I kinda very much like the conversation that took place between Yudishtra (the eldest pandava prince) and a Yaksha (wizard).
Yaksha : What is the most interesting mystery in this world ?
Yudhistra : Even though there are nine doors (or passages) in a human body through which God who is the form of Aatman can easily pass out any time, he chooses to wait till the appropriate time comes. This is an interesting mystery to me.
Yaksha : What is the greatest mystery in this world ?
Yudhistra : Although many people are dying everyday, most of us don't realize or think about our death. Isn't the hope that we'll be living, the greatest mystery of all things ?
Can we constantly think about death and still be happy ? I think affirmative.
Yaksha : What is the most interesting mystery in this world ?
Yudhistra : Even though there are nine doors (or passages) in a human body through which God who is the form of Aatman can easily pass out any time, he chooses to wait till the appropriate time comes. This is an interesting mystery to me.
Yaksha : What is the greatest mystery in this world ?
Yudhistra : Although many people are dying everyday, most of us don't realize or think about our death. Isn't the hope that we'll be living, the greatest mystery of all things ?
Can we constantly think about death and still be happy ? I think affirmative.
14 comments:
Dear Srini..
i would rather try and remain un-moved to hapiness /distress (death) instead of being happy/sad..:)
Second your affirmation kasthuri. Thought of mortality is one more factor that keeps one humble
Thiruneer and Thirumann have significance in reminding ppl that it is just a matter of time before u are burnt or buried. :)
To be unmoved by death one is to be unmoved by life. I am not sure that would be a particularly enjoyable state of affairs. One becomes like an artist for whom all life is material and he has a spectator's interest.
I am not able to affirmatively say that would be an altogether enjoyable state of affairs :-)
death gives me the jitters!. So I would rather not think about it..
super post
this also got a relevance to my latest quick tale.
paavai couldnt agree with you more on that.
good one kasthuri - I constantly think of death..I think this thought makes me go more spiritual in my efforts..very good one..
dear Kasthuri:
death is not a fearsome thing..It is a fact. I have witnessed this fact several times in my life. each experience has conviced me of the fact that one's mortal existence is to be done without attaching too much importance to things.
Krishna,
you are now speaking of a state which does not come upon trying. If you try such things you will run the risk of incurring severe psychological problems.It is out of concern I say this.
Bhakti is a better way than detached contemlation on the grounds that it has no risk of precipitating any problems.
Kasthuri, my post will be out today.
I request you to see whether the thesis presented holds water.
SARVAM SRIKRISHNAARPANAMASTHU!
Actually we are dying every moment when we breathe out. Every moment millions of cells are dying and millions are born. Every seven years once, all the cells of the body are replaced totally. We are still happy, aren't we?
@ anand
i was blatantly ignorant when i said that..Thanks 4 the eye-opener.:)..maaya took over me..:(
DEAR KASTHURI,
no mail, no comments
are you okay? just concerned..
SARVAM SRIKRISHNAARPANAMASTHU!
Hello Kasthuri,
My name is Ramasubramaniam(Ram in short) and Iam currently doing my MBA at IIM Ahmedabad...Your blog is amazing in the learning it offers...
I don't know where to start as Iam afraid that I can't add anything to discussions of such high quality...
However nothing attempted, nothing gained...please accept my humble apologies if I have written anything immature...
I dont think that one can constantly think of death and be happy...
The fear of death is closely related to the unfulfilled desires of the current birth... the fear of going through the entire process of birth, growing up and getting into troubles, confusions which come with life...to achieve those desires...
If one thinks about death as the loss of current possessions such as wealth, fame, position etc. then one would not be happy...as it then kind of puts the unfulfilled desires on hold till the next rebirth...
If one has no desires still unfulfilled...then there would be no rebirth...only then can a person think about death and feel happy..It would be a sort of liberation...I dont know how easy it is to lead such a life...
Also I think death in this passage also hints at the loss of powers one currently possesses and how man does not realize that as he grows older he cannot do certain things which he could do earlier...and how he does not learn this truth...and tries to do those things..again and again ..
Thanks for your time...
Ram
My email id is sramasub1@rediffmail.com. I have certain questions on how to take my learnings on religious scriptures forward..would be kind enough to give me your email id..Thanks again
Another dimension is that I feel that if rebirth as a concept is true, then shedding of the physical body is just another step...
Kasthuri: A very interesting post. I come here daily, read the same post and leave without posting any comments. Highly thought provoking, but I think there are more aspects ( I couldn't quite point out what they were till I read Ram's comment ).
Ram: Like you stated, I come here only to learn, but your comments I feel were very valid and provide a different perspective.
I have thought about death many many times. Have imagined the death of my very dear ones to my own self. I can do it with ease, but I have not been left completely unmoved. There is some unrest that still exists (again not completely sure what), and I guess it is because I am not "there" yet or liberated completely to do so with that kind of an ease. Likewise for most people also I believe. Shall wait for that :)
@ krishna : Feat of true yogis...mmm.
@ paavai : Also brave I guess.
@ tj : Nice point there tj.
@ msp : But don't u think people who put their body on the line (soldiers) embrace death ?
@ tt_giant : :-)
@ ganesh : Cool post that was.
@ arjuna : Rightly said. I guess that one of the best ways to turn spiritual.
@ anand: Concur to u'r view. We have that experienced several times.
@ swahilya : Nice point. I remember reading this somewhere. We are in a constant state of evolution.
@ ram : Nice to know about you Ram. Welcome to the blog and thank you so much for leaving encouraging comments. I could really appreciate your humble nature, but no apologies are needed. Infact, I think I have to learn a lot from you. What you have stated is very intersesting and gives a different perspective altogether. I should thank you for your time. I'll e-mail you to your address asap. Please do enlighten us by giving such nice comments.
@ ranj : Thanks for the valuable comments. I guess one needs to be a liberated soul to take death as an easy affair. While one can be brave enough to accecpt his/her death (like soldiers do), accepting the death of near ones requires a very balanced mind.
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