2 - Results of actions

Lord Krishna said: 

1. O gentle one, you have put up the right question, that too for the general good of the people. Now hear attentively. I shall tell you about the rite to be performed after death. 

2. It is without any controversy quoted by Shrutis and smrutis. It has not been heard by the gods including Indra, nor by yogins absorbed in yoga. Being the secret of secrets, it has not been conveyed to anyone, anywhere. 

3. O Garuda of great accomplishment, I shall tell you about this since you are my devotee. 

4. There is no place for a sonless person. The heaven is not for him. One must have a son by any means whatsoever.

5. The son can take his father out of hell, if he cannot get him salvation. The son puts his shoulder to coffin and the grandson lights the fire. 

6. A woman in her menses shall stay in the hut and lie on the bed bestrewed with sesame and darbha grass, on the ground. She shall put five gems in the mouth. Thus, her foetus attains growth. 

7-8. If the seed¹ is destroyed then whereat the conception? Hence, for the protection of the foetus she shall lie on the ground, as enjoined in the Shastras. Similarly, in regard to the dying person he is laid on the ground besmeared with cowdung and bestrewed with the darbha grass. Thus, the ailing person is released of sins which do not cling to him anymore.

1. Menstrual discharge.

9. A bunch of darbha for his bed takes him to heaven no doubt. Darbha should be thrown off after the corpse is removed from the place. 

10. Where there is no besmearing, the ground remains impure. Where the earth is already besmeared it should be smeared again for the sake of purification. 

11. If the corpse is kept on the unsmeared ground, the foul spirits enter the corpse. 

12. A circle¹ should be drawn around the corpse (to fix up the circumference); Shraddha shall be performed where the feet of the Brahmanas should be washed. All these would not serve the corpse, if the same is not placed on the ground.

1. A kind of a mystical diagram.

13. Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Lakshmi and Fire stay within the circle. Hence a circle is drawn around the corpse. 

14. If a circle is not drawn, the deceased person whether a child, youth or old does not get a womb² but remains in the air, O Garuda!

2. Form of existence.

15. He may not be born soon but live in the air for some time. He receives no Shraddha, no libation of water from his relatives. 

16. O Garuda! Sesame is held sacred, for it is produced from my perspiration. The sesame can destroy the evil spirits. 

17. The sesame is white, black or of the colour of the cow's urine. They can burn all sins committed by the deceased. 

18. A single grain of sesame offered with the libation of water to the deceased or an article given in charity or a sacrifice held for his welfare becomes fruitful as drona-kalasha does in rewards. 

19. Darbhas are born from my hair and sesame from my perspiration. By performing Shraddha one can please deities, asuras and the manes.

20. The Universe and the creator of the universe live by the ceremonial form. By wearing the secred thread over the right shoulder, one can please the creator, the manes and the deities. 

21-23. When the sacred thread is worn over the right shoulder the manes are pleased. Brahma stays at the root of darbha, Janardana in its middle and Shankara at the point of darbha. Thus, the three deities are said to be stationed in darbha. The brahmanas, mantras, sacred grass, fire and Tulasi are never spoiled though used again and again. Tulasi, brahmana, Cows, Vishnu and Ekadashi - 

24. These five are the protection boats for the people drowning in the ocean of worldly existence. Vishnu, Ekadashi, Gita, Tulasi, Brahmana, and the Cow.

25. These are the six steps to salvation in this universal fortress of little use, Sesame and darbhas are sacred and so is Tulasi. 

26. These guard the deceased against misfortune. Darbhas should be taken out with hands. The earth should be sprinkled over with water. 

27. As the hour of death approaches, darbhas should be placed in the hands of the deceased. He whose body is spread over by darbhas goes to Vishnu-loka, no matter if he is not initiated in the Vedic lore. 

28-29. The feet of the deceased person are kept on the ground and the toe raised upward. In this ocean of universal existence, which is practically of little use, the atonement of the sin is made by sacrificing the body in the holy fire. Having smeared the ground with the cowdung, they should spread the mattress of darbha for the dying person. 

