1. Worldly life is itself the root of sorrow. It inflicts misery like the sting of a scorpion. Previously I told you about the suffering in the womb.
2. The suffering that occurred in the womb is soon forgotten by the child, and the child begins growing day by day.
3. During childhood the skin is delicate and upon feeling pain the child suffers, but at that time it cannot speak to tell anyone about either its happiness or sorrow.
4. If there is any suffering felt in the body, or when feeling hunger, the child cries, but no one can know what goes on inside its mind.
5. The mother caresses him all over his body, but his suffering is on the inside. The mother cannot know from the inside what suffering is occurring for the child.
6. Again and again the child sobs and cries. The mother takes it in her arms to try to pacify it, but she does not know the agony the poor little one is suffering in its life.
7. Many ailments come upon the child and it gets agitated with its suffering. It cries when it falls or gets burned.
8. The child cannot protect its body, and many injuries happen to it. Sometimes, being mischievous, the child may lose a limb.
9. If accidents and mishaps are avoided and the child escapes death, day by day it begins to recognize its mother.
10. If it so happens that if for even a moment the child does not see its mother, it cries and screams with grief. At that time it is as if nothing else exists for it except its mother.
11. With hope the child keeps waiting and looking for her. The child cannot bear to be separate from its mother even for a moment, after having remembered her.
12. Even if Brahma and other gods were to come, or the child would have the blessing of seeing the Goddess Lakshmi, still, no words can console it without its mother.
13. Even if she is ugly, or less fortunate, or more useless than everyone else, still, nobody on earth can be a substitute for her.
14. Like this, the child is pitiable. Without its mother it seems to be lacking something. Even if she pushes it away in anger, it still screams and clings to her.
15. The child gets happiness being with its mother. When she does get away, the child suffers. Because of excessive love at that time, the child gets attached to its mother.
16. Then, if death comes to the mother and the child becomes an orphan, it begins to suffer crying "Mother! Mother!"
17. The child looks for its mother, but can’t find her. In a sorry pitiable state it begins to look towards other people while the mind clings to hope, thinking that the mother will come.
18. Thinking another woman's face to be its mother's, the child then sees that she is not its mother, and becomes very disappointed and disheartened.
19. Being separated from its mother the child becomes miserable. It suffers in the mind and becomes weak in the body as well.
20. Or, it may happen that the mother survives, and the mother and child are reunited again, and the young child's childhood continues day by day.
21. Soon childhood passes, and day by day the child grows wiser, and the craving for its mother's affection is left behind.
22. Later on, the child develops an interest in playing games. He gathers together with a group of boys, and wining or losing the games makes him feel happy or sad.
23. The parents teach the child with great affection, and they feel great sorrow when he forms the habit of keeping the company of his friends and does not want to leave them.
24. While playing among the other children he does not remember his mother and father. However, he unexpectedly meets with sorrow there as well.
25. The teeth get knocked out, an eye is damaged, or he breaks a leg and becomes lame. His enthusiasm is now gone, and bad times begin to set in.
26. He gets infected with small-pox and measles. He gets headaches, fevers, and always has stomachaches and problems with intestinal gases.
27. He gets attacked by ghosts, takes a beating from water spirits, spirits of the dead, and a host of other malevolent spirits and demigods.
28. A fierce phantom holds him, or a ghost of a brahmin enters within him and he doesn't know whether or not he has been cursed by a sorcerer. He cannot understand anything about his troubles.
29. Some say that all of his misfortune is the work of one god, and others say it is the work of another god, and some say that it is all the work of a ghost of a priest.
30. Some say that some entity has entered the body and that is the cause, and others say that something must have gone wrong when performing the rituals at the time of birth.
31. Some say that all of this suffering is because of past actions. Many diseases appear in the body and eventually good doctors and even exorcists are asked to come.
32. Some say he will not live, others say he is not dying. Still others say that all of this trouble is the pain and suffering resulting from past deeds.
33. He has forgotten the pain of being in the womb, but he gets burned by the three types of tortures13, and experiences much grief coming from his family.
