Shloka 15
Bhadrā and Mitravindā: The Fruits of Namaskāra, Pradakṣiṇā, Hari-nāma, and Śravaṇa of Bhāgavata Kathā
सद्यः कृतं नमनं न त्वदीयं सद्यः कृतं स्मरणं न त्वदीयम् / कदा प्राप्स्ये मरणं तन्न जाने न विश्वासं कुरु गात्रे महात्मन्
sadyaḥ kṛtaṃ namanaṃ na tvadīyaṃ sadyaḥ kṛtaṃ smaraṇaṃ na tvadīyam / kadā prāpsye maraṇaṃ tanna jāne na viśvāsaṃ kuru gātre mahātman
Sự đảnh lễ ta làm hôm nay chưa thật là của ta; sự tưởng niệm ta làm hôm nay cũng chưa thật là của ta. Khi nào cái chết đến với ta, ta chẳng biết. Vì vậy, hỡi bậc cao quý, chớ đặt niềm tin nơi thân này.
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Because death is unpredictable, today’s bowing and remembrance must become truly one’s own—steady, sincere, and not deferred; bodily reliance is folly.
Vedantic Theme: Mṛtyu-anityatā leading to vairāgya and abhyāsa (steady practice); authenticity in sādhana rather than episodic ritualism.
Application: Make daily remembrance and reverence consistent; treat each day as potentially last; reduce identification with the body; cultivate steadiness (niṣṭhā).
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): exhortations to remember Viṣṇu before death; warnings against pramāda
FAQs
This verse stresses that death can arrive at any time, so one should not rely on bodily stability and should cultivate steady spiritual remembrance and right living now.
By warning against trust in the body, it points to the soul’s separation from the physical frame at an unknown moment—urging preparedness for the post-death journey described in the Preta Kanda.
Live as if time is uncertain: keep daily prayer/recitation consistent, reduce attachment to bodily comfort, and prioritize dharma, charity, and mindful conduct.