Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 10 - Chapter 1 - Verse 21


Sanskrit:

एक: प्रसूयते जन्तुरेक एव प्रलीयते ।एकोऽनुभुङ्क्ते सुकृतमेक एव च दुष्कृतम् ॥ २१ ॥

ITRANS:

ekaḥ prasūyate jantureka eva pralīyateeko ’nubhuṅkte sukṛtameka eva ca duṣkṛtam

Translation:

Every creature is born alone and dies alone, and alone one experiences the just rewards of his good and evil deeds.

Purport:

The term anubhuṅkte is significant here. Bhuṅkte means “(the living being) experiences,” and anu means “following,” or “in sequence.” In other words, we experience happiness and distress according to the moral and spiritual quality of our activities. We are responsible for what we do. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was falsely and obsessively attached to his evil-minded sons, forgetting that he alone would have to suffer for his imprudent behavior.