30-31. Salt is very much effective for the destruction of sins. Let them donate salt for the manes, for it suits their taste and takes them to heaven. As for the men in general, it fulfils their desires. 

32. Salt has come out from the body of Vishnu, hence yogins recommend a gift of salt placing the same over other gifts. 

33-34. When at the time of death, the soul does not depart but lingers on to the body, no matter whether the dying person is a brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya or Shudra of either sex, they should donate salt for him whereby the soul leaves the mortal body and enters the doors of heaven which open immediately for him. O king of birds, now hear from me in detail, the various forms of death. 

35. It is Kala which detaches soul from body. It causes death of the person, at the appointed hour, without a single exception. 

36. Just as the wind scatters clouds here and there, just like that Kala, the Destroyer, floats people from one end of the shore to another. 

37. Whether they be sattvika or rajasa or tamasa-all these bhavas operate in man due to the influence of Kala. 

38-39. Sun, Moon, Shiva, water, air, Indra, fire, sky, earth, herbs, Vasus, rivers, seas, existent or non-existent, O Garuda, all these are created and destroyed by Kala in due course of time. 

40. Indeed, O Garuda, when the hour of death appro aches, then by chance, a certain disease raises up its head. 

41. The Organs grow weak. Troubles start showing their powers, as if all of a sudden, millions of scorpions have stung the person. 

42. O bird, then the person begins to feel the pang of death. At the very hour his consciousness is replaced by unconsciousness. 

43. The breath is pushed by Yama's messengers standing nearby. The person assumes a terrible form and the breath lingers to stay in the throat. 

44-45. Froth comes out of the mouth full of saliva, Just at the moment when everybody is lamenting, the soul, as big as a thumb, is carried away by Yama's messengers, even as it looks towards its home. Now hear about the state of death. 

46. The heat in the body is disturbed due to sudden commotion of winds. Though without fuel, it breaks up the vital points. 

47. The Udana-wind moves upward. It stops the downward movement of the deceased who in his life-time had full devotion for the lord but no desire in return. 

48. He who has never spoken falsehood, nor has any partiality in devotion but believes in God, obtains death peacefully. 

49. He who does not stray from Dharma, due to pleasure, wrath or envy but does what he says and is gentle obtains death peacefully. 

50-52. Those who preach ignorance pass through dark ness. Those who are false witnesses, liers and deceitful obtain death unconsciously, just as those who abuse the Vedas. 

The ferocious, foul-smelling messengers of Yama, with clubs and sticks in their hands, come and seize this wicked person. Having reached a ferocious path, he begins to shiver. 

53. He cries for his father, mother and sons. His indistinct voice, spoken with effort, appears to be single-lettered. 

54. Due to terrible suffering his looks waver and his mouth gets dry due to hard breath. Then wrapped up in suffering, the Jiva departs from the body. 

55. Since that very moment the body becomes untouchable and despicable. 

Thus, I have spoken to you about the form of death of the mortal man. 

56. Now I shall answer your query about the peculiarities of form the body takes in different births. 

57-58. Due to different actions performed in the previous births, the wandering jivas attain different forms, as of a deity, a demon, a yaksha, man, beast bird, etc. O lord of birds, these are due to the chain of actions, performed in different ages. 

59. Now, I shall tell you about the results of actions which a person obtains, so that the strangeness involved is explained clearly. 

60. When the sinners have exhausted the fruits of their actions in dreadful hells, they are born on the earth. 

61. Now, hear about their characteristics. The killer of a brahmana attains the form of a deer, horse, pig or camel. 

62. The stealer of gold becomes a worm or a germ or a fly. He who lies on the bed of a teacher becomes grass, plant or vine. 

63. The slayer of a brahmana suffers from consumption. A drunkard possesses brown teeth. A gold stealer has bad nails. The defiler of the teacher's bed possesses bad skin. 

