One saint gave out his blessings to different people.
He met the boy prince first. He told him: “Raja Putra, my dear prince, Charanjiva - never die, live forever.”
Then he saw one brahmacharya, a disciple of Du, and said to him: “Ma Jiva Muni Putraka - you are a disciple of a holy man - do not live, die now.”
The next person he met was a saint and he gave him a blessing: “Jiva Va Mara Va Sadho. Sadhu means saint—you can live or die as you please.”
And he also met the butcher and told him: “Ma Jiva Ma Mara, or - you don’t live and don’t die.”
What do these blessings mean?
The prince received blessings to live forever, since his happiness of living in luxury will continue only in this life. His next life will be terrible.
As for the brahmacharya, the son of Muni, he performs austerities, fasts and lives a simple life, not very comfortable or pleasant. The sage told him - die, because thanks to his piety he has exalted himself, and if he dies, he will immediately go to Vaikuntha. Therefore, the sooner he dies, the better.
He told the Vaishnava saint - whether you live or not, everything is one. You are serving Krsna in this life, and when you die you will be serving Krsna directly.
As for the butcher, don’t live or die; you live in such disgusting conditions, you kill every day, it’s just an unbearable life, but if you die, you’ll go to the darkest regions of hell. So whether you live or die, everything is terrible for you. Don't live and don't die.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru