Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for MankindChapter 10: The Battle Between the Demigods and Vṛtrāsura

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.10.32

jātasya mṛtyur dhruva eva sarvataḥ

pratikriyā yasya na ceha kḷptā

loko yaśaś cātha tato yadi hy amuḿ

ko nāma mṛtyuḿ na vṛṇīta yuktam

SYNONYMS

jātasya — of one who has taken birth (all living beings); mṛtyuḥ — death; dhruvaḥ — inevitable; eva — indeed; sarvataḥ — everywhere in the universe; pratikriyā — counteraction; yasya — of which; na — not; ca — also; ihain this material world; kḷptā — devised; lokaḥ — promotion to higher planets; yaśaḥ — reputation and glory; ca — and; atha — then; tataḥ — from that; yadi — if; hi — indeed; amum — that; kaḥ — who; nāma — indeed; mṛtyum — death; na — not; vṛṇīta — would accept; yuktam — suitable.

TRANSLATION

Vṛtrāsura said: All living entities who have taken birth in this material world must die. Surely, no one in this world has found any means to be saved from death. Even providence has not provided a means to escape it. Under the circumstances, death being inevitable, if one can gain promotion to the higher planetary systems and be always celebrated here by dying a suitable death, what man will not accept such a glorious death?

PURPORT

If by dying one can be elevated to the higher planetary systems and be ever-famous after his death, who is so foolish that he will refuse such a glorious death? Similar advice was also given by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. "My dear Arjuna," the Lord said, "do not desist from fighting. If you gain victory in the fight, you will enjoy a kingdom, and even if you die you will be elevated to the heavenly planets." Everyone should be ready to die while performing glorious deeds. A glorious person is not meant to meet death like cats and dogs.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness