Verse 4.241

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

मृतं शरीरमुत्सृज्य काष्ठलोष्टसमं क्षितौ ।
विमुखा बान्धवा यान्ति धर्मस्तमनुगच्छति ॥ २४१ ॥

mṛtaṃ śarīramutsṛjya kāṣṭhaloṣṭasamaṃ kṣitau |
vimukhā bāndhavā yānti dharmastamanugacchati || 241 ||

Leaving the dead body on the ground, like a log of wood or a clod of earth, the relations depart with averted faces; spiritual merit alone follows him.—(241)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Follows’—accompanies.

This verse describes what is actually seen to happen. Relations throw away the body of the dead man on the ground, just as if it were a log of wood, or a clod of earth, and go away, with their faces turned away; but Spiritual Merit alone follows the man.—(241)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This; verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 232);—and in Vīramitrodaya (Paribhāṣā, p. 64).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 4.241-242)

Mahābhārata (Anuśāsana, 173.13).—‘People leave the dead body like a log of wood or a clod of earth; having used it for a while, they turn their backs upon it and go away. Therefore, O king, it is Righteousness alone that one should serve for the purpose of obtaining a real helper. By being equipped with Righteousness one reaches the highest celestial state; similarly equipped with unrighteousness, he fails into hell.’