On Death
PONDERINGS
Life is like a gentle deer, running through an unknown forest, closely followed by a ferocious and hungry lion called Death.
Life can be compared to a gentle deer gracefully navigating through the dense, uncharted woods of existence. Each day presents its own unique paths, filled with fleeting moments of beauty and tranquility. However, lurking just beyond the thickets is the ever-close presence of a ferocious and hungry lion named Death, relentlessly pursuing the deer. This dynamic between the delicate beauty of life and the inevitable reality of mortality creates a profound tension, encouraging us to cherish every heartbeat and savor the fleeting joys along our journey. As we sprint through this mysterious forest, it serves as a reminder to embrace life’s fragility, finding strength and meaning even as we remain aware of the lion's shadow in pursuit. In this dance of life and death, we discover the true essence of our existence.
Death, in Hindu philosophy, is believed to be a liberation from suffering. Yet, those left behind, relatives and friends want to hold on to the corporeal form—the familiar vessel that once housed a loved one. But death is the ultimate truth, an undeniable certainty. The moment of our birth also decides the moment of our demise and from that day onwards we hurtle uncontrollably towards that inky black chasm, unstoppable and inevitable. Are we truly awake in life, or is the true awakening reserved for the moment we would shed this mortal shell, nobody knows!
To try and control things we cannot is the root cause of suffering.
To identify and accept the events/things we cannot control, what is beyond our power, is the first step towards inner peace. Identification of the uncontrollable is a tricky part, a delicate balance—misidentifying the uncontrollable could lead to complacency, stripping life of effort and ambition. It should not be that we did not try hard enough and if we did then we should not have any guilt. This is where the law of Karma finds its place. We must strive, for in striving, we eliminate regret; in giving our best, we free ourselves from guilt.
Guilt is another form of suffering
Human mind is so powerful that it keeps arguing with itself, justifying everything or trying to justify everything, relentless debater, ever rationalizing, twisting fate to fit its narrative.
When a supposedly bad person dies, we say – "It was his deeds that led him here."
When a supposedly good person dies, we console – "It was the result of his past-life karma."
Yet, no moment ever feels like the right moment to part, forever. We grasp we plead, we hope. We want to keep on holding, hoping.
However, to accept is the simplest form of moving on, but acknowledging our limitations, helplessness, insignificance is more painful than the death itself. It demands an unbearable price-the recognition of our own fleeting insignificance.
The best demise is the one without suffering, but in our ignorant love and emotional attachment, we sometimes deny our loved ones that peace. We keep holding them with fragile threads, prolonging their pain in our refusal to let go. True love, perhaps, is in knowing when to release, when to allow the soul its rightful passage.
Learn to let go.