What did the body leave behind?- mantrA 163

srigurubhyO namahA |
Providing us with a timeline of our life in this world, from conception to death, the sage points out the time by which this body and mind become conditioned by the sense pleasures and how they lead to the deterioration of the body ending in death. This is the 163rd mantrA.

முட்டை பிறந்தது முந்_று நாளினில்
இட்டது தானிலை ஏதேனும் ஏழைகாள்
பட்டது பார்மணம் பன்னிரண்டி ஆண்டினில்
கெட்டது எழுபதில் கேடறி யீரே. I.2.21.163

 
Three hundred days agone, the foetus emerged,
Naught remains of it now, dear friends, you know;
In twelve years' time it learned to smell the rich odours of life
At seventy it turned to dust--thus briefly ends the show. I.2.21.163

Com - Three hundred days agone, the foetus emerged, this body, which started its life as a miniscule egg (akin to fish spawn) embedded within the womb, emerged out into the world in ten months. dear friends, you know; O people of the world (who are lacking in wisdom) know this; Naught remains of it now, this body above described is not the result of some preference or choice. In twelve years' time it learned to smell the rich odours of life in twelve years after its birth in this world, this body becomes accustomed to the sensory pleasures of the manifest world. At seventy it turned to dust—and at seventy it becomes too frail and succumbs to death. Thus briefly ends the show. And yet, ye are largely unaware of the transitory nature of this body. (How foolish!)

*The sage describes here the short duration of this body’s sojourn in this world by providing a recognisable framework of time. From a minute egg in the womb until birth takes ten months. The body so born does not work to suit the choice or preference of the individual; instead it grows and perishes following a pattern dictated by nature (and karma). Within the first twelve years after one’s birth into this world, the body is conditioned to engage thoroughly with this diverse and ultimately illusory world of sense pleasures. The various mental states of lust, desire, greed, jealousy, anger, sorrow, etc become firmly rooted. Very soon, age and deterioration take their toll and by seventy years, the body falls and returns to the very dust it took shape from. Such a short time we have here and we choose to waste it in the pursuit of that which is equally (if not even more) transient instead of seeking the grace of a guru and fulfilling the very purpose of taking birth.

thirucchitrambalam|