Text 32
jātasya mṛtyur dhruva eva sarvataḥ
pratikriyā yasya na ceha kḷptā
loko yaśaś cātha tato yadi hy amuṁ
ko nāma mṛtyuṁ na vṛṇīta yuktam
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; iha — in 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.
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?
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.