puṣkara said: “For one who is duly consecrated (saṃskṛta) and for one who is not (asaṃskṛta), there is attainment of heaven and even liberation, through remembrance of Hari at the time of death. By casting the bones into the waters of the Gaṅgā, the deceased spirit (preta) attains uplift.”

Verse 2

आपात इति ख , छ च अननेप्येवमेवं स्यादित्यादिः, भोक्तुरेकमहोन्यथेत्यन्तः पाठः घ , झ , ञ पुस्तकत्रयेषु नास्ति गङ्गातोये नरस्यास्थि यावत्तावद्दिवि स्थतिः आत्मनस्त्यागिनां नास्ति पतितानां तथा क्रिया

Critical note: In the kha and cha manuscripts the reading begins with “āpāta…”. The passage “ananepyevamevaṃ syād…” and the ending “bhokturekam aho'nyathā” are not found in the three manuscripts (gha, jha, ña). — (Verse:) As long as a man’s bone remains in the waters of the Gaṅgā, for just so long does he abide in heaven. For those who have abandoned themselves (i.e., committed suicide), and likewise for the fallen (grave sinners/outcast), such a funerary rite is not prescribed.

Verse 3

तेषामपि तथा गाङ्गे तोये ऽस्थ्नां पतनं हितं तेषां दत्तं जलं चान्नं गगने तत् प्रलीयते

For them as well, the casting of the bones into the waters of the Gaṅgā is beneficial; and the water and food offered for them—if not offered in this manner—dissipate into the sky (that is, become fruitless and unreceived).

Verse 4

अनुग्रहेण महता प्रेतस्य पतितस्य च नारायणबलिः कार्यस्तेनानुग्रहमश्नुते

Out of great compassion, the Narāyaṇa-bali rite should be performed for a departed spirit (preta), even for one who has fallen (patita); by that rite one attains divine grace.

Verse 5

अक्षयः पुण्डरीकाक्षस्तत्र दत्तं न नश्यति पतनात्रायते यस्मात् तस्मात् पात्रं जनार्दनः

Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Viṣṇu) is imperishable; a gift offered there (unto him) does not perish. Because he rescues one from spiritual downfall, therefore Janārdana is the supreme worthy recipient for offerings.

Verse 6

पततां भुक्तिमुक्त्यादिप्रद एको हरिर्ध्रुवं दृष्ट्वा लोकान् म्रियमाणान् सहायं धर्ममाचरेत्

Seeing that beings in the worlds are perishing, one should practice Dharma as one’s helper; for Hari alone is the certain bestower of enjoyments, liberation (mukti), and the like for those who are falling.

Verse 7

मृतो ऽपि बान्धवः शक्तो नानुगन्तुं नरं मृतं जायावर्जं हि सर्वस्य याम्यः पन्था विभिद्यते

Even a kinsman—though deceased—cannot accompany a dead man; for everyone’s southern path (the road to Yama) becomes divided, except for the wife.

Verse 8

धर्म एको व्रजत्येनं यत्र क्वचन गामिनं श्वः कार्यमद्य कुर्वीत पूर्वाह्णे चापराह्णिकं

Dharma alone accompanies a person who goes anywhere, to any place. Therefore, one should do tomorrow’s task today, and the afternoon’s task in the forenoon.

Verse 9

न हि प्रतीक्षते मृत्युः कृतः वास्य न वा कृतं क्षेत्रापणगृहासक्तमन्यत्रगतमानसं

Death does not wait—whether one’s tasks are done or not—for the person attached to fields, markets, and houses, whose mind wanders elsewhere.

Verse 10

वृकीवीरणमासाद्य मृत्युरादाय गच्छति न कालस्य प्रियः कश्चिद् द्वेष्यश्चास्य न विद्यते

Even upon reaching (as far as) Vṛkīvīraṇa, Death takes him away and departs. For Time has none dear to it, and none hateful to it either.

Verse 11

आयुष्ये कर्मणि क्षीणे प्रसह्य हरिते जनं नाप्राप्तकालो म्रियते बिद्धः शरशतैर् अपि

When the karma sustaining one’s lifespan is exhausted, Time forcibly carries the person away; but one whose destined time has not yet arrived does not die, even if pierced by hundreds of arrows.

Verse 12

कुशाग्रेणापि संस्पृष्टः प्राप्तकालो न जीवति पन्था विभज्यते इति ग धर्म एवेति ज औषधानि न मन्त्राद्यास्त्रायन्ते मृत्युनान्वितं

Even if touched merely by the tip of a kuśa blade, one whose destined time has arrived does not live. It is said, “the path is divided,” meaning the course of life is determined; indeed, Dharma alone truly protects. Medicines do not save, nor do mantras and the like protect one already bound up with death.

Verse 13

वत्सवत् प्राकृतं कर्म कर्तारं विन्दति ध्रुवं अव्यक्तादि व्यक्तमध्यमव्यक्तनिधनं जगत्

Natural (prākṛta) action unfailingly finds its doer—like a calf finding its mother. The world begins from the unmanifest (avyakta), has the manifest (vyakta) as its middle, and ends again in the unmanifest.

Verse 14

कौमारादि यथा देहे तथा देहान्तरागमः नवमन्यद्यथा वस्त्रं गृह्णात्येवं शरीरिकं

Just as, within the same body, one passes through childhood and the other stages, so too there is entry into another body; and just as one takes up a new and different garment, so the embodied being takes up another body.

Verse 15

देही नित्यमबध्यो ऽयं यतः शोकं ततस्त्यजेत्

Since the embodied Self is ever unbound, therefore one should abandon grief.