A collection of teachings from Kularnava Tantra.
Like a tigress, old age waits with open mouth to swallow the jiva. As water continually exudes from a broken vessel, so is the period of life constantly being shortened. Diseases constantly inflict wounds like enemies laying siege to a fortress. Hence one should, as early as possible, engage in the working of good to oneself and satguru.
Good work should be done in times when there is no sorrow or
danger, and when the senses are not disabled. The utmost period of one’s life
is a hundred years. Half of it is passed in sleep, and the remaining half is
made useless by childhood, disease, old age, sorrow and other causes. Utterly
indifferent to the spiritual work which ought to be begun by all means,
sleeping during the time he should be awake, and imagining danger when he
should have firm faith—alas!
How can such a jiva, cherishing the fleeting samsara so dear
to him, live without fear in this body which is as evanescent as a bubble of
water, enduring no longer than the stay of a bird on the branch of a tree?
He seeks benefit from things which do him injury, thinks the
impermanent to be permanent, sees the highest good in that which is evil, and
yet he does not see that death is coming upon him.
Deluded by the great maya, the jiva looks and yet sees not, reads and yet knows not. The whole of this world is at each moment sinking into the deep sea of time infested with the great alligators of death and disease. We speak of “my son,” “my wife,” “my wealth” and “my friend,” but even as we indulge in such senseless talk, death seizes the body like a tiger. Therefore, jivas awakened to the path should be prompt in doing with all their heart such things as are calculated to benefit their satguru and themselves in this world and hereafter.