844 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 16
TRANSLATION
O Sita Gosvami, there are those amongst men who desire freedom
from death and get eternal life. They escape the slaughtering process by
calling the controller of death, Yamaraja.
PURPORT
The living entity, as he develops from lower animal life to a higher
human being and gradually to higher intelligence, becomes anxious to get
freed from the clutches of death. Modern scientists try to avoid death by
physiochemical advancement of knowledge, but alas the controller of
death, Yamaraja, is so cruel that he does not spare even the very life of the
scientist himself. The scientist, who puts forward the theory of stopping
death by advancement of scientific knowledge, becomes himself a victim
of death when he is called by Yamaraja. What to speak of stopping death,
no one can even enhance the short period of life even by a fraction of a
moment. The only hope of suspending the cruel slaughtering process of
Yamaraja is to call him to hear and chant the holy name of the Lord.
Yamaraja is a great devotee of the Lord, and he likes to be invited to
kirtanas and sacrifices by the pure devotees who are constantly engaged in
the devotional service of the Lord. Thus the great sages, headed by Saunaka
and others, invited Yamaraja to attend the sacrifice performed at
Naimisdranya. This was good for those who did not want to die.
TEXT 8
4 BN HAT TAT TATA LET: |
wat f amarrga: wattfh: |
Ma THE Gta efter Tt I<
na kascin mriyate tavad
yavad asta ihantakah
etad-artharn hi bhagavan
ahitah paramarsibhih
aho nrloke piyeta
hari-flamrtam vacah
na—not; kascit— anyone; mriyate—will die; tavat—so long; yavat—as long
as; dste—is present; iha—herein; antakah—one who causes the end of life;
