Shloka 77
Nīti-saṅgraha: Conduct, Association, Kali-yuga Decline, and the Supremacy of Vidyā
मुखभङ्गः स्वरो दीनो गात्रस्वेदो महद्भयम् / मरणे यानि चिह्नानि तानि चिह्नानि याचके
mukhabhaṅgaḥ svaro dīno gātrasvedo mahadbhayam / maraṇe yāni cihnāni tāni cihnāni yācake
Wajah yang berubah, suara lemah, keringat pada anggota badan, dan ketakutan besar—tanda-tanda saat ajal, tanda itu pula tampak pada pengemis.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Extreme poverty mimics the terror and bodily collapse of dying; recognize suffering and respond with compassion and support.
Vedantic Theme: Duhkha-darshana leading to karuna and dharmic action; awareness of anitya (impermanence) and shared vulnerability.
Application: Offer food, shelter, and dignity to the destitute; cultivate humility by remembering mortality and the thin line between security and collapse.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (dana and compassion motifs): aiding the distressed as dharma; reflections on death signs appear elsewhere in the text’s death/afterlife discussions
FAQs
This verse highlights a set of recognizable physical-mental symptoms associated with dying, using them to underscore the extremity of suffering and fear when life-supporting dignity and stability collapse.
Indirectly: by stressing fear and bodily distress associated with mortality, it prepares the listener for the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching that one should live dharmically and prepare spiritually, since death brings unavoidable vulnerability.
Cultivate compassion and charitable giving rather than contempt for the destitute, and live with awareness of impermanence—using health, wealth, and voice responsibly in dharma while they last.