श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम् द्वितीय : स्कन्ध: अथ तृतीय: अध्याय: श्रीशुक उवाच - Shri Shuka said - एवमेतन्निगदितं पृष्टवान् यद् भवान् मम ।
नृणां यन्म्रियमाणानां मनुष्येषु मनीषिणाम् ॥१॥
एवम्-एतद्-निगदितम् thus, this was told
पृष्टवान् यत् भवान् मम as asked which, you to me नृणाम् यत्-म्रियमाणानाम् of people that, about to die मनुष्येषु मनीषिणाम् among men, thoughtful Thus, this is all that I have told you about what you had asked me, that is, what should the thoughtful men among human beings do when they are about to die.


ब्रह्मवर्चसकामस्तु यजेत ब्रह्मणस्पतिम् ।
इन्द्रमिन्द्रियकामस्तु प्रजाकाम: प्रजापतीन् ॥२॥
ब्रह्म-वर्चस-काम:-तु Brahma knowledge seeking should
यजेत ब्रह्मणस्पतिम् worship Brahaspati इन्द्रम्-इन्द्रिय-काम:-तु Indra, sense seeker indeed प्रजा-काम: प्रजापतीन् progeny seeker, to Prajaapati One who seeks the knowledge of Brahman, should worship Brahaspati, one who seeks the keen-ness of senses should worship Indra, and one who is desiorous of progeny, should worship Prajaapati.


देवीं मायां तु श्रीकामस्तेजस्कामो विभावसुम् ।
वसुकामो वसून् रुद्रान् वीर्यकामोऽथ वीर्यवान् ॥३॥
देवीम् मायाम् तु श्रीकाम:- the Goddess Maaya indeed, prosperity desiring
तेज:-काम: विभावसुम् energy desiring, वसु-काम: वसून् wealth seeker, the Vasu's रुद्रान् वीर्य-काम:-अथ the Rudras, power aspiring and वीर्यवान् the powerful A person desiring prosperity, should worship the divine Goddess Maayaa, and the one desiring energy should worship Fire, a seeker of wealth, should worship the Vasu's, the gods of wealth, and the powerful person desiring for more power should worship the Rudras, the gods of power.


अन्नाद्यकामस्त्वदितिं स्वर्गकामोऽदिते: सुतान् ।
विश्वान् देवान् राज्यकाम: साध्यान् संसाधको विशाम् ॥४॥
अन्नाद्य-काम:- food and food stuff desiring
तु-अदितिम् indeed Aditi स्वर्ग-काम:- heaven desiring अदिते: सुतान् Aditi's sons विश्वान् देवान् the Vishwadevas राज्य-काम: साध्यान् sovereignty seeker, the Saadhyaas संसाधक: विशाम् the allegiance desirous of his subjects A person who wants food and food-stuff, should worship Aditi, and the one who seeks heaven, should worship Aditi's sons the Aadityaa. So also a person seeking sovereignty should worship Veshwadevas and the person who wants to have allegiance of his subjects, should worship the Saadhyaas.


आयुष्कामोऽश्विनौ देवौ पुष्टिकाम इलां यजेत् ।
प्रतिष्ठाकाम: पुरुषो रोदसी लोकमातरौ ॥५॥
आयु:-काम:- long life seeker
अश्विनौ देवौ the two Ashwini Devas पुष्टि-काम: stoutness desiring इलाम् यजेत् the Earth should worship प्रतिष्ठा-काम: पुरुष: fame desiring person, रोदसी लोक-मातरौ the space and earth, the two mothers A seeker of long life, should worship the two Ashwini Devas, a person desiring stoutness should worship the Earth, and a person who seeks prestige and fame, should worship the two mothers of the world, Space and Earth.


रूपाभिकामो गन्धर्वान् स्त्रीकामोऽप्सर उर्वशीम् ।
आधिपत्यकाम: सर्वेषां यजेत परमेष्ठिनम् ॥६॥
रूप-अभिकाम: गन्धर्वान् beauty desiring, the Gandharvas
स्त्री-काम:-अप्सर उर्वशीम् a wife seeker, the celestial nymph Urvashi आधिपत्य-काम: सर्वेषाम् lordship desiring on all यजेत परमेष्ठिनम् should worship Brahmaa A person seeking personal charm, should worship the Gandharvas, and one who seeks a beautiful wife should worship the celestial nymph Urvashi, and a person who wants to lord over everything should worship Brahmaa.


