This writing is inspired by the article, “O death, You must
listen”, by C.A. Ashok Dhere, in the Namaskaar column of BCAJ, March, 2009.
We, who are all born, are certain to die, one day or the
other. It is the only certainty in life. So why be afraid of death ? From a
statistician’s point of view, it is a 100 % probable event. Only the day, date,
time and the mode of happening of this event is not certain or at least not
accurately predictable to any ordinary human being (Astrological prediction
apart). And this human ignorance of the actual day, date of our death is on
purpose, as intended by our Divine Father. If I knew the exact date and mode of
my death, I would be restless all my life. Each day would be an agony, counting
backwards 10, 9, 8, . . . . . 2, 1.
Shakespeare has written “Death, Be not Proud !” Even if I die
one day, as all mortals do, I shall be immortal through my writings. And what a
true way to be victorious over Death. A man is known after he has left this
world, not through his body, but by his work and attainments.
We all dread ‘death’ because of our constant
body-consciousness. We identify ourselves with the body and role that we are
playing in this world Drama. We erroneously think and feel that we are a
physical body with a spirit (energy) within. We are educated that when the
spirit (soul energy) is with the body, we are living beings, and when the energy
leaves the body, we die. But actually, we are all immortal, divine, spiritual
beings (software), with physical bodies (hardware), for manifestation and
experience through the senses.
This ‘SHIFT’ in our understanding from ‘Body-Consciousness’
to ‘Soul-Consciousness’ makes us all brave and truly learned to face Death, as
and when it comes.
After all, what is death ? It is only a change in dress and
address of the spirit — energy. In this life, we wore a particular
(male/female), unique dress to facilitate us to perform our tasks, in a
particular geographical location. After death, we just change our physical robe
and walk into another physical garment, with some other family of soul-friends.
So, why worry ? We are all immortal souls. Even so-called ‘death’ cannot do us
apart. This is the true teaching of Bhagwad Geeta.
Death is just like walking through a door from one room to
another. Death is actually the beginning of a new Life. Death opens up new
opportunities for newer lessons to be learned and for newer experiences, by
mind-consciousness.
It is only because of our limited perception of ‘one body one
life’, that we rejoice at the occasion of birth and weep at the event of death.
Spring or summer follows autumn or winter, to be again followed by the cycle of
spring and autumn. Similarly, death follows life, to be again followed by life
hereafter . . . . till eternity.
