अहन्यहनि भूतानि गच्छन्तीह यमालयम् ।
शेषाः स्थावरमिच्छन्ति किमाश्चर्यमतःपरम् ॥
ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam |
śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti kim āścaryam ataḥ param ||
(Mahābhārata: Vana-parva, 313.116)
“Day by day, living beings here [i.e., in this world of saṁsāra] go to the abode of Yama [i.e., they die]. Those who remain [living, however,] seek permanence [i.e., they hope for, expect, and pursue a permanent life within their so evidently impermanent surroundings]. What is more astonishing than this?”
Alternate version
ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchanti yama-mandiram |
śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti kim āścaryam ataḥ param ||