64. That very thing becomes his mark with which he was associated in the previous birth. If he moves with the wretched people he himself becomes wretched within a year. 

65. The sins of the people spread by talk, touch, breathing, going together, eating together, sitting together, worshipping together, by teaching and sexual union. 

66. After having sexual intercourse with the wives of other men or after killing a brahmana, one becomes a brahmarakshasa, in a lonely place. 

67. The stealer of a jewel is born in a low caste. A man who steals plants becomes a shrew. 

68. The thief of corn becomes a rat; that of vehicle, a camel and that of fruit a monkey. He who takes meals uninvited becomes a crow. He who steals utensils becomes a vulture. 

69. The stealer of fruit becomes a honey-bee; that of a cow, a vulture; that of a woman's clothes, a white leper and that of juice, possesses no taste at all. 

70. The stealer of bronze becomes a swan; so also, the stealer of other's possessions. The slayer of his teacher becomes epileptic and the performer of cruel deeds becomes a dwarf. 

71-72. He who discards his wife becomes an animal to be killed by a hunter. He who snatches the possessions of a deity or a brahmana suffers from jaundice. He who eats meat becomes a leper. He who does not return the deposit becomes one-eyed. He who lives on the earning of his wife becames lame. 

73. He who discards progeny and wife encounters ill-luck. He who cats sweets only becomes rheumatic. He who has sexual union with a brahmana's wife becomes a jackal. 

74. A stealer of bed becomes kshapanaka¹, and that of clothes becomes a moth. He who envies is born blind. He who steals a lamp becomes a beggar.

1. A Bauddha or Jain mendicant.

75. He who kills a friend becomes an owl. He who abuses the ancestors suffers from consumption. He who speaks lies cannot speak properly. He who gives false witness suffers from dropsy. 

76. He who disturbs a marriage is born as a mosquito. He who cases himself on crossroads is born as a bull. 

77. He who spoils a young girl becomes a eunuch. He who sells the Vedas becomes a leopard. He who performs a sacrifice but not in the prescribed manner becomes a pig. 

78. He who eats here and there becomes a cat. He who sets fire to a forest becomes a glow-worm. He who eats the stale food becomes a worm. He who envies others becomes a bee. 

79. He who sets fire becomes a leper. He who does not give gifts becomes a bull. A stealer of cows becomes a serpent; that of food suffers from dyspepsia. 

80. A stealer of water becomes a fish, that of milk a crane, He who gives stale food to a brahmana becomes hunch-backed. 

81. If he steals fruits, his progeny dies, O bird. If he eats alone without giving a morsel of it to anyone else, he becomes issueless. 

82. If he does not opt for Sannyasa he becomes an evil spirit in the desert. A stealer of water becomes a Chataka; that of book is born blind. 

83. He who promises but does not give it to the brahmanas becomes a jackal. He who earns the blame of the people becomes a tortoise. 

84. A seller of fruits meets with bad luck. He who marries a Shudra woman, becomes a wolf. He who touches fire with foot becomes a cat. He who cats another's meat suffers from diseases. 

85. He who breaks a water-reservoir becomes a fish. He who hears neither Hari's tale, nor the praise of the good suffers from ear discase. 

86-87. He who takes out a morsel from another's mouth becomes a blockhead. He who steals the deity's utensils suffers from gandamala¹. He who observes religion without sincerity suffers from a skin disease.

1. Inflammation of the glands of the neck.

88. A treacherous fellow suffers from head-ache. He who is against Shiva suffers from the discase of genital organ. 

89. And the women too who commit these sins suffer in the similar way or they become wives of persons suffering in the aforesaid manner. 

90. After their present life they reach hell. Know that I have told you all this in short, O bird! Just as there are many kinds of disease so also there are many kinds of man. 

91. In this way, due to the variety of their actions, men attain happiness or grief. Thus, I have told you about the strangeness of human nature. Good actions give good results and bad actions give bad results. 

92. In this way your queries are answered completely.