34. If he escapes all of this trouble and survives, his parents still beat him to make him learn and study. He eventually becomes respected in society and upholds his family name.
35. Afterwards, out of greed, his parents hastily plan to arrange his marriage. They put on an outward show of prosperity so they can select a girl from a wealthy family.
36. Upon seeing the great wealth that is evident at the wedding party, the young man feels great happiness, and his mind becomes enamoured with his in-law's home.
37. Staying in his parent’s house he was unconcerned about his prosperity, but when he goes to the in-law's house he must always be wearing nice clothes, and if he has no money he even takes out a loan with interest.
38. He becomes involved at his in-law's house while his own parents remain in a pitiable condition. He feels that they have completed their duty towards him.
39. Having come home with his bride, he feels very enthusiastic in his love for her. He says, "Surely there is no one else as lucky as me!"
40. If his wife is not with him he does not even feel happy to see his parents or brothers and sisters. He becomes very heavily influenced by many wrong types of behavior and he is easily deceived by ignorance.
41. Before having a sexual life with her, he was very much in love with her, and then when she comes of age to engage in sex14, he exceeds all limits of indulgence. He develops such a love for sex that he becomes entangled in lust.
42. If he does not see his wife even for a moment, he becomes anxious. His beloved one has taken away his inner peace of mind.
43. He is enticed by hearing her tender sweet words and by seeing the modesty on her blushing face. Her speech and eyes are a great source of distraction.
44. He cannot control his yearning for her. His body is helpless and out of control. He cannot concentrate on anything else because of the longing that he feels.
45. Even while doing his work elsewhere his mind clings to thoughts of her at home. Every moment he is remembering his wife in his mind.
46. By saying with extreme sweetness, "You are the life of my life", she becomes the focus all of his thoughts.
47. When he comes near to the end of life, it is as if his whole life has been spent associating with thugs who are ready for his life to end, so they can take all of his possessions.
48. Being very much in love with his wife, if anyone scolds her, he feels extremely insulted in his mind.
49. Defending his wife, he makes insulting remarks to his mother and father. He speaks to them with hatred and separates himself from them.
50. For this woman he loses his dignity, he gives up his friendships, and his relationships with his family members get spoiled.
51. For a woman, he sells his body into a life of servitude, and gives up his power of proper discrimination.
52. Because of the woman he becomes addicted to pleasures, and he becomes submissive and dependent.
53. Because of the woman he becomes greedy, he gives up his virtue, he is deprived of going on pilgrimages to holy places, and he gives up his own Self nature.
54. Because of the woman he never gives thought as to what is good or bad. In his sincere commitment to her, he gave her his body, mind, and all of his wealth.
55. Because of the woman, he gave up the spiritual life, he neglected his own best self-interest, became disinterested in God, and developed a lustful intellect.
56. Because of the woman, he gave up devotion, he gave up detachment, and he considered liberation unimportant.
57. Because of one woman he considered himself to be greater than the whole universe, and he came to feel like those who were dear to him were enemies.
58. He had such a heartfelt love for his wife that he gave up everything because of her. Then, suddenly, his wife passed away.
59. Because of her death, his mental grief gets greatly increased. He says "Such a great tragedy has happened. Now my family life is destroyed."
60. He had left the company of his friends, and now there is a sudden collapse of his household. In his grief he says, "Now I will be finished with Illusion."
61. Laying the woman's body down, he beats his chest and abdomen in agony. Giving up all shame, he carries on praising her in front of other people.
62. He proclaims, "Now that my household is destroyed, I don’t want to have a family life." He cries profusely in a loud voice filled with grief.
63. Due to his loss he becomes confused, and gets fed up with everything. Due to his grief, he decides to become an ascetic or some great spiritual being (Mahatma).
64. However, he does not actually go in that direction. Instead he goes on to get married again, and his mind becomes very engrossed in his second marriage.
65. As a result of his second marriage, he once again considers himself joyful. The listeners should continue to remain alert to what is said in the next sub-chapter.