CHAPTER VIII.

An Account of the Gifts for the Dying.

1. Garuda said: Tell me, O Lord, all the rites for those in the other worlds who have done good, and also how these rites should be performed by the sons.

2. The Blessed Lord said: O Tarksya, you have done well in questioning me for the benefit of mankind. I will tell you all about the rites proper for the righteous.

3-4. The good person, finding his body, in its old age, afflicted with diseases, and the planetary conditions unfavourable, and not hearing the sounds of life,

And knowing his death to be near, should he fearless and alert, and should make reparation for any sins committed knowingly or in ignorance.

5-8. When it is near the time to die he must perform his ablutions, and worship Visnu in the form of S'alagrama.

He must worship with fragrant substances, with flowers, with red saffron, with leaves of the holy basil, with incense, with lamps, with offerings of food and many sweetmeats, and other things.

He should give presents to Brahmins, should feed them with the offerings, and should recite the eight and the twelve syllabled mantras.

He should call to mind, and listen to, the names of Visnu and S'iva. The name of Hari, coming with the range of hearing, takes away the sins of men.

9. Relatives, coming near the diseased, should not mourn. My holy name should be remembered and meditated upon repeatedly.

10-11. The Fish, the Tortoise, the Boar, the Man-lion, the Dwarf, Paras'urama, Rama, Krisna, Buddha, and also Kalki :

These ten names should always be meditated upon by the wise. Those who recite them near the diseased are called relatives.

12-16. Of him who gives voice to the auspicious name "Krisna" tens of millions of great sins are quickly reduced to ashes.

Even the dying Ajamila reached heaven by pronouncing the name Hari, which had been given to his son. How much more then is its effect when it is pronounced with faith!

Hari, meditated upon even by one who has evil thoughts, takes away sins: fire burns, even though accidentally touched.

The sinful man is not able to sin while the power of the name Hari is uprooting the sins, O Twice-born.

Yama said to his servants: "Bring the man who denies, but O messengers, do not bring the man who meditates on the name Hari."

17-20. One should worship the Achyuta, Kes'ava, Narayana, Krisna, Damodara, Vasudeva, Hari, S'ridhara, Madhavam, Gopikavallabham, Ramachandra, the Lord of Janaki.

"O servants, do not go near those sinless people who take refuge in the lotus-eyed Vasudeva and Visnu, who is the supporter of the earth, and carries in his hand the conch and discus.