How do you know death is near for a person as per scriptures? Is there any reference?

Question

I have seen an old man suffering for long where as healthy young man died. So is there any mention in scriptures or any indication of a man dying? I have googled around and found few answers which contradict any scripture. Where can I refer?

Answer 1

Some signs, which foretell that death is nearing, are given in this Linga PurAna chapter:

Suta Maha Muni indicated certain premonitions of untoward tidings and of death when human beings ought to intensify virtuous deeds as the last breathing might arrive. The visions of Arundhati, Dhruva and the Celestial routes would mean that a person concerned might not last more than a year. Vision of Surya without rays and Agni with rays might indicate an eleven month end ahead; Mutra and Pureesha as gold and silver indicates that the end might approach within ten months; seeing a Golden Tree, or visit of a Gandharva Nagari or visions of Preta-Piscachas might allow a further life of nine months more; dream of a very huge monster or a skeletal figure could forewarn an eight month ahead; image of dust storm or muddy rain could indicate the end within seven months; a dream of a crow, or a kite or dove or any other meat-eating bird on a person’s head might presume death within six months; Straight lined crows flying on the sky could indicate death within the next four five months; thunders on a cloudless and clear sky or rainbow seen in a water body or a distorted image of one’s own self that the end might be within a couple of months; death is stated to be destined within a month when the person concerned would vision the self without head; an experience of the smell of a dead body or of unbearably rotten food could imagine that death might be withi some twenty five days; monkey dance while riding a chariot towards South might sign-post already; a black robed woman leading a person towards South, vision of a headless body , a naked Sanyasi dancing, red face and yellow cheeks are signs of death.

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The following part is added by user Tamas. So, credit goes to him.

On connecting on shadow also one can predict according to Swara yoga. See the pic.

Answer 2

Some signs, which foretell that death is nearing, are given in

• 43rd chapter of Markandeya Purana (Sanskrit shlokas and Hindi Translation)
• 19th chapter of Vayu Purana (Sanskrit shlokas and Hindi Translation)

The English Translation is given

• Vayu Purana unabridged English translation
• Markandeya Purana abridged English translation
• Vayu Purana abridged English translation

Vayu Purana - CHAPTER NINETEEN : Evil Omen Foreboding Death

Vayu said:

1. Henceforth I shall explain the evil omens. Know that by seeing them one can foresee one's death.

2. He who cannot see the Arundhati star, the Pole star, the shadow of the moon and the Mahdipatha does not survive a year thereafter.

3. He who sees the sun bereft of rays and the fire with rays (radiating from it) will not survive the eleventh month.

4. He who vomits urine, cow-dung, gold or silver either while awake or in dream, will not survive ten months.

5. He whose feet crack either in front or at the back, or become dusty or marshy, lives only for seven months.

6. If a crow, a dove, a vulture or any other bird of prey settles on his head, he does not survive six months.

7. He who is obstructed by rows of crows or by a dust storm, lives only for four or five months.

8. He who sees lightning without clouds, in the southern direction, or water or the rainbow (without the existence of clouds) lives only for two or three months.

9. He who does not see his reflection either in water or in a mirror or who sees his reflection without the head does not survive a month.

10. If the body smells like a corpse or like burning fat, death is imminent. He lives only for a fortnight.

11. If a biting wind seems to pierce the vulnerable points of one's body or if no sensation is experienced after touching water, death is imminent for him.

12. If he dreams that he is singing and proceeding to the south on a chariot to which bears and monkeys are yoked, it shall be known as a sign of imminent death.

13. If he dreams that he is being led to southern direction by a dark singing woman wearing black garment, he does not survive long.

14. If he dreams that he wears black rags or that his ear is broken, it shall be known as a sign of imminent death.

15. If he dreams that he is immersed in a marshy sea upto the head, he does not survive long after seeing the dream.

16. He who sees (in dream) ashes, burning coals, hair, dry river and serpents will not survive ten nights.

17. If he dreams that he is being beaten by hideous dark skinned men with weapons and stones in their hands, he dies soon.

18. If a howling vixen rushes directly at him early in the morning at sunrise, his death is imminent.

19. If he feels acute pain in the chest and morbid senstitiveness in the teeth immediately after taking bath, his death is immiment.

20. If he gasps for breath during night or day and is unable to discern the smell of a oil lamp, know that his death is imminent.

21. If he were to see the rain-bow at night and the cluster of stars during the day, and if he is unable to see his reflection in others' eyes, he does not live long.

22. He, one of whose eyes begins to water, whose ears are dislodged from their places and whose nose becomes crooked (and curved) should be known as approaching death.

23. Death is imminent to him whose tongue is black and rough and whose face appears muddy and whose cheeks are ruddy and flattened.

24. A man who (in dream) goes to the southern direction with hair dishevelled, laughing, singing and dancing, meets with the imminent end of life.

25. He who perspires frequently, the sweatdrops being like white mustard seeds, dies very soon.

26. He who in dream, goes to the south in a chariot to which camels or donkeys are yoked does not live long.'

27. These are two extermely ill omens, viz. he does not hear loud noise with his ears and does not see bright light with his eyes.

28. If he sees in dream that he has fallen in a ditch and that there is no door to escape through and that he is unable to stand up from the ditch, that marks the end of his life.

29. One is definitely in difficult situation if the eye moves upward without steadiness, becomes red and begins to whirl round, if the mouth becomes hot, if the umbilicus is porous and the urine is very hot.

30. If a man is directly hit during the day or night and sees the attacking man (in dream), the man so hit does not live long.

31. If a man dreams that he is entering fire but does not remember the details after waking up, that marks the end of his life.

32. Death is imminent to the man who sees his white covering cloth as red or black in dream.

The effects of these symptoms can be minimized:

33. A wise man should eschew fear and dejection when death approaches him as indicated by the ill omens. He should then start from his house and walk to the east or to the north.

34. With a pure mind he should sit in a level spot isolated and devoid of crowds. He should perform Acamana and sit facing north or east.

35. He should sit in the Stastika posture. After bowing down to Lord Siva he should keep his body, head and neck straight.

36. His posture is comparable to a lamp in a windless place where it is steady (not flickering)'. He should practise Yoga in a spot sloping to the east or north.

37. He shall perform Dhirand in the vital breath, eyes, skin, ears, mind, intellect and chest. He shall take particular delight in keeping Dhdragd in the vital breath.

38. After realizing the advent of death and the groups (of ill omens) he shall perform Yoga-Dharanás in the parts of the bodies twelve times.

39. He shall perform hundred or hundred and eight Dharands on the head. Without Dharanás in the Yoga, the breath does not function properly (goes anywhere).

40. Then with a purity of mind, he should fill the body with Omkara. Thus full of Omkara, he does not perish. He becomes imperishable.