यज्ञं यजेद् यशस्काम: कोशकाम: प्रचेतसम् ।
विद्याकामस्तु गिरिशं दाम्पत्यार्थ उमां सतीं ॥७॥
यज्ञम् यजेद् यश:-काम: Yagya (Purush, Vishnu) should worship fame desiring
कोश-काम: प्रचेतसम् treasure seeker Prachetas (Varuna) विद्या-काम:-तु गिरिशम् learning seeker, indeed Shiva दाम्पत्य-अर्थम् a marriage partner, for उमाम् सतीम् Umaa, the devoted wife A person who desires fame, should worship the Yagya Purush Vishnu, the Lord of sacrifices. One who seeks treasures should propetiate Prachetas, Varuna. One who wants to acquire learning should worship Shiva, and the person who wants to get a partner in marriage, should worship the devoted wife Umaa.


धर्मार्थ उत्तमश्लोकं तन्तुं तन्वन् पितृन् यजेत् ।
रक्षाकाम: पुण्यजनानोजस्कामो मरुद्गणान् ॥८॥
धर्म-अर्थ: उत्तम-श्लोकम् righteousness for, (Lord Vishnu) of excellent renown
तन्तुम् तन्वन् (his) race increasing desiring पितृन् यजेत् the Pitris should worship रक्षा-काम: protection desiring पुण्य-जनान्- the virtuous (Yakshas) ओज:-काम: मरुद्गणान् vigour wanting , the Marutganas People who want to lead a righteous life, should worship Lord Vishnu of excellent renown. Those who want to propagate their race, should worship the Pitris, the manes. One who desires protection from all odds, should please the virtuous Yakshas, and those wanting physical vigour, should worship the Marutganas.


राज्यकामो मनून् देवान् नि:ऋतिं त्वभिचरन् यजेत् ।
कामकामो यजेत् सोममकाम: पुरुषं परम् ॥९॥
राज्य-काम: मनून् देवान् kingdom desiring, the Manu Devas
नि:ऋतिम् तु-अभिचरन् यजेत् Nirriti, indeed to cast spells worship काम-काम: desirous of sensuous pleasure यजेत् सोमम्- may worship Soma, the moon अकाम: पुरुषम् परम् non-desirous, the Primordial Person, Vishnu One who seeks kingdom, should propitiate the Manu Devas, and those who want to cast a spell for malevolent perposes, should worship Nirritti. People who want sense gratification should worship Soma, the moon, and those who want to give up all desires, should worship the Primordial Person, Vishnu.


अकाम: सर्वकामो वा मोक्षकाम उदारधी: ।
तीव्रेण भक्ति योगेन यजेत पुरुषं परम् ॥१०॥
अकाम: सर्व-काम: वा desire less, all desiring or
मोक्ष-काम: उदारधी: liberation seeking, a wise person तीव्रेण भक्ति योगेन by intense devotional yoga यजेत पुरुषम् परम् should worship the Supreme Person A wise person, non-desierous or desiring everything, or even seeking liberation, should, with the path of intense devotion, worship the Supreme Person, Vishnu.


एतावानेव यजतामिह नि:श्रेयसोदय: ।
भगवत्यचलो भावो यद् भागवतसङ्गत: ॥११॥
एतावान-एव this alone
यजताम्-इह for the worshippers, here नि:श्रेयसा-उदय: the utmost benefit arising भगवति- in the Lord अचल: भाव: यत्- unswerving devotion, which भागवत-सङ्गत: by the devotees' company For all those who worship other gods, the utmost benefit lies in developing an unswerving devotion to The Lord, attained through the company of His devotees.


ज्ञानं यदा प्रतिनिवृत्तगुणोर्मिचक्रमात्मप्रसाद उत यत्र गुणेष्वसङ्ग: ।
कैवल्यसम्मतपथस्त्वथ भक्तियोग: को निर्वृतो हरिकथासु रतिं न कुर्यात् ॥१२॥
ज्ञानम् यदा knowledge when (dawns)
प्रतिनिवृत्त-गुण-ऊर्मि-चक्रम्- ceases, the Gunas' waves' circle आत्म-प्रसाद उत self enlightenment, indeed, यत्र गुणेषु-असङ्ग: where in the Gunas dis-interest कैवल्य-सम्मत for liberation recommended पथ:-तु-अथ भक्तियोग: path indeed then, devotion, क: निर्वृत: which dispassionate हरि-कथासु in Hari's discourses रतिम् न कुर्यात् delight will not take When knowledge dawns by the discourses in the company of Lord's devotees, the whirl waves of the three gunas cease. Where there is self enlightenment and dis-interest of the gunas, it is the recommonded path for liberation, because it is then that devotion develops. Which dispassionate person will not take delight in Shree Hari's discourses?


