jīvitaṠmaraṇaṠjantor
gatiḥ svenaiva karmaṇÄ
rÄjaá¹s tato 'nyo nÄsty asya
pradÄtÄ sukha-duḥkhayoḥ
jÄ«vitam - the living; maraṇam - the dying; jantoḥ - of a living being; gatiḥ - the destination in his next life; svena - by his own; eva - only; karmaá¹‡Ä - work; rÄjan - O King; tataḥ - than that; anyaḥ - another; na asti - there is not; asya - for him; pradÄtÄ - bestower; sukha-duḥkhayoḥ - of happiness and distress.
The life and death of an embodied soul and his destination in the next life are all caused by himself through his own activity. Therefore, O King, no other agent is actually responsible for creating one’s happiness and distress.
Although King Parīkṣit apparently died by the bite of Takṣaka, it was Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself who brought the King back to the kingdom of God. Bṛhaspati wanted young King Janamejaya to see things from the spiritual point of view.
