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Tuesday, December 6, 2016

17.2. The End - Death: In Light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Continued From:
The basic question asked by an individual whether I will go to Hell or Heaven. There is an effort to justify that no wrong has been done and heaven is surely deserved. Well, all living beings are fallible and every moment sin is committed by every individual. We are unaware since we don’t want to accept any moment. That’s why perhaps ‘The One’ has created ‘Death’. The acceptance comes when there is fear. ‘The One’ cannot be comprehended just like that but ‘Death’ by all. Hence, mortals fear ‘Death’ more than ‘The One’. That is 'irony' associated with ‘Living Beings’ and that is their plight.
The purpose of ‘Death’ is neither to end the life nor inculcate fear in minds of living beings. But it is meant to let mortals know their actions cannot go rewarded or punished. Realized souls say, the verdict of an individual’s life long actions is delivered near his ‘End’. He does not want to die, maybe to rectify his actions or maybe he does not want to bear the pains of his actions, but no one can change the law of nature. Unfortunately, the individual does not have enough time to amend his actions; he cannot change the course of events and cannot go back in time to alter his actions to revert back the outcomes. For such people the ‘Messengers of Death’ seem merciless, with only purpose of decimating living existence. This has been resulted in depiction of death as most cruel happening in life. This opens up the following questions so far:
·         Can ‘Death’ be avoided?
·         Who all are under its grip?
·         Why cannot mortals escape it?
·         What exactly its nature?
·         Why it scares mortals?
We will pursue these questions one by one in light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji says following:
ਅਫਰਿਉ ਕਾਲੁ ਕੂੜੁ ਸਿਰਿ ਮਾਰੈ [1]
अफरिउ कालु कूड़ु सिरि मारै ॥५॥
(Death is inevitable; it strikes the heads of the false.)
Guruji has made it clear, ‘Death’ is inevitable. So no matter what an individual does he cannot escpace death or avoids it. Guruji gives clear cut message in following words:
ਜੇ ਜਰਵਾਣਾ ਪਰਹਰੈ ਜਰੁ ਵੇਸ ਕਰੇਦੀ ਆਈਐ [2]
जे जरवाणा परहरै जरु वेस करेदी आईऐ
(Even if you remove the signs of old age, old age shall still come in the guise of death.)
ਰੂਪੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਸੋਹਣੀਐ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਬਧੀ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਾਰੋ [3]
रूपु जाणै सोहणीऐ हुकमि बधी सिरि कारो
(No one cares for your beauty, O beautiful bride; the Messenger of Death is bound only by the Lord Commander's Command.)
An individual can hide his old age from the world but he cannot escape from ‘Death’. He cannot fool ‘Death’; he cannot cheat ‘Death’. Even young people cannot escape it. The example of bride in above words by Guruji signifies youth and beauty. Guruji also hints that ‘Death’ is only bounded by ‘The Command of the One- The Lord’. So does it mean, no matter what is the social status of an indiviaul, he will fall prey to ‘Death’? This question is result of the words uttered by Guruji and every one does understand somewhere that ‘no human is above will of HIS and no human can overwrite HIS command’. This question is answered by Kabeer ji in following words:
ਰਾਜਾ ਪਰਜਾ ਸਮ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਰੈ ਐਸੋ ਕਾਲੁ ਬਡਾਨੀ ਰੇ [4]
राजा परजा सम करि मारै ऐसो कालु बडानी रे ॥२॥
(The king and his subjects are equally killed; such is the power of Death.)
Kings rules the masses, coin their will on them. But even they cannot escape death. Kabeer Ji further says:
ਤੰਤ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਸਭ ਅਉਖਧ ਜਾਨਹਿ ਅੰਤਿ ਤਊ ਮਰਨਾ [5]
तंत मंत्र सभ अउखध जानहि अंति तऊ मरना ॥२॥
(Those who know Tantras and mantras and all medicines - even they shall die in the end.)
Even if an individual become master of tantra and mantra or medicines still they cannot escape death. Kabeer Ji continues with volleys of ‘hard hitting words’, with purpose of awakening the consciousness before it is too late, on ‘Death’. He says:
ਪਾਨ ਕਪੂਰ ਸੁਬਾਸਕ ਚੰਦਨ ਅੰਤਿ ਤਊ ਮਰਨਾ [6]
पान कपूर सुबासक चंदन अंति तऊ मरना ॥३॥
(Betel nuts, camphor and fragrant sandalwood oil - in the end, they too shall die.)
All the actions to keep human body smell good cannot save any individual from ‘Death’. Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji says even Gods, Angels and Demons cannot escape ‘Death’ in following words:
ਸਿਵ ਬਿਰੰਚਿ ਅਸੁਰ ਸੁਰ ਜੇਤੇ ਕਾਲ ਅਗਨਿ ਮਹਿ ਜਰਤੇ [7]
सिव बिरंचि असुर सुर जेते काल अगनि महि जरते
(Shiva, Brahma, angels and demons, all burn in the fire of death.)
Well, this all gives glimpse of ‘Power of Death’. Who so ever is breathing, will cease to breath one day and that is ‘The End – The Death’. That’s exactly what Dhan Shri Guru Raam Das Ji and Kabeer Ji have to say in following words:
ਨਿਤ ਜੋਬਨੁ ਜਾਵੈ ਮੇਰੇ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਜਮੁ ਸਾਸ ਹਿਰੇ ॥[8]
नित जोबनु जावै मेरे पिआरे जमु सास हिरे
(Youth is passing away, O my dear beloved, and Death is stealing away the breath of life.)
ਜੀਵਨੈ ਕੀ ਆਸ ਕਰਹਿ ਜਮੁ ਨਿਹਾਰੈ ਸਾਸਾ [9]
जीवनै की आस करहि जमु निहारै सासा
(You hope for long life, while Death counts your breaths.)
Death’ is keeping an eye on ‘breaths’ of living being. As soon as they are completed, as pre-ordained, it pounces on living being. We have looked into questions, can it be avoided? The answer is ‘No’. Who all are under its grip? The answer is ‘All Living Beings’. So next we will try to understand why mortals cannot escape it and what its nature is in the light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
TO BE CONTINUED!


[1] Gauree Mehla 1 – Ang 227 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
[2] Pauree – Ang 465 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Mehla 1)
[3] Vadhans Mehla 1 Dakhni – Ang 580 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
[4] Bilaval Baani Bhagtaan Ki – Kabir Jee Ki – Ang 855 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
[5] Aasaa – Ang 477 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Kabir Ji)
[6] Aasaa – Ang 477 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Kabir Ji)
[7] Malaar Mehla 5 – Ang 1267 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
[8] Aasaa Mehla 4 Chant Ghar 5 – Ang 451 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
[9] Aasaa Shree Kabeer Ji Ke Tipade 8 Dotuke 7 Iktuka 1 – Ang 481 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

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