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The cycle of birth, life and death goes on. What is born has to die. Both birth and death are not in our hands at all. As Saigal sang in good old days . . .
(Readers are requested to listen to excellent rendering of this ghazal by K. L. Saigal)
Both birth and death are not in our hands. But having been born, it is better to do something in our lives, instead of wasting it and lamenting when our end comes that I have not done anything worthwhile in my life. Bhagvad Gita says . . .
Even if Gita says that rebirth is always there, we cannot postpone living, hoping to catch up with life in the next birth. We have to consider that we are not playing the first inning of a test match, where a second inning is possible, but are playing an ODI knowing that there is no second inning and overs too are limited.
The basic question is: ‘how must one live’? Should we follow the policy of ‘eat, drink and be merry’? That would not have been the purpose of life. The scriptures tell us that to be born as a human being is very fortuitous — a rare happening and one cannot waste this priceless gift of God.
“You don’t get to choose how you are going to die, You can only decide how you are going to live” — Joan Baez
Oddly many times one finds the right answer, of all the things, in film songs! One remembers the song written by Sahir Ludhianvi and sung by Mukesh.
We must live a life that brings true happiness to us and all around us. In this journey, we will meet several cotravellers who need our help. Helping does not necessarily have to be in terms of money. One only needs richness of the heart. As we go along, we must wipe the tears of those who are suffering and bring back happiness in their lives. Even a smile can make someone’s day. Let us lead a life whereby, people will remember when we are no more. The objective of living should be:
I recollect the words found in the diary of a young girl who died in a house collapse in an earthquake.
“Life is short
Make it sweet
Keep not all the flowers
For the grave”
Many times attachment to our family members holds us back from serving others. One remembers the lines sung by Mukesh in that unforgettable duet he sung with Sudha Malhotra.
We have to remember that a good life is one that is used in serving others. True happiness comes from selfless service. Therefore, lead a life, so that when death comes there are no regrets, as we have lived a life of service with a smile.
This is a small poem written in the last letter of Ensign Heiichi Okabe, a Japanese Kamikaze (Suicide Bomber) pilot to his family before he left for his last suicide bombing flight to crash his bomb, laden plane on an American battleship in the last stages of the second World War:
“Like cherry blossoms
In the springs
Let us fall
Clean and radiant”
Let us then learn to live and die like a cherry blossom flower.
