% Text title            : Mrityumahotsavah
% File name             : mRRityumahotsavaH.itx
% Category              : misc, jaina, advice
% Location              : doc\_z\_misc\_general
% Transliterated by     : Manish Yashodhara Modi hindipremi1912 gmail.com
% Proofread by          : Manish Yashodhara Modi
% Translated by         : Manish Yashodhara Modi Hindi Grantha Karyalaya
% Latest update         : August 9, 2020
% Send corrections to   : sanskrit at cheerful dot c om
%
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\engtitle{.. A Celebration of Death ..}##
\itxtitle{.. mR^ityumahotsavaH ..}##\endtitles ##
##Introduction:
Death is one of the imponderables that one invariably encounters. Often, death is perceived as the final act in one's life. A tumultuous parting of ways of consciousness (the soul) with the mortal coil where the soul remains behind like a lamp of light, carrying with it memories of love, passion, understanding, knowledge and perception. Jainism believes that consciousness can never be extinguished. Death is merely an exchange of the corporeal self. A comma in the chain of existence which is eternally free of full stops.

We regret that we are not aware of the identity of the original writer of this concise work in Sanskrit. But whosoever he/she may be, he/she has left behind a beautiful text which gives solace and guidance to all.
##
OM hrIM shrIpArshvanAthAya namaH |
jaya jInendra
atha mR^ityumahotsavaH |
mR^ityumArge pravR^ittasya vItarAga dadAtu me |
samAdhibodhau pAtheyaM yAvan muktipurI puraH  || 1||##
I have begun my journey on the path of voluntary death.
May the supremely detached ones provision me for my journey
With profound meditation and enlightenment
Until I reach my destination - liberation.
##
kR^imIjAla samAkIrNe jarjare dehapa~njare |
bhajyamAne na bhetavyaM yatastvaM j~nAnavigrahaH || 2||##
O soul,
This frail body is infested with worms.
Do not fear its destruction
For you are the embodiment of knowledge.
(And distinct from the body).
##
j~nAnin bhayaM bhavet kasmAt prApte mR^ityumahotsave |
svarUpastho puraM yAti dehI dehAntarasthiti || 3||##
O soul,
Why fear death?
For the wise, death is a celebration.
You will retain your identity
Even when the body is exchanged for another.
##
sudattaM prApyate yasmAt dR^ishyate pUrvasUttamaiH |
bhujyate svarbhavaM saukhyaM mR^ityubhItiM tyajet shanaiH || 4||##
O soul,
Give up the fear of death!
It is evident from the scriptures that,
Your conduct is responsible
For the happiness you attain.
##
AgarbhAd duHkhasantaptaH prakShipto dehapa~njare |
nAtmA vimuchyate.anyena mR^ityubhUmipatiM vinA || 5||##
O soul,
Since the time of conception,
You have been scorched by sorrows.
You are imprisoned by this body.
Only the king named death can set you free.
##
sarvaduHkhapradaM piNDaM dUrIkR^ityAtmadarshibhiH |
mR^ityumitraprasAdena prApyante sukhasampadaH || 6||##
O soul,
This body is the root of all sorrow.
Thanks to the friend called death,
Those who perceive the true self,
Rid themselves of the body
And attain the wealth of bliss.
##
mR^ityukalpadrume prApte yenAtmArtho na sAdhitaH |
nimagno janmajambAle sa pashchAt kiM kariShyati || 7||##
O soul,
Those who do not pursue the path of spiritual perfection,
Even when faced with the wish-fulfilling tree called death,
What will they do when confronted
By the quagmire of transmigration?
##
jIrNaM dehAdikaM sarvaM nUtanaM jAyate yataH |
sa mR^ityuH kim na modAya satAM sAtotthitiryathA || 8||##
O soul,
When death causes the worn-out, aged body
To be exchanged for a brand new one,
Then why not rejoice at death,
