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Yoga Vashishtha 3.54.31–45
(These verses teach that death comes to everyone according to their past actions or karma)
श्रीदेव्युवाच ।
बालमृत्युप्रदैर्बालो युवा यौवनमृत्युदैः।
वृद्धमृत्युप्रदैर्वृद्धः कर्मभिर्मृतिमृच्छति ॥ ३१॥
यो यथाशास्त्रमारब्धं स्वधर्मनुमतिष्ठति।
भाजनं भवति श्रीमान्स यथाशास्त्रमायुषः ॥ ३२॥
एवं कर्मानुसारेण जन्तुरन्त्यां दशामितः।
भवन्त्यन्तं गतवतो दृङ्मर्मच्छेदवेदनाः ॥ ३३॥
प्रबुद्धलीलोवाच ।
मरणं मे समासेन कथयेन्दुसमानने।
किं सुखं मरणं किं वा दुःखं मृत्वा च किं भवेत् ॥ ३४॥
श्रीदेव्युवाच ।
त्रिविधाः पुरुषाः सन्ति देहस्यान्ते मुमूर्षवः।
मूर्खोऽथ धारणाभ्यासी युक्तिमान्पुरुषस्तथा ॥ ३५॥
अभ्यस्य धारणानिष्ठो देहं त्यक्त्वा यथासुखम्।
प्रयाति धारणाभ्यासी युक्तियुक्तस्तथैव च ॥ ३६॥
धारणा यस्य नाभ्यासं प्राप्ता नैव च युक्तिमान्।
मूर्खः स्वमृतिकालेऽसौ दुःखमेत्यवशाशयः ॥ ३७॥
वासनावेशवैवश्यं भावयन्विषयाशयः।
दीनतां परमामेति परिलूनमिवाम्बुजम् ॥ ३८॥
अशास्त्रसंस्कृतमतिरसज्जनपरायणः।
मृतावनुभवत्यन्तर्दाहमग्नाविव च्युतः ॥ ३९॥
यदा घर्घरकण्ठत्वं वैरूप्यं दृष्टिवर्णजम्।
गच्छत्येषोऽविवेकात्मा तदा भवति दीनधीः ॥ ४०॥
परमान्ध्यमनालोको दिवाप्युदिततारकः।
साभ्रदिग्मण्डलाभोगो घनमेचकिताम्बरः ॥ ४१॥
मर्मव्यथाविच्छुरितः प्रभ्रमदृष्टिमण्डलः।
आकाशीभूतवसुधो वसुधाभूतखान्तरः ॥ ४२॥
परिवृत्तककुप्चक्र उह्यमान इवार्णवे।
नीयमान इवाकाशे घननिद्रोन्मुखाशयः ॥ ४३॥
अन्धकूप इवापन्नः शिलान्तरिव योजितः।
स्वयं जडीभवद्वर्णो विनिकृत्त इवाशये ॥ ४४॥
पततीव नभोमार्गात्तृणावर्त इवार्पितः।
रथे द्रुत इवारूढो हिँमवद्गलनोन्मुखः ॥ ४५॥
Goddess Saraswati continued:
3.54.31–33
> A child dies from actions that cause childhood diseases and early death. A young person dies from actions leading to youthful death. An old person dies from actions causing old-age death. People meet death according to their past deeds.
> One who follows their duties as prescribed in the scriptures and lives according to righteous conduct becomes prosperous and enjoys a full life as per the scriptures.
> In this way, according to their karma, Beings reach their Final State at the end. Those who have gone to the end experience piercing pains that cut through vital points.
Awakened Lila said:
3.54.34
> O moon-faced one, tell me briefly about death. What is pleasant death and what is painful? And what happens after dying?
The Goddess said:
3.54.35–39
> There are three kinds of people at the time of death when the body is about to perish: the foolish one, the one who practices concentration, and the wise yogi.
> The one who has practiced steady concentration leaves the body happily and goes forth. The wise yogi also departs in the same pleasant way.
> One who has neither practiced concentration nor become wise is a fool. At the time of death, this helpless person experiences great suffering.
> Caught in the grip of latent desires and impressions, thinking only of worldly objects, he reaches extreme misery, like a lotus flower that has been cut and withered.
> One whose mind is not refined by scriptures and who is not devoted to good people experiences intense inner burning at death, like falling into fire.
3.54.40–45
> When the throat makes rattling sounds, the eyes and complexion change in ugly ways, this undiscriminating soul becomes very distressed.
> Deep blindness and darkness cover everything even in daylight, with stars appearing to twinkle. The sky looks cloudy and the directions seem vast and dark like a blackish cloudy expanse.
> Pierced by pains in vital organs, with confused and unsteady vision, the earth seems to become sky and the sky seems to become earth.
> The directions seem to turn around like a wheel. He feels as if being carried in an ocean or being led through the sky, with a heavy sleepy feeling rising.
> He feels fallen into a dark well or trapped between rocks. His own color fades and he feels cut off within himself.
> He feels as if falling from the path of the sky like a bundle of grass whirled around, or riding fast in a chariot, or melting away like snow on the Himalayas.
Summary of the Teachings:
Children, youth, and the elderly all face death based on the kind of deeds they performed earlier in life or in previous births. Righteous living according to scriptures extends life and brings prosperity, while wrong actions shorten it. This shows the law of cause and effect governing human existence and the importance of good conduct from a young age.
The conversation between Lila and the Goddess explains the process of dying and what makes it easy or difficult. There are three types of people at death: the ignorant, those trained in mental concentration, and the wise. The trained and wise leave the body peacefully and happily, while the ignorant suffer greatly. This highlights the value of spiritual practices like dharana (concentration) during life to prepare for a good death.
For the unprepared fool attached to worldly desires, death brings intense suffering.
Their mind is filled with vasanas (latent impressions) of sense objects, leading to helplessness, inner burning, and extreme distress. Physical signs like rattling breath, distorted vision, and changing complexion add to the misery. The teachings urge people to purify the mind through scriptures and good company to avoid this painful end.
The verses describe in detail the terrifying experiences during the final moments for the unwise. The world appears inverted, with darkness, confusion, spinning directions, and feelings of falling or being trapped. These are vivid images of the mental and physical agony that comes from not having cultivated inner strength or detachment. It serves as a warning to live mindfully.
Overall, the teachings encourage yogic practices, ethical living, and detachment from worldly attachments to face death calmly. Death is not the end but a transition shaped by one's life. By following dharma and training the mind, one can achieve a peaceful passage, emphasizing self-effort and spiritual discipline as keys to a meaningful life and smooth departure from the body.
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