Mokshadharma Parva — The places to which the dead go

Yajnavalkya said Listen now to me, with attention, O king, as to what the places are to which those who die have to go. If the Individual soul escapes through the feet, it is said that the man goes to the region of Vishnu.

If through the calves, it has been heard by us that the man goes to the regions of the Vasus. If through the knees, he acquires the companionship of those gods who are called Sadhyas.

If through the lower duct, the man acquires the regions of Mitra. If through the posteriors, the man returns of the Earth, and if through the things to the region of Patriarch.

If through the flanks, the man acquires the regions of the Maruts, and if through the nostrils, to the region of the Moon. If through the arms, the man goes to the region of Indra, and if through the chest, to that of Rudra.

If through the neck, the man goes to the excellent region of that foremost of ascetics known as Nara. If through the mouth, the man acquires the region of the Vishvedevas, and if through the ears, to the region of the gods presiding over the several points of the horizon.

If through the nose, the man acquires the region of the Wind-god; and if through the eyes, to the region of Agni. If through this brows, the man goes to the region of the Ashvins; and if through the forehead, to that of the departed manes.

If through the crown of the head, the man goes to the region of the powerful Brahman, that foremost of the gods. I have thus told you, O king of Mithila, the several places to which men go according to the manner in which their individual souls escape from their bodies.

I shall now tell you the presaging marks, as laid down by the wise, of those who have but one year to live.

One who, having previously seen the fixed star called Arandhati, cannot see it, or that other star called Dhruva, or one that sees the full Moon or the flame of a burning lamp to be broken towards the south, has but one year to live.

Those men, O king, who can no longer behold their own images reflected in the eyes of others, have but one year to live.

One who being gifted with lustre loses it, or being endued with wisdom loses it,-indeed, one whose inward and outward nature is thus metamorphosed,-has but six months more to live.

He who disregards the gods, or falls out with the Brahmanas, or one who being naturally of a dark colour become pale of hue, has but six months more to live.

One who sees the lunar disc full of holes like spider's web, or one who sees the solar disc to have similar holes, has but one week more to live.

One who, when smelling sweet scents in places of Worship, perceives them to be as offensive as the smell of dead bodies, has but one week more to live.

The depression of the nose or of the cars, the discolour of the teeth or of the eyes, the loss of all consciousness, and the loss also of all animal magnetism, are symptoms indicating death that very day.

If, without any ostensible cause tears suddenly flow from one's left eye, and if vapours be seen to issue from his head, it is a sure mark that the man will die before that day is over.

on Knowing all these presaging symptoms, the man of purified soul should day and night unite his soul with the Supreme Soul.

Thus should he go on till the day comes for his death. If, however, instead of wishing to die he wishes to live in this world, he renounces all enjoyments,-0 king, and lives in abstinence. He thus conquers death by uniting his Soul with the Supreme Soul.

Indeed, the man who is gifted with knowledge of the Soul, O king, follows the practises recommended by the Sankhyas and conquers death by uniting his Soul with Supreme Soul.

At last, he acquires what is entirely indestructible, which is without birth, which is auspicious, and immutable, and eternal, and stable, and which is incapable of being acquired by men of impure souls.