Especially since death is instrumental
In the salvation of saints?
##
sukhaM duHkhaM sadA vetti dehasthashcha svayaM vrajet |
mR^ityubhItistadA kasya jAyate paramArthataH || 9||##
O soul,
When you are shackled to the body,
You have to constantly suffer pleasure and pain.
You even take another birth on your own.
So why fear death?
##
saMsArAsaktachittAnAM mR^ityubhItirbhavet nR^iNAm |
modAyate punaH so.api j~nAnavairAgyavAsinAm || 10||##
O soul,
Death terrifies those
Who are enmeshed in the world
But delights those
Who are wise and free from worldly desires.
##
purAdhIsho yadA yAti sukR^itasya bubhutsayA |
tadA.asau vAryate kena prapa~nchaiH pa~nchabhautikaiH || 11||##
O soul,
When lifespan determining karmas cause you to leave the body,
Then how can anything hold you back?
So do not concern yourself with the five elements, etc.
##
mR^ityukAle satAM duHkhaM prabhavet vyAdhisambhavam |
dehamohavinAshAya manye shivasukhAya cha || 12||##
O soul,
Sorrow and disease afflict saints at the time of death
To annihilate their attachment for the body
And help them attain eternal bliss.
##
j~nAnino.amR^itatulyAya mR^ityustApakaro.api san |
Amakumbhasya loke.asmin bhavet pAkavidhiryathA || 13||##
O soul,
The anguish caused by death
Is like ambrosia for the learned ones.
Because it is well known
That an earthen pitcher has to bear the heat
Before it may be used for cooking.
##
yat phalaM prApyate sadbhi vratAyAsaviDambanAt |
tat phalaM sukhasAdhyaM syAt mR^ityukAle samAdhinA || 14||##
O soul,
Upon venturing forth on the path of voluntary death,
You will comfortably attain the spiritual wellness
Which would, otherwise,
Only be attained
By ascetics through extreme penance.
##
anArtaH shAntimAn martyo na tirya~Ng nApi nArakaH |
dharmadhyAnI sadA mukto martyo nityaM maheshvaraH || 15||##
O soul,
One without saturnine meditation dies peacefully.
And is reborn as a human being,
Not as a sub-human or a hellish being.
One who has pious meditation is always free
And, upon dying, is sure to attain the great wealth of liberation.
##
taptasya tapasashchApi pAlitasya vratasya cha |
paThitasya shrutasyApi phalaM mR^ityuH samAdhinA || 16||##
O soul,
Those who practise penance,
Follow the vows and study the scriptures
Attain serene, peaceful voluntary death.
##
atiparichiteShvavaj~nA nave bhavet prItiriti hi janavAdaH |
chiratarasharIranAshe navataralAbhe cha kiM bhIruH || 17||##
O soul,
It is well known
That familiarity breeds contempt, and
That one is fascinated by novelty.
When the older body is destroyed,
You will get a new one.
So why fear death?
Epilogue
##
svargAdetya pavitra nirmala kule sasmaryamAnA janaiH
    datvA bhaktividhAyinAM bahuvidhaM vA~NChAnurUpaM dhanam |
bhuktvA bhogamaharnishaM parakR^itaM shitvA kShaNaM maNDale
    pAtrAveshavisarjanAmiva mR^ituM santo labhante svataH  || 18||##
O soul,
The pious ones descend from heaven,
Take birth in families with pure conduct
and are worshipped.
They never lack for wealth, and
(*)Indulge in sensual delectation day and night.
This is how they spend a short time on earth.
At the end, just as actors shed one persona to don another,
They shed this body and attain liberation.

                         - Manish Modi
(*)The Jain religion does not promote sensual indulgence or any behaviour that increases the soul's attachment to the body, to other people and worldly objects. What the epilogue says is that even those who indulge in temporal delectation can attain liberation provided they take up the path of asceticism and shed all attachment.

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