TEXT 1
TEXT
kapila uvaca
tasyaitasya jano nunam
nayam vedoru-vikramam
kalyamano ‘pi balino
vayor iva ghanavalih
SYNONYMS
kapilah uvaca–Lord Kapila said; tasya etasya–of this very time
factor; janah–person; nunam–certainly; na–not; ayam–this; veda–
knows; uru-vikramam–the great strength; kalyamanah–being carried off;
api–although; balinah–powerful; vayoh–of the wind; iva–like; ghana–
of clouds; avalih–a mass.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead said: As a mass of clouds does not know the
powerful influence of the wind, a person engaged in material
consciousness does not know the powerful strength of the time factor, by
which he is being carried.TEXT 2
TEXT
yam yam artham upadatte
duhkhena sukha-hetave
tam tam dhunoti bhagavan
puman chocati yat-krte
SYNONYMS
yam yam–whatever; artham–object; upadatte–one acquires; duhkhena–
with difficulty; sukha-hetave–for happiness; tam tam–that; dhunoti–
destroys; bhagavan–the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puman–the
person; socati–laments; yat-krte–for which reason.
TRANSLATION
Whatever is produced by the materialist with great pain and labor for
so-called happiness, the Supreme Personality, as the time factor,
destroys, and for this reason the conditioned soul laments.TEXT 3
TEXT
yad adhruvasya dehasya
sanubandhasya durmatih
dhruvani manyate mohad
grha-ksetra-vasuni ca
SYNONYMS
yat–because; adhruvasya–temporary; dehasya–of the body; saanubandhasya–
with that which is related; durmatih–a misguided person;
dhruvani–permanent; manyate–thinks; mohat–because of ignorance; grha–
home; ksetra–land; vasuni–wealth; ca–and.
TRANSLATION
The misguided materialist does not know that his very body is
impermanent and that the attractions of home, land and wealth, which are
in relationship to that body, are also temporary. Out of ignorance only,
he thinks that everything is permanent.TEXT 4
TEXT
jantur vai bhava etasmin
yam yam yonim anuvrajet
tasyam tasyam sa labhate
nirvrtim na virajyate
SYNONYMS
jantuh–the living entity; vai–certainly; bhave–in worldly
existence; etasmin–this; yam yam–whatever; yonim–species; anuvrajet–
he may obtain; tasyam tasyam–in that; sah–he; labhate–achieves;
nirvrtim–satisfaction; na–not; virajyate–is averse.
TRANSLATION
The living entity, in whatever species of life he appears, finds a
particular type of satisfaction in that species, and he is never averse
to being situated in such a condition.TEXT 5
TEXT
naraka-stho ‘pi deham vai
na pumams tyaktum icchati
narakyam nirvrtau satyam
deva-maya-vimohitah
SYNONYMS
naraka–in hell; sthah–situated; api–even; deham–body; vai–indeed;
na–not; puman–person; tyaktum–to leave; icchati–wishes; narakyam–
hellish; nirvrtau–enjoyment; satyam–when existing; deva-maya–by the
illusory energy of Visnu; vimohitah–deluded.
TRANSLATION
The conditioned living entity is satisfied in his own particular
species of life; while deluded by the covering influence of the illusory
energy, he feels little inclined to cast off his body, even when in hell,
for he takes delight in hellish enjoyment.TEXT 6
TEXT
atma-jaya-sutagarapasu-
dravina-bandhusu
nirudha-mula-hrdaya
atmanam bahu manyate
SYNONYMS
atma–body; jaya–wife; suta–children; agara–home; pasu–animals;
dravina–wealth; bandhusu–in friends; nirudha-mula–deep-rooted;
hrdayah–his heart; atmanam–himself; bahu–highly; manyate–he thinks.
TRANSLATION
Such satisfaction with one’s standard of living is due to deep-rooted
attraction for body, wife, home, children, animals, wealth and friends.
In such association, the conditioned soul thinks himself quite perfect.TEXT 7
TEXT
sandahyamana-sarvanga
esam udvahanadhina
karoty aviratam mudho
duritani durasayah
SYNONYMS
sandahyamana–burning; sarva–all; angah–his limbs; esam–these
family members; udvahana–for maintaining; adhina–with anxiety; karoti–
he performs; aviratam–always; mudhah–the fool; duritani–sinful
activities; durasayah–evil-minded.
