FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.8

तस्मात्पुरैवाश्विह पापनिष्कृतौ यतेत मृत्योरविपद्यतात्मना । दोषस्य द‍ृष्ट्वा गुरुलाघवं यथा भिषक् चिकित्सेत रुजां निदानवित् ॥ ८ ॥
tasmāt puraivāśv iha pāpa-niṣkṛtau
[tasmaat puraivaashv iha paapa-nishkritau]
yateta mṛtyor avipadyatātmanā
[yateta mrityor avipadyataatmanaa]
doṣasya dṛṣṭvā guru-lāghavaṁ yathā
[doshasya drishtvaa guru-laaghavam yathaa]
bhiṣak cikitseta rujāṁ nidānavit
[bhishak chikitseta rujaam nidaanavit]
Word-for-word
tasmāt — therefore purā — before eva — indeed āśu — very quickly iha — in this life pāpa-niṣkṛtau — to become free from the reaction of sinful activities yateta — one should endeavor mṛtyoḥ — death avipadyata — not troubled by disease and old age ātmanā — with a body doṣasya — of the sinful activities dṛṣṭvā — estimating guru-lāghavam — the heaviness or lightness yathā — just like bhiṣak — a physician cikitseta — would treat rujām — of disease nidāna-vit — one who is expert in diagnosis.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasmāt puraivāśv iha pāpa-niṣkṛtau
tasmāt
therefore
purā
before
eva
indeed
āśu
very quickly
iha
in this life
pāpa-niṣkṛtau
to become free from the reaction of sinful activities
yateta mṛtyor avipadyatātmanā
yateta
one should endeavor
mṛtyoḥ
death
avipadyata
not troubled by disease and old age
ātmanā
with a body
doṣasya dṛṣṭvā guru-lāghavaṁ yathā
doṣasya
of the sinful activities
dṛṣṭvā
estimating
guru-lāghavam
the heaviness or lightness
yathā
just like
bhiṣak cikitseta rujāṁ nidānavit
bhiṣak
a physician
cikitseta
would treat
rujām
of disease
nidāna-vit
one who is expert in diagnosis.
Therefore, before one’s next death comes, as long as one’s body is strong enough, one should quickly adopt the process of atonement according to śāstra; otherwise one’s time will be lost, and the reactions of his sins will increase. As an expert physician diagnoses and treats a disease according to its gravity, one should undergo atonement according to the severity of one’s sins.
Purport

The dharma-śāstras like the Manu-saṁhitā prescribe that a man who has committed murder should be hanged and his own life sacrificed in atonement. Previously this system was followed all over the world, but since people are becoming atheists, they are stopping capital punishment. This is not wise. Herein it is said that a physician who knows how to diagnose a disease prescribes medicine accordingly. If the disease is very serious, the medicine must be strong. The weight of a murderer’s sin is very great, and therefore according to Manu-saṁhitā a murderer must be killed. By killing a murderer the government shows mercy to him because if a murderer is not killed in this life, he will be killed and forced to suffer many times in future lives. Since people do not know about the next life and the intricate workings of nature, they manufacture their own laws, but they should properly consult the established injunctions of the śāstras and act accordingly. In India even today the Hindu community often takes advice from expert scholars regarding how to counteract sinful activities. In Christianity also there is a process of confession and atonement. Therefore atonement is required, and atonement must be undergone according to the gravity of one’s sinful acts.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Therefore, in this world, before death, one should strive to destroy sinful reactions while the body is not afflicted, just as a doctor who knows the causes of disease, seeing the gravity or lightness of the disease, prescribes a cure. Before death, quickly one should do this. Otherwise if there is much delay, one must perform double the atonement, because the condition will be twice as serious. One should do this while the body is unafflicted. When the body is diseased it is impossible to perform atonements. One should search out an expert in dharma-śāstra who can decide what should be done, just as one approaches a doctor, who can see the seriousness or insignificance of a disease.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Like a physician matching dosage to disease severity, scripture prescribes atonement proportional to one's sins, and urges that it be done while the body is still strong. Delay multiplies the reaction; act now while you still can.
Reflection Questions
  • Which 'small' habit do I keep planning to address 'someday' when I have more time or energy?
  • If a wise doctor diagnosed my spiritual life today, what serious medicine would they prescribe?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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