12.179
भरद्वाज उवाच॥
Bharadvāja said.
यदि प्राणायते वायुर्वायुरेव विचेष्टते। श्वसित्याभाषते चैव तस्माज्जीवो निरर्थकः ॥१२-१७९-१॥
If it is merely the wind that breathes, acts, breathes, and speaks, then the living being is meaningless.
यद्यूष्मभाव आग्नेयो वह्निना पच्यते यदि। अग्निर्जरयते चैव तस्माज्जीवो निरर्थकः ॥१२-१७९-२॥
If the fiery nature is cooked by fire, and fire indeed consumes, then the living being is rendered useless.
जन्तोः प्रमीयमाणस्य जीवो नैवोपलभ्यते। वायुरेव जहात्येनमूष्मभावश्च नश्यति ॥१२-१७९-३॥
When a creature is dying, the life-principle is not perceived at all. Only the air departs from the body, and its warmth is lost.
यदि वातोपमो जीवः संश्लेषो यदि वायुना। वायुमण्डलवद्दृश्यो गच्छेत्सह मरुद्गणैः ॥१२-१७९-४॥
If the living being is like wind and his union is with the wind, then, like the sphere of wind, he should be seen going together with the groups of winds.
श्लेषो यदि च वातेन यदि तस्मात्प्रणश्यति। महार्णवविमुक्तत्वादन्यत्सलिलभाजनम् ॥१२-१७९-५॥
If adhesion is destroyed by the wind, then, being free from the great ocean, it becomes another water vessel.
कूपे वा सलिलं दद्यात्प्रदीपं वा हुताशने। प्रक्षिप्तं नश्यति क्षिप्रं यथा नश्यत्यसौ तथा ॥१२-१७९-६॥
Just as water poured into a well or a lamp thrown into fire is quickly destroyed, so too does this perish.
पञ्चसाधारणे ह्यस्मिञ्शरीरे जीवितं कुतः। येषामन्यतरत्यागाच्चतुर्णां नास्ति सङ्ग्रहः ॥१२-१७९-७॥
In this body composed of five common elements, how can there be life? If any one of the four is abandoned, there is no combination (no life remains).
नश्यन्त्यापो ह्यनाहाराद्वायुरुच्छ्वासनिग्रहात्। नश्यते कोष्ठभेदात्खमग्निर्नश्यत्यभोजनात् ॥१२-१७९-८॥
Waters perish from lack of nourishment; air perishes from restraint of breath; fire in the body perishes from rupture of the cavity; and all perish from not eating.
व्याधिव्रणपरिक्लेशैर्मेदिनी चैव शीर्यते। पीडितेऽन्यतरे ह्येषां सङ्घातो याति पञ्चधा ॥१२-१७९-९॥
The earth is worn away by diseases, wounds, and torments. When either of these is afflicted, the whole aggregate is divided into five parts.
तस्मिन्पञ्चत्वमापन्ने जीवः किमनुधावति। किं वेदयति वा जीवः किं शृणोति ब्रवीति वा ॥१२-१७९-१०॥
When dissolution has occurred, what does the living being pursue? What does he perceive, or what does he hear or say?
एषा गौः परलोकस्थं तारयिष्यति मामिति। यो दत्त्वा म्रियते जन्तुः सा गौः कं तारयिष्यति ॥१२-१७९-११॥
"This cow will help me cross over to the next world." But if a creature dies after giving away the cow, whom will that cow help to cross over?
गौश्च प्रतिग्रहीता च दाता चैव समं यदा। इहैव विलयं यान्ति कुतस्तेषां समागमः ॥१२-१७९-१२॥
When the cow, the receiver, and the giver all together meet their dissolution here itself, how can there be any union among them?
विहगैरुपयुक्तस्य शैलाग्रात्पतितस्य वा। अग्निना चोपयुक्तस्य कुतः सञ्जीवनं पुनः ॥१२-१७९-१३॥
How can there be revival again for one who has been eaten by birds, fallen from the mountain peak, or consumed by fire?
छिन्नस्य यदि वृक्षस्य न मूलं प्रतिरोहति। बीजान्यस्य प्रवर्तन्ते मृतः क्व पुनरेष्यति ॥१२-१७९-१४॥
If the root of a cut tree does not grow again, its seeds will continue; but if one is dead, where will he return again?
बीजमात्रं पुरा सृष्टं यदेतत्परिवर्तते। मृता मृताः प्रणश्यन्ति बीजाद्बीजं प्रवर्तते ॥१२-१७९-१५॥
In the beginning, only the seed was created; this entire cycle revolves thus. The dead perish, but from the seed, another seed arises.