TRANSLATION
Although he is always burning with anxiety, such a fool always
performs all kinds of mischievous activities, with a hope which is never
to be fulfilled, in order to maintain his so-called family and society.TEXT 8
TEXT
aksiptatmendriyah strinam
asatinam ca mayaya
raho racitayalapaih
sisunam kala-bhasinam
SYNONYMS
aksipta–charmed; atma–heart; indriyah–his senses; strinam–of
women; asatinam–false; ca–and; mayaya–by maya; rahah–in a solitary
place; racitaya–displayed; alapaih–by the talking; sisunam–of the
children; kala-bhasinam–with sweet words.
TRANSLATION
He gives heart and senses to a woman, who falsely charms him with
maya. He enjoys solitary embraces and talking with her, and he is
enchanted by the sweet words of the small children.TEXT 9
TEXT
grhesu kuta-dharmesu
duhkha-tantresv atandritah
kurvan duhkha-pratikaram
sukhavan manyate grhi
SYNONYMS
grhesu–in family life; kuta-dharmesu–involving the practice of
falsehood; duhkha-tantresu–spreading miseries; atandritah–attentive;
kurvan–doing; duhkha-pratikaram–counteraction of miseries; sukha-vat–
as happiness; manyate–thinks; grhi–the householder.
TRANSLATION
The attached householder remains in his family life, which is full of
diplomacy and politics. Always spreading miseries and controlled by acts
of sense gratification, he acts just to counteract the reactions of all
his miseries, and if he can successfully counteract such miseries, he
thinks that he is happy.TEXT 10
TEXT
arthair apaditair gurvya
himsayetas-tatas ca tan
pusnati yesam posena
sesa-bhug yaty adhah svayam
SYNONYMS
arthaih–by wealth; apaditaih–secured; gurvya–great; himsaya–by
violence; itah-tatah–here and there; ca–and; tan–them (family
members); pusnati–he maintains; yesam–of whom; posena–because of the
maintenance; sesa–remnants; bhuk–eating; yati–he goes; adhah–
downwards; svayam–himself.
TRANSLATION
He secures money by committing violence here and there, and although
he employs it in the service of his family, he himself eats only a little
portion of the food thus purchased, and he goes to hell for those for
whom he earned the money in such an irregular way.TEXT 11
TEXT
vartayam lupyamanayam
arabdhayam punah punah
lobhabhibhuto nihsattvah
pararthe kurute sprham
SYNONYMS
vartayam–when his occupation; lupyamanayam–is hampered; arabdhayam–
undertaken; punah punah–again and again; lobha–by greed; abhibhutah–
overwhelmed; nihsattvah–ruined; para-arthe–for the wealth of others;
kurute sprham–he longs.
TRANSLATION
When he suffers reverses in his occupation, he tries again and again
to improve himself, but when he is baffled in all attempts and is ruined,
he accepts money from others because of excessive greed.
TEXT 12
TEXT
kutumba-bharanakalpo
manda-bhagyo vrthodyamah
sriya vihinah krpano
dhyayan chvasiti mudha-dhih
SYNONYMS
kutumba–his family; bharana–in maintaining; akalpah–unable; mandabhagyah–
the unfortunate man; vrtha–in vain; udyamah–whose effort;
sriya–beauty, wealth; vihinah–bereft of; krpanah–wretched; dhyayan–
grieving; svasiti–he sighs; mudha–bewildered; dhih–his intelligence.
TRANSLATION
Thus the unfortunate man, unsuccessful in maintaining his family
members, is bereft of all beauty. He always thinks of his failure,
grieving very deeply.
TEXT 13
TEXT
evam sva-bharanakalpam
tat-kalatradayas tatha
nadriyante yatha purvam
kinasa iva go-jaram
SYNONYMS
evam–thus; sva-bharana–to maintain them; akalpam–unable; tat–his;
kalatra–wife; adayah–and so on; tatha–so; na–not; adriyante–do
respect; yatha–as; purvam–before; kinasah–farmers; iva–like; gojaram–
an old ox.
TRANSLATION
Seeing him unable to support them, his wife and others do not treat
him with the same respect as before, even as miserly farmers do not
accord the same treatment to their old and worn-out oxen.TEXT 14
TEXT
tatrapy ajata-nirvedo
bhriyamanah svayam bhrtaih
jarayopatta-vairupyo
maranabhimukho grhe
SYNONYMS
tatra–there; api–although; ajata–not arisen; nirvedah–aversion;
bhriyamanah–being maintained; svayam–by himself; bhrtaih–by those who
were maintained; jaraya–by old age; upatta–obtained; vairupyah–
deformation; marana–death; abhimukhah–approaching; grhe–at home.