शौनक उवाच - Shaunaka said - इत्यभिव्याहृतं राजा निशम्य भरतर्षभ: ।
किमन्यत्पृष्टवान् भूयो वैयासकिमृषिं कविम् ॥१३॥
इति-अभिव्याहृतम् this being told
राजा निशम्य the King hearing भरत-ऋषभ: the foremost of the Bharata's किम्-अमन्यत्- what else पृष्टवान् भूय: asked again वैयासकिम्-ऋषिम्-कविम् to Vyaasa's son the sage, learned After hearing what was said to the foremost of the Bharatas, King Parikshita, what more did he ask to the learned sage, the son of Vyaasa?


एतच्छुश्रूषतां विद्वन् सूत नोऽर्हसि भाषितुम् ।
कथा हरिकथोदर्का: सतां स्यु: सदसि ध्रुवम् ॥१४॥
एतत्-शुश्रूषताम् this to hear keen
विद्वन् सूत O Learned Soota! न:-अर्हसि भाषितुम् to us are able, to tell कथा हरिकथा-उदर्का: the stories, the stories of Hari's discourses सताम् स्यु: सदसि in holy men's assembly ध्रुवम् is sure to be O Learned Soota! Do tell us all about the stories, which we are keen to hear. In the assembly of holy men there is sure to be discourses on Hari's stories.


स वै भागवतो राजा पाण्डवेयो महारथ: ।
बालक्रीडनकै: कीडन् कृष्णक्रीडां य आददे ॥१५॥
स: वै भागवत: राजा he indeed the devotee, King,
पाण्डवेय: महारथ: descendent of the Paandavas, the great charioteer बाल-क्रीडनकै: कीडन् by the children's toys playing कृष्ण-क्रीडाम् य: आददे Krishna's sports, who played King Pareekshita, the descendent of the Paandavaas, and the great charioteer, is indeed a great devotee, as, even in his childhood, he would play the sports of Krishna with the children's toys.


वैयासकिश्च भगवान् वासुदेवपरायण: ।
उरुगायगुणोदारा: सतां स्युर्हि समागमे ॥१६॥
वैयासकि:-च भगवान् son of Vyaasa (Shukadeva), to Lord
वासुदेव-परायण: Vaasudeva devoted उरुगाय by the exalted are sung गुण-उदारा: the virtues great सताम् स्यु:-हि among holy men must be indeed समागमे (when they) meet Shukadeva, Sage Vyaasa's son is also a great devotee of Lord Vaasudeva. The talks of the Lord full of his sublime virtues are indeed sung of by the holy men when they meet.


आयुर्हरति वै पुंसामुद्यन्नस्तं च यन्नसौ ।
तस्यर्ते यत्क्षणो नीत उत्तमश्लोकवार्तया ॥१७॥
आयु:-हरति वै पुंसाम्- the life steals, indeed of men
उद्यन्-अस्तम् च the rising and setting यत्-असौ going this (Sun) तस्य-ऋते of that except यत्-क्षण: नीत: which moment is taken उत्तम-श्लोक वार्तया by the renowned One's talks The life of men is stolen by the rising and setting and the going of Sun, except for the moment in which talks of the Highly renowned Lord has taken place.


तरव: किं न जीवन्ति भस्त्रा: किं न श्वसन्त्युत ।
न खादन्ति न मेहन्ति किं ग्रामपशवोऽपरे ॥१८॥
तरव: किम् न जीवन्ति trees, is it do not live
भस्त्रा: किम् न bellows is it do not श्वसन्ति-उत breath or न खादन्ति do not eat न मेहन्ति किम् do not copulate is it ग्राम-पशव:-अपरे domestic animals others Do the trees not live? Does not the breath bellow? Do not the domestic animals or other beasts eat or copulate?


श्वविड्वराहोष्ट्रखरै: संस्तुत: पुरुष: पशु: ।
न यत्कर्णपथोपेतो जातु नाम गदाग्रज: ॥१९॥
श्वन्-विड्वराह:-उष्ट्र-खरै: dog, swine, camel, donkey,
संस्तुत: पुरुष: पशु: declared human beast न यत्-कर्ण-पथ-उपेत: not because, by the ear's path reached जातु नाम the one name गद-अग्रज: of Gada's brother, Krishna The human beast is declared as good as the dog, swine camel and donkey, if the name of Gada's brother Krishna has never reached him through the path of his ear.


बिले बतोरुक्रमविक्रमान् ये न शृण्वत: कर्णपुटे नरस्य ।
जिह्वासती दार्दुरिकेव सूत न चोपगायत्युरुगायगाथा: ॥२०॥
बिले बत- (rat) holes alas
उरुक्रम-विक्रमान् of the Lords exploits ये न शृण्वत: which do not hear कर्ण-पुटे नरस्य ear holes of man जिह्वा-असती tongue is false दार्दुरिका-इव सूत a frog's like, O Soota! न च-उपगायति- and not sings उरुगाय-गाथा: weal sung of, Lord Vishnu's stories O Soota! The ear holes of a man are mere rat holes if they do not hear the exploits of Lord Krishna, and the tongue is false, like a frog's, if it does not sing the stories of, the well sung of, Lord Vishnu.


