wn life and of
the year, begins to eat at irregular intervals and to eat such food as is
hostile to him.[11] At such a time he indulges in practices that are
exceedingly harmful. He sometimes eats excessively and sometimes abstains
altogether from food. He eats bad food or bad meat or takes bad drinks,
or food that has been made up of ingredients incompatible with one
another. He eats food that is heavy in excess of the measure that is
beneficial, or before the food previously taken has been digested. He
indulges in physical exercise and sexual pleasure in excess of the due
measure, or through avidity for work, suppresses the urgings of his
corporeal organism even when they become pronounced. Or, he takes food
that is very juicy, or indulges in sleep during daytime. Food that is not
properly digested, of itself excites the faults, when the time comes.[12]
From such excitement of the faults in his body, he gets disease ending in
death itself. Sometimes the person engages in perverse or unnatural acts
like hanging (for bringing about his death). Through these causes the
living body of the creature dissolves away. Understand correctly the
manner as I declare it to thee.[13] Urged on by the Wind which becomes
violent, the heat in the body, becoming excited and reaching every part
of the body one after another, restrains all the (movements of the) vital
breaths. Know truly that excited all over the body, the heat becomes very
strong, and pierces every vital part where life may be said to reside. In
consequence of this, Jiva, feeling great pain, quickly takes leave of its
mortal casement. Know, O foremost of regenerate persons, that when the
vital parts of the physical organism become thus afflicted, Jiva slips
away from the body, overwhelmed with great pain. All living creatures are
repeatedly afflicted with birth and death. It is seen, O chief of
Brahmanas, that the pain which is felt by a person when casting off his
bodies is like what is felt by him when first entering the womb or when
issuing out of it. His joints become almost dislocated and he derives
much distress from the waters (of the womb).[14] Urged on by (another)
violent wind, the wind that is in the body becomes excited through cold,
and dissolves away the union of matter (called the body) into its
respective elements numbering five.[15] That wind which resides in the
vital breaths called Prana and Apana occurring within this compound of
the five primal elements