1298 Stimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 28
PURPORT
According to the Vedic system, a dead body is set on fire, but before
death there is another fire or fever, which is called prajvara, or visnu-
jvara. Medical science verifies that when one’s temperature is raised to 107
degrees, a man immediately dies. This prajvara, or high fever, at the last
stage of life places the living entity in the midst of a blazing fire.
TEXT 12
TA ARTA TUE Aas: |
Mal raH: HEART SNTTT ATT AA
tasyam sandah yamanayam
sapaurah saparicchadah
kautumbikah kutumbinya
upatapyata sanvayah
tasyam—when that city; sandahyamanadyam—was ablaze; sa-paurah—
along with all the citizens; sa-paricchadah—along with all servants and
followers; kautumbikah—the King, having so many relatives; kutumbinya—
along with his wife; upatapyata—began to suffer the temperature of the
fire; sa-anvayah—along with descendants.
TRANSLATION
When the city was set ablaze, all the citizens and servants of the King, as
well as all family members, sons, grandsons, wives and other relatives, were
within the fire. King Purafijana thus became very unhappy.
PURPORT
There are many parts of the body—the senses, the limbs, the skin, the
muscles, blood, marrow, etc.—and all these are considered here figuratively
as sons, grandsons, citizens and dependents. When the body is attacked by
the visnu-jvara, the fiery condition becomes so acute that sometimes one
remains in a coma. This means that the body is in such severe pain that one
becomes unconscious and cannot feel the miseries taking place within the
body. Indeed, the living entity becomes so helpless at the time of death,
that, although unwilling, he is forced to give up the body and enter another.
In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that man may, by scientific advancement,