भार: परं पट्टकिरीटजुष्टमप्युत्तमाङ्गं न नमेन्मुकुन्दम् ।
शावौ करौ नो कुरुत: सपर्यां हरेर्लसत्काञ्चनकङ्कणौ वा ॥२१॥
भार: परम् burden great
पट्ट-किरीट-जुष्टम्- (fine) clothes and crown adorned अपि-उत्तम-अङ्गम् also, best limb (man's head) न नमेत्-मुकुन्दम् does not bow to Mukunda (Krishna) शावौ करौ नो कुरुत: a corpse's hands, not does सपर्याम् हरे:- service (pooja) to Shree Hari लसत्-काञ्चन-कङ्कणौ वा adorned with golden wristlets even though A heavy burden is a head decked with silken headgear and a crown, if it does not bow down to Mukunda, Krishna. Hands, even though adorned with golden wristlets, are as good as a dead man's hands, if they do not worship Shree Hari.


बर्हायिते ते नयने नराणां लिङ्गानि विष्णॊर्न निरीक्षतो ये ।
पादौ नृणां तौद्रुमजन्मभाजौ क्षेत्राणि नानुव्रजतो हरेर्यौ ॥२२॥
बर्हायिते ते a peacock's tail like, are those
नयने नराणाम् eyes of men लिङ्गानि विष्णॊ:- images of Vishnu न निरीक्षत: ये do not see which पादौ नृणाम् तौ- feet of men those द्रुम-जन्म-भाजौ tree roots akin to क्षेत्राणि न-अनुव्रजत: the holy places do not visit हरे:-यौ Shree Hari's which The eyes of men which do not see the images of Vishnu are as useless as the eyes on a peacock's feathers. Also, the feet of men which do not visit the sacred place of Shree Hari are as good as the roots of trees.


जीवञ्छवो भागवताङ्घ्रिरेणुं न जातु मर्त्योऽभिलभेत यस्तु ।
श्रीविष्णुपद्या मनुजस्तुलस्या: श्वसञ्छवो यस्तु न वेद गन्धम् ॥२३॥
जीवन्-शव: a living corpse (is a person)
भागवत-अङ्घ्रि-रेणुम् devotee's feet dust न जातु मर्त्य:- not ever a mortal अभिलभेत य:-तु takes, he surely श्रीविष्णु-पद्या: Shri Vishnu's feet's मनुज:-तुलस्या: a man, Tulsi's श्वसन्-शव: य:-तु breathing corpse, who indeed न वेद गन्धम् does not know the fragrance That mortal who has not taken the dust of the devotees' feet, is surely a living corpse, and a man who does not know the fragerance of Tulsi offered at the feet of Shri Vishnu's feet, is indeed a breathing corpse.


तदश्मसारं हृदयं बतेदं गृह्यमाणैर्हरिनामधेयै: ।
न विक्रियेताथ यदा विकारो नेत्रे जलं गात्ररुहेषु हर्ष: ॥२४॥
तत्-अश्मसारम् हृदयम् that stone like heart
बत-इदम् गृह्यमाणै:- indeed (is) this, taking हरि-नामधेयै: of Hari's name न विक्रियेत-अथ does not melt यदा विकार: when it melts नेत्रे जलम् in eyes water गात्र-रुहेषु हर्ष: body's hair stand That heart indeed is stone like when it does not melt by uttering Hari's name. When the heart does melt, the eyes are full of tears and the hair on the body stand on end.


अथाभिधेह्यङ्ग मनोऽनुकूलं प्रभाषसे भागवतप्रधान: ।
यदाह् वैयासकिरात्मविद्याविशारदो नृपतिं साधु पृष्ट: ॥२५॥
अथ-अभिधेहि-अङ्ग now (please) tell Dear (Soota)
मन:-अनुकूलम् प्रभाषसे to the mind dear says (which) भागवत-प्रधान: the devotee leading यत्-आह् वैयासकि:- that said Vyaasa's son ,(Shukadeva) आत्म-विद्या-विशारद: in Self Knowledge, the expert नृपतिम् साधु पृष्ट: to the king well asked Now, Dear Soota, please tell us that, which is pleasing to the mind and which the expert in Self knowledge, the son of Vyaas, Shukadeva, said to the leading devotee, the king when he asked the excellent question.


इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पार्महंस्यां संहितायां द्वितीयस्कन्धे तृतीय: अध्याय: ॥३॥
Thus ends the third discourse in Book Two of the great and glorious Bhaagavata-Puraana.