Chapter 14 - Sumanā Describes the Death of the Virtuous

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Somaśarman said:

1. O good lady, how do you do such an excellent and highly meritorious exposition of Dharma? From whom did you learn this?

Sumanā said:

2. O you very intelligent one, well-known Cyavana, well-versed in all (branches of) knowledge, and born in the family of the Bhārgavas was my father.

3-4. I was his dear daughter, dearer to him than his own life.

Always playing, I used to go with him wherever he went—to sacred places, groves, assemblies of sages and temples of deities, O you of a good vow.

5-6. Very intelligent Vedaśarman, born in the family of Kauśika, a friend of my father, overcome by great grief and repeatedly brooding, while wandering by chance came (to my father).

7. My father said to the noble one who had come (to him): “O you of a good vow, I feel that you are tormented by grief. Tell me the cause by which you are (thus) afflicted.”

8-10. Hearing these words of that magnanimous Cyavana, he i.e. Vedaśarman, of a good vow, told my father the cause of his entire grief, O you very wise one: “My very chaste wife, solely devoted to me—her husband—is sonless; I do not have any lineage. I have told you the cause, since I was asked about it by you.”

11-12a. In the meantime, there came a divine seer having supernatural faculties. Both my father and that Vedaśarman got up and honoured him with devout offerings, food and sweet words; and both of them asked the secret, as you had asked me before.

12b-14. The pious one told both my father and his friend the means of Dharma, as I had told you before: “By (practising) Dharma (i.e. religious precepts), a son, wealth, corn, and also wives are obtained.”

15. Then that Vedaśarman fully practised Dharma. From that (i.e. by practising that) Dharma, there was great happiness, along with a son, for

16. In consequence of that meeting (between the Siddha and the two friends) I am convinced as I told you about the very auspicious words, O my dear husband.

17. Always follow the practices laid down for a brāmaṇa, as were heard from the great Siddha, and which would remove all (your) doubts.

Somaśarman said:

18. O my dear wife, tell me what kind of death or birth (does one have?). Tell me all about the nature ofboth.

Sumanā said:

19. I shall tell you how death comes to who has practised Dharma by means of truthfulness, purity, forbearance, tranquility and religious merit (and by visits to) sacred places etc.

20-22. He does not contract any disease, nor is there any suffering in his body. He does not have to toil, he has no fatigue, perspiration, and he does not commit an error. Gandharvas, and brāhmaṇas, taking up divine forms and ready with Vedic texts, and conversant with the knowledge of singing, come to his side (i.e. to him) and sing his matchless praise. He is composed, and seated on a seat is indeed engaged in the worship of deities.

23-30. He, very much devoted to religious practices, and a wise one, obtains a sacred place for bath. If a man remains in a fire-chamber, in a cowpen, in temples of deities, in a grove or a lake, or a place where there is the aśvattha tree, and also if he remains by resorting to (i.e. under) a palāśa or an undumbara [udumbara?]^[1] tree or a bilva^[2] tree also, and by resorting to (i.e. in) a stable of horses, or of elephants, or if he remains by resorting to (i.e. under) an aśoka three or a mango tree, also in the vicinity of brāmaṇas, or (even) if he has gone to the abode of old age (i.e. even if he has become old), or after he resorts to (i.e. goes to) a battle-field and dies, these places where he dies are holy. The cause for this (i.e. such a death) is Dharma alone. Reaching (i.e. choosing) the sacred place called Gographa or Amarakaṇṭakā,^[3] he, loving pious practices and of a pious conduct, also practices Dharma. When the best man resorts to death (i.e. when he dies), he sees his mother and his meritorious father; also, he sees his brother endowed with virtue, his kinsmen and friends. In the same way, he, being praised by bards, would not at all see his most sinful mother or father etc.

31-34. The Gandharvas sing songs and the panegyrists praise him with panegyrics; brāhmaṇas would honour him with the recitations of hymns and his mother would honour him with love; his father, the groups of his relatives would honour the pious and highly intelligent man. O lord, I have thus narrated to you the messengers and the holy places. He actually sees the messengers full of love (for him). That king of Dharma (i.e. Yama) would invite you, not in a dream or through troublesome delusion. O noble one, come (to that place) where that Dharma stands.

35-38. He (i.e. who practises Dharma) has no delusion, not error, no languor, no confusion of memory. There is no doubt that he remains with a pleased mind. Endowed with sacred and worldly knowledge, and remembering god Janārdana (i.e. Viṣṇu), he, with his mind thus pleased, goes with them. In his case, when he casts his body, unity (with the Supreme Spirit) takes place. Resorting to the tenth aperture^[4] his soul goes (out of his body). A palanquin or a beautiful vehicle with swans yoked to it, or an aeroplane or an excellent horse or elephant comes (to carry him).

39-41. Then the pious and meritorious man, with an umbrella held over his head, being fanned with chowries and fans, and endowed with all pleasures, being praised with songs by singers and bards, and eulogised by learned brāhmaṇas—masters of the Vedas, and praised by the good, obtains the fruit in accordance with the efficacy of his charity.

42-43a. Happily he goes to the gardens and orchards. Mixed (i.e. surrounded) with celestial nymphs and endowed with auspicious things, and being praised by gods, he sees the lord of Dharma (i.e. Yama).

43b-47. Gods with Dharma go forward to (greet) him (and say:) “O magnanimous one, come, come (and) enjoy pleasures as you like.” In this way he sees the very intelligent Dharma of a pleasing form; and due to the efficacy of his own religious merit he enjoys heaven itself. The pious one, after the exhaustion of his pleasures, is reborn. Due to his own religious merit he goes to (i.e. is born in) the family of a pious brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya, or of a rich man, or of a very pious vaiśya, O you very intelligent one. There he rejoices with (i.e. due to) his pious acts and he again performs (deeds leading to) religious merit.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Brahmavṛkṣa—palāśa or udumbara tree.

[2]:

Śrīvṛkṣa—bilva tree, or aśvattha or the sacred fig-tree.

[3]:

Amarakaṇṭaka—Name of that part of the Vindhya range, which is near the source of the river Narmadā.

[4]:

Daśamadvāra= Brahma-randhra.