TRANSLATION
The foolish family man does not become averse to family life although
he is maintained by those whom he once maintained. Deformed by the
influence of old age, he prepares himself to meet ultimate death.TEXT 15
TEXT
aste ‘vamatyopanyastam
grha-pala ivaharan
amayavy apradiptagnir
alpaharo ‘lpa-cestitah
SYNONYMS
aste–he remains; avamatya–negligently; upanyastam–what is placed;
grha-palah–a dog; iva–like; aharan–eating; amayavi–diseased;
apradipta-agnih–having dyspepsia; alpa–little; aharah–eating; alpa–
little; cestitah–his activity.
TRANSLATION
Thus he remains at home just like a pet dog and eats whatever is so
negligently given to him. Afflicted with many illnesses, such as
dyspepsia and loss of appetite, he eats only very small morsels of food,
and he becomes an invalid, who cannot work any more.TEXT 16
TEXT
vayunotkramatottarah
kapha-samruddha-nadikah
kasa-svasa-krtayasah
kanthe ghura-ghurayate
SYNONYMS
vayuna–by air; utkramata–bulging out; uttarah–his eyes; kapha–with
mucus; samruddha–congested; nadikah–his windpipe; kasa–coughing;
svasa–breathing; krta–done; ayasah–difficulty; kanthe–in the throat;
ghura-ghurayate–he produces a sound like ghura-ghura.
TRANSLATION
In that diseased condition, one’s eyes bulge due to the pressure of
air from within, and his glands become congested with mucus. He has
difficulty breathing, and upon exhaling and inhaling he produces a sound
like ghura-ghura, a rattling within the throat.
TEXT 17
TEXT
sayanah parisocadbhih
parivitah sva-bandhubhih
vacyamano ‘pi na brute
kala-pasa-vasam gatah
SYNONYMS
sayanah–lying down; parisocadbhih–lamenting; parivitah–surrounded;
sva-bandhubhih–by his relatives and friends; vacyamanah–being urged to
speak; api–although; na–not; brute–he speaks; kala–of time; pasa–the
noose; vasam–under the control of; gatah–gone.
TRANSLATION
In this way he comes under the clutches of death and lies down,
surrounded by lamenting friends and relatives, and although he wants to
speak with them, he no longer can because he is under the control of
time.TEXT 18
TEXT
evam kutumba-bharane
vyaprtatmajitendriyah
mriyate rudatam svanam
uru-vedanayasta-dhih
SYNONYMS
evam–thus; kutumba-bharane–in maintaining a family; vyaprta–
engrossed; atma–his mind; ajita–uncontrolled; indriyah–his senses;
mriyate–he dies; rudatam–while crying; svanam–his relatives; uru–
great; vedanaya–with pain; asta–bereft of; dhih–consciousness.
TRANSLATION
Thus the man, who engaged with uncontrolled senses in maintaining a
family, dies in great grief, seeing his relatives crying. He dies most
pathetically, in great pain and without consciousness.TEXT 19
TEXT
yama-dutau tada praptau
bhimau sarabhaseksanau
sa drstva trasta-hrdayah
sakrn-mutram vimuncati
SYNONYMS
yama-dutau–two messengers of Yamaraja; tada–at that time; praptau–
arrived; bhimau–terrible; sa-rabhasa–full of wrath; iksanau–their
eyes; sah–he; drstva–seeing; trasta–frightened; hrdayah–his heart;
sakrt–stool; mutram–urine; vimuncati–he passes.
TRANSLATION
At death, he sees the messengers of the lord of death come before him,
their eyes full of wrath, and in great fear he passes stool and urine.TEXT 20
TEXT
yatana-deha avrtya
pasair baddhva gale balat
nayato dirgham adhvanam
dandyam raja-bhata yatha
SYNONYMS
yatana–for punishment; dehe–his body; avrtya–covering; pasaih–with
ropes; baddhva–binding; gale–by the neck; balat–by force; nayatah–
they lead; dirgham–long; adhvanam–distance; dandyam–a criminal; rajabhatah–
the king’s soldiers; yatha–as.
TRANSLATION
As a criminal is arrested for punishment by the constables of the
state, a person engaged in criminal sense gratification is similarly
arrested by the Yamadutas, who bind him by the neck with strong rope and
cover his subtle body so that he may undergo severe punishment.TEXT 21
TEXT
tayor nirbhinna-hrdayas
tarjanair jata-vepathuh
pathi svabhir bhaksyamana
arto ‘gham svam anusmaran
SYNONYMS
tayoh–of the Yamadutas; nirbhinna–broken; hrdayah–his heart;
tarjanaih–by the threatening; jata–arisen; vepathuh–trembling; pathi–
on the road; svabhih–by dogs; bhaksyamanah–being bitten; artah–
distressed; agham–sins; svam–his; anusmaran–remembering.
