On life and death: A couplet from Kalidasa

All I have been able to do is merely sample Kalidasa's works, and that too in translations and not in the Sanskrit.  It will be a lot more wonderful a world if only the poetry and observations of Kalidasa's were widely appreciated.

The following couplet is from Kalidasa's Raghuvamsha via Subhashitani... Evey time I come across a verse authored by Kalidasa, I never cease to be amazed that such a prodigal poet lived and wrote 1600 years ago.

In the few years I learnt Sanskrit, while in high school, we barely picked up a few aspects of the language.  But, I do remember well the teacher's comments praising Kalidasa's epic poems, including Raghuvamsha and Kumarasambhava. 

Here is the couplet from Raghuvamsha:

मरणं प्रकृतिः शरीरिणां विकृतिर्जीवितमुच्यते बुधैः ।
क्षणमप्यवतिष्ठते श्वसन् यदि जन्तुर्ननु लाभावानसौ ॥

- रघुवंश

Death is the natural steady state of nature. Life is an aberration. Wise men realize this.
Even if one is alive for just a second, he must consider himself in profit.

- Raghuvamsha

Yes, go ahead and celebrate the fact that you are alive. Kalidasa said so.