During the journey of my life, I have witnessed many a times, that once we enter the premises of crematorium or Mukti Dham or Shamshaan (in Hindi), we are instantly engulfed by the eternal truth or eternal reality sans Maya or illusion,
What is that reality called death? The reality or truth from which each of us keeps running away and ignoring that it is not going to happen to us. But the truth is- one day or another, each one of us will merge with the eternity. It’s like we are traveling in a train. Some passenger will exit before us, some after us and some with us, but none will step out of the train at the same time. We know we have to disembark at some point of time in our journey of life, yet we keep planning ahead and ahead,
Coming back to what I intended to share- the crematorium. The premise in itself is beautiful in its own way- pyre burning, bodies being dissolved to Panch Maha Bhoota or dust to dust and ashes to ashes,
The people who participate in the funeral, as soon as they enter, they realize, and share such posts –“ SV, this is life, and this is the eternal truth. One day we all have to arrive here.”
“Whatever is written here on the walls is divine Satya or truth”
Some politely message their friends "will call you later I am at the funeral" or don’t pick any call. While some use even this moment for their benefit, to take a break from the world because they are in chaos,
We never realize what we are trying to do. Anyways, moving ahead, once the ritual is over, and as soon as we step out of the premise, we are again back to our daily routine- calling people, sharing laughs, feeling happy, meetings, dates etc. Life resumes as if nothing happened, isn't it?
We forget immediately where we were few seconds earlier when we were realizing the essence of life. Now again, back to zero- planning, gaming and doing everything for our own self.
The moments we spend with reality within the funeral premise is Shamshaan vairagya, connecting with the divine truth, and stepping out into the reality is connecting with the self,
If this Vairagya continues for life, then detachment happens and devotion to self from self changes to devotion to world and sharing self with the world,
Upon death, we are no longer Mr. John or Mrs. John. We are just bodies once the soul leaves. The most focused task for the people gathered when one expires is to take the body for funeral because keeping the body for long is not advisable and also leads to increase in waves of emotions and sorrow and lamentation of the vacuum created,
But on the whole, are we so stoned or engulfed in our own world that we do not realize the truth of existence and we do not realize the moment in which we are standing? For us, everything has become formal task instead of being devoted and sharing real prayers, and I mean real prayers, and not just prayers. Remember, we are not here just to heal self but to heal others too,
I know life continues and life will never stop. But, we can be considerate enough at this poignant juncture of funeral by shutting off our gadgets. This can be the biggest respect to the one who is departing. Nothing will change if the mobiles are off for one hour or so. This world will be the same even if you step out of the train aka journey of life. Think it over...
Stay blessed,
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