24 - Sins of Omission and Commission; Premature death of Children; Gifts

Garuda said: 

1. As the Shastras1 declare none dies a premature death. But, how is it that a brahmin scholar of the Vedas or a mighty monarch sometimes meet with death prematurely. Hence, what is stated in the Shastras1 by Brahma appears to be untrue.

1. Shastras—Sacred Books whose authority is considered to be valid in all times.

2. What is stated in the Vedas, viz, A man lives for a hundred years2 is not actually experienced in the Kali age.3

2. A full span of human life is one hundred years. Rv. 7.66.16; 10.161.

3. Kali Age. For a detailed account of the concept of four ages, sec Pargiter's Ancient Indian Historical Tradition. Ch. XV., pp. 175-176. 

The Kali Age is said to have started after the conclusion of Bharata war or after Lord Krishna ascended heaven. The latter view is more probable, for Lord Krishna could not have lived in Kali Age.

3-7. People, belonging to different classes, --brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra including Mlecchas who live in Bharata do not live upto hundred years.

A person can meet with untimely death, no matter if he is a child, old or young, rich or poor, handsome or ugly, learned or fool, of high or low birth, an ascetic or a yogi, intelligent, pious and all-knowing brahmin or a mighty monarch. Please tell me how this is so. 

The lord said: 

8. O wise bird, well said. You are my staunch devotee. Please listen to my important words that dispel all sorts of sins. 

9. O lord of birds, the brilliant son of Kashyapa,1 I shall tell you how god of death induced by Brahma takes away the life quickly.

1. Kashyapa-son of Marici and grandson of Brahma, had a son Garuda born of Vinata.

10. It is true that a man lives for a hundred years as stated in the Vedas. But due to the influence of his misdeeds he dies a premature death. 

11-12. Now, people do not make a regular study of the Vedas; they do not follow the traditional conduct; they commit sins and due to idleness forsake their duties. They take food from any house they visit. They are fond of other men's wives. All these reduce their longevity. 

13. Evil deeds take men quickly to Yama's abode, if they do not possess faith, if they are impure, if they do not practice Vedic rites, if they have cast off auspicious things or if they indulge in falsehood or if they practise deception. 

14-15. Evil deeds bring about premature death even of a king if he does not protect his people, if he is devoid of virtue il he is cruel, if he indulges in vice, if he is a fool, if he stays out of Vedic discussion, if he harasses his people. 

16. If a man forsakes his duties or resorts to forbidden activities or those which are enjoined on others he dies quickly. 

17. If a Shudra does something other than service to the twice-born he is wasted in any of the hells-bad, worse or worst or as the case may be. 

18. If one neglects both, Dana, japa, homa, study of the Vedas or worship of gods on a certain day that is a day wasted in the life of that man.

19. I affirm that the attributes of body evolved out of the morsels of food and lymph are not permanent or steady or rooted in firm grounds. 

20. The food cooked in the morning becomes stale in the evening. How can one expect permanence in the body sustained by such a food? 

21. O lord of birds, realising that the body bound with its activities is already lost, people should strive for burning away their sins. 

22. Body belongs to one who nourishes it with food or to one who generates, father, mother or both. It is reduced to ashes or devoured by dogs or eaten up by worms. What sanctity can there be in regard to it? 

23. A person should make an earnest effort for the destruction of sins. The sin which he commits in various births is threefold. 

24. When he takes birth as a human being the sins visit him. When he remembers his past sinful life, he becomes sorrowful. 

25. When he resides in human womb after sojourning in the various beings such as birds, etc., the full velocity of his past actions forces an impact on him. Only after residing in the womb does, he realises it. 

26. He begins to realize the tortures of life, such as anxiety, sickness, distress, old age, deformity and the rest. 

27. But the moment he comes out of the womb, ignorance envelops him. As an infant he realizes nothing. 

28. In youth too, he does not realize, blinded as he is by sexual urge. But he who realizes it from the very beginning attains salvation. 

29. From the time of conception itself, death awaits the person whether he be infant or an old man or a youth, whether he be rich or poor handsome or ugly. 

30. Even if one is illiterate or a scholar, a brahmin or another caste, surely he must die. A man of great wisdom devoted to penance or practice of yoga, of liberal gifts and virtuous life cannot expect to derive pleasure without a physical body. 

31. When the actions of previous births ripen, man succumbs to death. From the time of conception to the fifth year even a slight sin may cause death. 

32-33. It is due to major sins that man dies after the fifth year. Usually, he completes the allotted span of life, dies and is born again. It is as a result of the influence of sacred rites and gifts that he is able to complete his life's term. 

Garuda said: 

34. How should the rites of pinda be performed if a person dies in infancy? What should be done when death occurs in the womb itself? What should be done when the death occurs before the tonsure ceremony? 

35. What are the rules of obsequy if death occurs after the tonsure ceremony?

The lord said: 

36. If there is still birth or abortion, the impurity is for as many days as the number of months of conception. 

37. Nothing else need be done, if one desires to maintain confirmity with the rules conducive to the welfare of the soul. If the child dies after birth but before the tonsure ceremony the dead body is merely buried. 

38. Milk should be distributed according to one's capacity among the children in the neighbourhood in order to please them. After the tonsure and upto five years, if the child dies, cremation should be performed duly. 

39. Milk should be distributed to children and they may be fed also. The rites of children upto five, on being dead, should be in accordance with the tradition of the family. 

40. Udakumbha rites1 should be performed. Milk puddings should be given. O foremost among birds, the child is a link in paying off debt to ancestors.2

1. Udakumbha rite—a rite of propitiating the manes by offering water from an earthen jar. 

2. The son is absolved of debt to his parents by performing obsequial rites or shraddhas after their death.

41-43. It is but certain that whoever is born shall die and whoever dies shall be born again.1 When a child dies at a tender age without enjoying the pleasures of life he is sure to be born again. Hence, gifts are given, O foremost among birds. The rites are performed to ward off rebirth. This is what I feel. If nothing is made over as a gift, he will be born in an indigent house. Such anecdotes are many in the Puranas.

1. Death after birth and birth after death-thus moves the cycle in circle, till the soul is released from the bondage of action. Compare Bhagavadgita.

44-45. Sumptuous food should also be given. Inclination to give is rarely found in the world. 

It is the fruit of penance of no mean measure that one gets good food and the power to digest it, good sexual virility and handsome women, good wealth and inclination to give it. 

By making gifts, one can enjoy later; by resorting to holy centres one can attain pleasure and by speaking sweet words one can become a scholar or a religious saint. 

46. By not making gifts one becomes indigent; due to poverty one commits sins, due to sins one falls into hell. He is born again as indigent; again, he commits sins and again he falls into hell.