Adhyaya 15
Signs at the Death of Sinners and the Approach of Yama’s Messengers
Somaśarmā asks Sumana to explain the signs that attend the death of sinners. Sumana says she will recount what she heard from a Siddha, and the chapter turns to a stark moral-eschatological portrayal of the sinner’s final hour. It depicts the sinner’s degraded surroundings and conduct, and the appearance of punitive beings in terrifying, Bhairava-like forms, roaring aloud. Yama’s messengers bind and beat the sinner, while the text names paradigmatic sins: theft, violating another’s wife, wrongful appropriation of wealth, retracting gifts once given, and improper acceptance of gifts. As death approaches, the sins are said to “rise” to the throat, bringing choking, rattling breath, tremors, cries for one’s family, fainting, and delusion. In the end, the sinner is taken along the downward course and led away by Yama’s agents.
Shlokas
Verse 1
सोमशर्मोवाच । पापिनां मरणं भद्रे कीदृशैर्लक्षणैर्युतम् । तन्मे त्वं विस्तराद्ब्रूहि यदि जानासि भामिनि
Somaśarmā said: “O blessed lady, what signs accompany the death of sinners? If you know, O fair one, tell me in detail.”
Verse 2
सुमनोवाच । श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि तस्मात्सिद्धाच्छ्रुतं मया । पापिनां मरणे कांत यादृशं लिंगमेव च
Sumana said: “Listen, O beloved; I shall declare what I have heard from that Siddha—what sign appears at the time of death for sinners.”
Verse 3
महापातकिनां चैव स्थानं चेष्टां वदाम्यहम् । विण्मूत्रामेध्यसंयुक्तां भूमिं पापसमन्विताम्
I shall now describe the dwelling-place and the conduct of great sinners: a ground tainted with excrement, urine, and other impurities—land permeated with sin.
Verse 4
सतां प्राप्य सुदुष्टात्मा प्राणान्दुःखेन मुंचति । चांडालभूमिं संप्राप्य मरणं याति दुःस्थितः
Even after coming into the company of the virtuous, one of thoroughly wicked mind relinquishes life in anguish; reaching the land of outcastes, he meets death in a wretched state.
Verse 5
गर्दभाचरितां भूमिं वेश्यागेहं समाश्रितः । कल्पपालगृहं गत्वा निधनायोपगच्छति
Resorting to a land frequented by donkeys, taking shelter in a prostitute’s house, and going to the dwelling of a keeper of a brothel—thus he proceeds toward ruin, toward death.
Verse 6
अस्थिचर्मनखैः पूर्णमाश्रितं पापकिल्बिषैः । तां प्राप्य च स दुष्टात्मा मृत्युं याति सुनिश्चितम्
Filled with bones, skin, and nails, and inhabited by the impurities of sin—having reached that state or place, the wicked-souled person certainly goes to death.
Verse 7
अन्यां पापसमाचारां प्राप्य मृत्युं स गच्छति । अथ चेष्टां प्रवक्ष्यामि दूतानां तु तमिच्छताम्
Having taken up yet another course of sinful conduct, he goes to his death. Now I shall describe the actions of the messengers who seek him.
Verse 8
भैरवान्दारुणान्घोरानतिकृष्णान्महोदरान् । पिंगाक्षान्पीतनीलांश्च अतिश्वेतान्महोदरान्
He described the Bhairavas—fierce and terrifying—some exceedingly dark, with massive bellies; others tawny-eyed, yellow or blue in hue; and some extremely white, again with huge bellies.
Verse 9
अत्युच्चान्विकरालांश्च शुष्कमांसवसोपमान् । रौद्रदंष्ट्रान्करालांश्च सिंहास्यान्सर्पहस्तकान्
(He saw beings) exceedingly tall and grotesque, like dried flesh and fat—fierce, with dreadful fangs, terrifying in form, lion-faced, and with hands like serpents.
Verse 10
सतान्दृष्ट्वा प्रकंपेत खिद्यते च मुहुर्मुहुः । शिवासंनादवद्घोरान्महारावान्महामते
Seeing those dreadful beings, one would tremble and again and again grow distressed, O great-minded one, at their terrifying, thunderous roars—like the howling of jackals.
Verse 11
मुंचंति दूतकाः सर्वे कर्णमूले तु तस्य हि । गले पाशैः प्रबद्ध्वा ते कटिं बद्ध्वा तथोदरे
All the messengers strike him at the root of the ear; and binding his neck with nooses, they also bind his waist and his belly.
Verse 12
समाधृष्य निपात्यंते हाहेति वदते मुहुः । म्रियमाणस्य या चेष्टा तामेवं प्रवदाम्यहम्
Having been seized and struck down, he repeatedly cries, “Alas! Alas!”—such are the movements and struggles of one who is dying; thus I describe them.
Verse 13
परद्रव्यापहरणं परभार्याविडंबनम् । ऋणं परस्य सर्वस्वं गृहीतं यत्तु पापिभिः
The theft of another’s property, the violation of another man’s wife, and the taking away of another’s entire wealth as a debt—these are acts done by sinners.
Verse 14
पुनर्नैव प्रदत्तं हि लोभास्वादविमोहतः । अन्यदेवं महापापं कुप्रतिग्रहमेव च
Indeed, one should never give again what has already been given, out of delusion born of greed and craving; and another great sin is the improper acceptance of gifts (kupratigraha) as well.
Verse 15
कंठमायांति ते सर्वे म्रियमाणस्य तस्य च । यानिकानि च पापानि पूर्वमेव कृतानि च
At the throat of that person, as he is dying, all those deeds rise up—whatever sins he had committed earlier.
Verse 16
आयांति कंठमूलं ते महापापस्य नान्यथा । दुःखमुत्पादयंत्येते कफबंधेन दारुणम्
They reach the root of the throat—only as a consequence of great sin and in no other way. By a terrible binding of phlegm, they produce intense suffering.
Verse 17
पीडाभिर्दारुणाभिस्तु कंठो घुरघुरायते । रोदते कंपतेऽत्यर्थं मातरं पितरं पुनः
Tormented by severe afflictions, his throat makes a harsh rattling sound; he weeps and trembles intensely, calling again and again for his mother and father.
Verse 18
स्मरते भ्रातरं तत्र भार्यां पुत्रान्पुनःपुनः । पुनर्विस्मरणं याति महापापेन मोहितः
There he repeatedly remembers his brother, wife, and sons; yet again he falls into forgetfulness, deluded by a great sin.
Verse 19
तस्य प्राणान गच्छंति बहुपीडासमाकुलाः । पतते कंपते चैव मूर्च्छते च पुनःपुनः
His vital breaths begin to fail, overwhelmed by many torments; he falls down, trembles, and again and again he faints.
Verse 20
एवं पीडासमायुक्तो दुःखं भुंक्तेति मोहितः । तस्य प्राणाः सुदुःखेन महाकष्टैः प्रचालिताः
Thus, afflicted by torment, he—deluded—endures suffering; and his very life-breaths are shaken and driven about by intense sorrow and great hardship.
Verse 21
अपानमार्गमाश्रित्य शृणु कांत प्रयांति ते । एवं प्राणी महामुग्धो लोभमोहसमन्वितः
Taking the downward path (of apāna), listen, O beloved—they go that way. Thus the embodied being, greatly deluded, is bound up with greed and confusion.
Verse 22
नीयते यमदूतैस्तु तस्य दुःखं वदाम्यहम्
He is led away by Yama’s messengers; I shall describe his suffering.