TRANSLATION
While carried by the constables of Yamaraja, he is overwhelmed and
trembles in their hands. While passing on the road he is bitten by dogs,
and he can remember the sinful activities of his life. He is thus
terribly distressed.TEXT 22
TEXT
ksut-trt-parito ‘rka-davanalanilaih
santapyamanah pathi tapta-valuke
krcchrena prsthe kasaya ca taditas
calaty asakto ‘pi nirasramodake
SYNONYMS
ksut-trt–by hunger and thirst; paritah–afflicted; arka–sun; davaanala–
forest fires; anilaih–by winds; santapyamanah–being scorched;
pathi–on a road; tapta-valuke–of hot sand; krcchrena–painfully;
prsthe–on the back; kasaya–with a whip; ca–and; taditah–beaten;
calati–he moves; asaktah–unable; api–although; nirasrama-udake–
without shelter or water.
TRANSLATION
Under the scorching sun, the criminal has to pass through roads of hot
sand with forest fires on both sides. He is whipped on the back by the
constables because of his inability to walk, and he is afflicted by
hunger and thirst, but unfortunately there is no drinking water, no
shelter and no place for rest on the road.
TEXT 23
TEXT
tatra tatra patan chranto
murcchitah punar utthitah
patha papiyasa nitas
tarasa yama-sadanam
SYNONYMS
tatra tatra–here and there; patan–falling; srantah–fatigued;
murcchitah–unconscious; punah–again; utthitah–risen; patha–by the
road; papiyasa–very inauspicious; nitah–brought; tarasa–quickly; yamasadanam–
to the presence of Yamaraja.
TRANSLATION
While passing on that road to the abode of Yamaraja, he falls down in
fatigue, and sometimes he becomes unconscious, but he is forced to rise
again. In this way he is very quickly brought to the presence of
Yamaraja.
TEXT 24
TEXT
yojananam sahasrani
navatim nava cadhvanah
tribhir muhurtair dvabhyam va
nitah prapnoti yatanah
SYNONYMS
yojananam–of yojanas; sahasrani–thousands; navatim–ninety; nava–
nine; ca–and; adhvanah–from a distance; tribhih–three; muhurtaih–
within moments; dvabhyam–two; va–or; nitah–brought; prapnoti–he
receives; yatanah–punishments.
TRANSLATION
Thus he has to pass ninety-nine thousand yojanas within two or three
moments, and then he is at once engaged in the torturous punishment which
he is destined to suffer.TEXT 25
TEXT
adipanam sva-gatranam
vestayitvolmukadibhih
atma-mamsadanam kvapi
sva-krttam parato ‘pi va
SYNONYMS
adipanam–setting on fire; sva-gatranam–of his own limbs; vestayitva-
-having been surrounded; ulmuka-adibhih–by pieces of burning wood and so
on; atma-mamsa–of his own flesh; adanam–eating; kva api–sometimes;
sva-krttam–done by himself; paratah–by others; api–else; va–or.
TRANSLATION
He is placed in the midst of burning pieces of wood, and his limbs are
set on fire. In some cases he is made to eat his own flesh or have it
eaten by others.TEXT 26
TEXT
jivatas cantrabhyuddharah
sva-grdhrair yama-sadane
sarpa-vrscika-damsadyair
dasadbhis catma-vaisasam
SYNONYMS
jivatah–alive; ca–and; antra–of his entrails; abhyuddharah–pulling
out; sva-grdhraih–by dogs and vultures; yama-sadane–in the abode of
Yamaraja; sarpa–by serpents; vrscika–scorpions; damsa–gnats; adyaih–
and so on; dasadbhih–biting; ca–and; atma-vaisasam–torment of himself.
TRANSLATION
His entrails are pulled out by the hounds and vultures of hell, even
though he is still alive to see it, and he is subjected to torment by
serpents, scorpions, gnats and other creatures that bite him.
TEXT 27
TEXT
krntanam cavayavaso
gajadibhyo bhidapanam
patanam giri-srngebhyo
rodhanam cambu-gartayoh
SYNONYMS
krntanam–cutting off; ca–and; avayavasah–limb by limb; gajaadibhyah–
by elephants and so on; bhidapanam–tearing; patanam–hurling
down; giri–of hills; srngebhyah–from the tops; rodhanam–enclosing; ca-
-and; ambu-gartayoh–in water or in a cave.
