die (in infancy) while crawling (on all fours); some die in youth; and
some in old age. The fortunes of all creatures, including even beasts and
birds, are unstable. The periods of life of all mobile and immobile
creatures are fixed beforehand. Bereaved of spouses and dear ones and
filled with sorrow for (the death of) children, men leave this spot every
day with agonised hearts for returning home. Leaving on this spot both
friends and foes numbering by thousands, kinsmen afflicted with grief go
back to their homes. Cast off this lifeless body with no longer any
animal heat in it and which is as stiff as a piece of wood! Why then do
you not go away, leaving the body of this child which has become like a
piece of wood and whose life has entered a new body? This affection
(which ye are displaying) is unmeaning and this hugging of the child is
fruitless. He does not see with his eyes or hear with his ears. Leaving
him here, go ye away without delay. Thus addressed by me in words which
are apparently cruel but which in reality are fraught with reason and
have a direct bearing with the high religion of emancipation, go ye back
to your respective homes.' Addressed thus by the vulture endued with
wisdom and knowledge and capable of imparting intelligence and awakening
the understanding, those men prepared themselves to turn their backs upon
the crematorium. Grief, indeed, increaseth to twice its measure at sight
of its object and at the remembrance of the acts of that object (in
life). Having heard these words of the vulture, the men resolved to leave
the spot. Just at that time the jackal, coming thither with quick steps,
cast his eyes on the child lying in the sleep of death.

"'"The jackal said, 'Why, indeed, do you leave, at the vulture's bidding,
this child of golden complexion, adorned with ornaments, and capable of
giving the obsequial cake to his ancestors? If you abandon him, your
affection will not come to an end, nor these piteous lamentations. On the
other hand, your grief will certainly be greater. It is heard that a
Sudra named Samvuka having been slain and righteousness having been
upheld by Rama of true prowess, a (dead) Brahmana child was restored to
life.[451] Similarly, the son of the royal sage Sweta died (prematurely).
But the monarch, devoted to virtue, succeeded in reviving his dead child.
After the same manner, in your case also, some sage or deity may be
willing to grant your desire and show compassion t