Some thoughts on Death and Immortality-20

[Guest guest]

SAI RAM Dear Brothers and Sisters,

(continued from submission-20)

 

At whatever age an individul may die, his blood relatives do grieve over the death of that individual. No doubt, death of any one individual in the family creates a grat void and vaccum. For many of us, death of our close relatives is inconsoleable and irreconcileable. Had there been no death at all for anybody born here let us imagine how the world would look like. I leave it to the members to imagine this for themselves. We have already seen the declaration of the Lord in the Gita,

" Jatasya Hi Dhruvo Mrityur Janma Mritasya Cha etc., " meaning " Death is an absolute certainty for the one who is born and birth is an absolute certainty for the dead. "

 

In the Mahabharata, Yudhishthira enquired from the Grandsire Bhisma as to how one can succeed in avoiding death. He enquired by which of the means viz., penances, or accompishment of the diverse actions laid down in the Vedas, or by knowledge of the Srutis, or the application of medicines can one succeed in avoiding death. The answer provided in the Mahabharata is that there is no prevention for death. It is also not true that death can not be prevented under any circumstances. " Only that man ,who, though transitory, betakes himself to the eternal path (of Nivritti or abstention from all acts) succeeds in avoiding birth and death, Destruction overtakes all creatures. All creatures seem to be ceaselessly borne along the infinite current of time. As one is swept along that current, one fails to find any friend for help and one fails to be inspired with interest for any one else. One meets with spouses and other relatives or friends only on one1s road. One had never before enjoyed this kind of companionship with any one for any length of time. Among creatures, therefore , which are all so transitory, only the soul exists eternally. Why should man, then, rejoice when creatures are born and why should he grieve when they die? Hence, without throwing aside the scriptures, one should make gifts and perform sacrifices. "

 

(to be continued)

With Loving Sai Rams,

G.Balasubramanian