TRANSLATION
Next his limbs are lopped off and torn asunder by elephants. He is
hurled down from hilltops, and he is also held captive either in water or
in a cave.
TEXT 28
TEXT
yas tamisrandha-tamisra
rauravadyas ca yatanah
bhunkte naro va nari va
mithah sangena nirmitah
SYNONYMS
yah–which; tamisra–the name of a hell; andha-tamisrah–the name of a
hell; raurava–the name of a hell; adyah–and so on; ca–and; yatanah–
punishments; bhunkte–undergoes; narah–man; va–or; nari–woman; va–or;
mithah–mutual; sangena–by association; nirmitah–caused.
TRANSLATION
Men and women whose lives were built upon indulgence in illicit sex
life are put into many kinds of miserable conditions in the hells known
as Tamisra, Andha-tamisra and Raurava.TEXT 29
TEXT
atraiva narakah svarga
iti matah pracaksate
ya yatana vai narakyas
ta ihapy upalaksitah
SYNONYMS
atra–in this world; eva–even; narakah–hell; svargah–heaven; iti–
thus; matah–O mother; pracaksate–they say; yah–which; yatanah–
punishments; vai–certainly; narakyah–hellish; tah–they; iha–here;
api–also; upalaksitah–visible.
TRANSLATION
Lord Kapila continued: My dear mother, it is sometimes said that we
experience hell or heaven on this planet, for hellish punishments are
sometimes visible on this planet also.TEXT 30
TEXT
evam kutumbam bibhrana
udaram bhara eva va
visrjyehobhayam pretya
bhunkte tat-phalam idrsam
SYNONYMS
evam–in this way; kutumbam–family; bibhranah–he who maintained;
udaram–stomach; bharah–he who maintained; eva–only; va–or; visrjya–
after giving up; iha–here; ubhayam–both of them; pretya–after death;
bhunkte–he undergoes; tat–of that; phalam–result; idrsam–such.
TRANSLATION
After leaving this body, the man who maintained himself and his family
members by sinful activities suffers a hellish life, and his relatives
suffer also.TEXT 31
TEXT
ekah prapadyate dhvantam
hitvedam sva-kalevaram
kusaletara-patheyo
bhuta-drohena yad bhrtam
SYNONYMS
ekah–alone; prapadyate–he enters; dhvantam–darkness; hitva–after
quitting; idam–this; sva–his; kalevaram–body; kusala-itara–sin;
patheyah–his passage money; bhuta–to other living entities; drohena–by
injury; yat–which body; bhrtam–was maintained.
TRANSLATION
He goes alone to the darkest regions of hell after quitting the
present body, and the money he acquired by envying other living entities
is the passage money with which he leaves this world.TEXT 32
TEXT
daivenasaditam tasya
samalam niraye puman
bhunkte kutumba-posasya
hrta-vitta ivaturah
SYNONYMS
daivena–by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
asaditam–obtained; tasya–his; samalam–sinful reaction; niraye–in a
hellish condition; puman–the man; bhunkte–undergoes; kutumba-posasya–
of maintaining a family; hrta-vittah–one whose wealth is lost; iva–
like; aturah–suffering.
TRANSLATION
Thus, by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the
maintainer of kinsmen is put into a hellish condition to suffer for his
sinful activities, like a man who has lost his wealth.TEXT 33
TEXT
kevalena hy adharmena
kutumba-bharanotsukah
yati jivo ‘ndha-tamisram
caramam tamasah padam
SYNONYMS
kevalena–simply; hi–certainly; adharmena–by irreligious activities;
kutumba–family; bharana–to maintain; utsukah–eager; yati–goes; jivah-
-a person; andha-tamisram–to Andha-tamisra; caramam–ultimate; tamasah–
of darkness; padam–region.
TRANSLATION
Therefore a person who is very eager to maintain his family and
kinsmen simply by black methods certainly goes to the darkest region of
hell, which is known as Andha-tamisra.TEXT 34
TEXT
adhastan nara-lokasya
yavatir yatanadayah
kramasah samanukramya
punar atravrajec chucih
SYNONYMS
adhastat–from below; nara-lokasya–human birth; yavatih–as many;
yatana–punishments; adayah–and so on; kramasah–in a regular order;
samanukramya–having gone through; punah–again; atra–here, on this
earth; avrajet–he may return; sucih–pure.
TRANSLATION
Having gone through all the miserable, hellish conditions and having
passed in a regular order through the lowest forms of animal life prior
to human birth, and having thus been purged of his sins, one is reborn
again as a human being on this earth.
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