How to face death?

Death can be more beautiful than birth....

Death is a mystery because no one comes back to tell you what it is. It remains a fearful enigma. 

In the modern world, a whole lot of business has burgeoned around death, like, Life insurance, mediclaim, monstrous hospitals where the old and sick are propped up with fat hospital bills. This is sad.

Commercialization of life, has blocked invaluable information from our scriptures on how to prepare for death. All the worry, the old people's homes, the stress the children of old parents go through struggling to look after the old while supporting their own lives, can be smoothened out for both those who are going to leave their bodies and for those that live with grief and nowadays financial crisis in the wake of taking care of their old and ill.

Must we die like this?

It may seem audacious to sermonize on death or more so on how to face it. But, the Creator has been kind to leave for his creatures gems of revelation of how to prepare for death. It depends on people to follow, experience and realise its truth.

In my second reading of the Bhagwat Puran, in Section II, chapter I, page 130 ( Gita Press), I came across precisely this question asked by Raja Prakshit to sixteeen year old Shukhdev, the enlightened son of Ved Vyas. Ved Vyas wrote the Bhagwat Puran.

Raja Prakshit knew that because of the curse of sage Shringi, he will die of snake bite within 7 days, He gave his kingdom to his son, and sat on the banks of the Ganga to introspect and meditate. A galaxy of Rishis of all gotras gathered at the Ganga and finally Shukhdev and Vyas also came there.

It was then that Prakshit asked Shukhdev, how must a person prepare to face death.

I will divide the answer Shukhdev gave into two parts. The first one deals with the preparation for death. The second one deals with preparation for post death. It states what specific practice should be followed so that you can decide if you want to be re-born on earth, or choose between the many lokas ( planes of existence) like, the Mahaloka, Dev Loka or finally if you want to merge with the creator and never return.

What is written is simple to follow. All it needs is consistency and honesty of purpose.

Here is my translation of what is a Hindi translation of the original Sanskrit by Gita Press. I am writing from the heart and do not claim to be proficient in Sanskrti or Hindi. But, if this leads someone to dive into this text and discover for himself, my task is done.

Preparing to move to our next destination.

Shukdev says in answer to Parikshit's question:

"When a person is faced with the prospect of death, then he should not fear or get nervous. With the weapon of vairagya (detachment) he must cut all ties with the body and all things for which one has mamta ( belonging). With courage & forbearance leave your home and go to a thirtha ( holy) river, take bath and according to scriptural traditions set up your asana ( sitting place) in a quiet peaceful place. After that, with eyes closed, chant the eternal, pure mantra Om which is made of the three syllables, A, O, M.
Then focus on your pranavayu ( breath & vital life force), get control over it and thus get control over the mind. Do not let go on the focus on the pranavayu. Then with help of your buddhi ( intelligence) and manas (mind) detach your senses from their object and the desire for action as prompted by the senses to the mind, and just hitch your mind on the beautiful form of the Lord ( it could any form from any religion or even symbolic like candle flame). Thus with a steady intent focus your mind on any one part of the Lord, say eyes, crown, etc. Then focus on some other part, and go on this way until your chit (consciousness) is completely focussed on the Lord and there is no space for any other thought to detract the mind.
You will find you are full with the ananda (joy) of the Lord.
If at any time, there arises in you restlessness led by Rajo guna ( which is dynamic) or feel lethargy and laziness, Tamo Guna, then do not panic. With the help of Yoga dharana ( concentration) both these can be dispelled. With the help of concentration when one sees the Lord, then in that instant bhakti (devotion) springs in his heart.
Thus the end of such a person comes with full of joy, peace and there is no fear of death."

Needless to say, the practice is easier if the preparation with asana & pranayama starts at least a decade or two before the average life span. Thus the asana practice can lead you to be able to sit in a steady asana ( posture) for any length of time and  pranayama will help you disconnect with the gross breath and connect you with the life force, prana, which is the vehicle which you help you travel from this life to the next.
( More later)

Pranam to Prana......Challenging Death thro Pranayama

प्राण को प्रणाम ........Salutation to Prana
by
Kamini

 Prana is all pervading life force in every grain of sand, every drop of water....from the sub-atomic to all encompassing universe. 

We are alive because we breathe. When we stop, we die. Not so for a Yogi. How and Why? It is so because of Pranayama. Pranayama is the fourth step in Yoga leading up to the final step Samadhi (Liberation). It is also enunciated by Patanjali in his exposition of Ashtanga ( Eight steps/limbs) Yoga. The eight steps are Yama, Niyama (Moral & Social code), Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara( withdrawal of senses),  Dharana ( Concentration), Dhyana (Meditation), Samadhi.

Coming back to Pranayama. For a novice in Yoga, Pranayama is associated with breathing, that is, the whole play of getting in Oxygen and throwing out Carbon Dioxide. However, that's just breathing, not Pranayama. Which does not mean Yoga disregards breath. After all, breath is the vehicle on which Prana rides into the body. If words must be used to further define Prana, then it is simply the life force. It is the force which survives when we, our individual bodies, die. This surely does not mean that we neglect our bodies only because it is going to die some day. No! In fact, just as breath, the limited, is the vehicle for realising and harnessing the unlimited Prana, so the body is the instrument for realising the eternal Soul. So utmost care is to be taken of the body. A diseased, sick body cannot serve the purpose of Pranayama. Therefore, first the body is streamlined and made healthy with Asanas.

Furthermore, the body is meant to enjoy the Nine Rasa, Shringar (Beauty, Love), Hasya (Laughter, joy), Bibatsya (Disgust), Roudra( Anger, Outrage), Shanta( Peace, Calm) Veer (Heroic), Bhaya( Fear, Anxiety), Karuna ( Compassion, Grief), Adbhuta (Wonderment).

There is natural, spontaneous fear of anything to do with the Spirit or Soul. For many it is concomitant with withdrawal from all the offerings of creation. No!! In fact, it does not need much intelligence or imagination to understand how much more you can enjoy it all when your body is healthy, your mind is not agitated and emotions are in harmony. This is what happens when you harness Prana.

If breath is meant to keep the body alive, Prana is food for the soul. Body is limited. It's only destination from the moment it is born is to head straight for the grave. The soul never dies. So Yoga lets you use the limited body & breath to know the unlimited Soul.

The only way to know and practice this is to get a good teacher who has himself/herself experienced it all. But, only the Teacher cannot do much if your own regular practice and dedication is lacking. After all, you are challenging death itself!!

Hari Om!  हरी ॐ !