Shloka 96
Aśoka-śāstra: Nārada’s Instruction on the Cessation of Śoka
Grief
खण्डाभासं दक्षिणतस्ते5पि संवत्सरायुष: । जो कभी पहलेकी देखी हुई अरुन्धती और ध्रुवको न देख पाता हो तथा पूर्णचन्द्रमाका मण्डल और दीपककी शिखा जिसे दाहिने भागसे खण्डित जान पड़े
khaṇḍābhāsaṃ dakṣiṇatas te 'pi saṃvatsarāyuṣaḥ | yaḥ kadācid pūrvadṛṣṭām aruṇdhatīṃ dhruvaṃ ca na paśyati tathā pūrṇacandramaso maṇḍalaṃ dīpakasya śikhāṃ ca yasya dakṣiṇato khaṇḍitaṃ pratibhāti, te kevalaṃ saṃvatsaram eva jīvanti |
阎若婆迦说道：“此等人亦注定仅余一年之寿——虽曾见过，而今却再不能见阿伦达蒂（Arundhatī）与德鲁瓦（Dhruva）者；又见满月之轮与灯焰之尖，仿佛右侧破缺者。此类征兆被传为寿命将尽之相，劝人警醒、自持，并及时趋向达摩（dharma）。”
याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that certain perceptual omens—no longer seeing Arundhatī and Dhruva despite having seen them before, and perceiving the full moon’s disk or a lamp’s flame as broken on the right—are traditional signs of imminent death (about a year). The ethical implication is to awaken urgency: one should turn toward dharma, restraint, and spiritual preparation rather than complacency.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Yājñavalkya is describing prognostic signs (nimitta) connected with lifespan. He lists specific celestial and visual indicators and states their consequence—those who experience them are said to have only a year to live.