Srimad Bhagavatam – day 558
Mother Devaki continued,
“Martyo mṛtyu-vyāla-bhītaḥ palāyan lokān sarvān nirbhayaṁ nādhyagacchat
Tvat pādābjaṁ prāpya yadṛcchayādya susthaḥ śete mṛtyur asmād apaiti
O Supreme cause behind every existence! Fearing the terrible serpent called death, a human being who is anyways destined to die, runs throughout the universe but fails to overcome this fear”.
The human being is ignorant as to when the serpent called death will strike. Hence, he lives in great trepidation. Upon seeing a distressed person Swamiji advices, “Chant this particular hymn. Or listen to Narayana Kavaca. It will help.” However, the person does not even heed this advice. He refuses to pay attention to it. The doctor called Sadguru tries to prescribe medicine for this disease called grief. For instance, He says, “Visit this sacred place.” But the person, who is submerged in grief, continues to narrate his sorrowful tale again and again, without listening to Sadguru’s message. Unless he absorbs the medicine, the disease cannot be cured. How can grief be dispelled when he is unwilling to listen to the advice given by Sadguru?
Swamiji has faced this millions of times. The person who is in trouble repeatedly narrates his sorrows without listening to what Swamiji is trying to say. What can Swamiji do in such situations? Similar to this, the human being constantly worries, “O the serpent called death may strike me any moment. It will suddenly attack me”. If such person is advised, “Throw away this thought. Discarding it, hold on to Srihari’s feet tightly”- he will not listen.
He will see only the snake and continue to fret, “Maybe I will die today. Perhaps I will die tomorrow. Maybe this disease will eat me up. This particular difficulty is bound to take my life away. If only this difficulty were to be driven away, I can be free. I have no more worries apart from this”. He continues to lament endlessly. However one difficulty makes way for another, so his grief never comes to an end.
Even in ripe old age when he is ready to kick the bucket he still entertains many desires and still worries for the well-being of his children. But why doesn’t he understand that none of these children will accompany him in the journey after death? Remember, you are alone in your journey. You are holding a confirmed ticket for your onward journey. No one else is allowed to sit in your seat or to accompany you in that journey.
When we are destined to travel alone in our future journey, why bother about others? None of these worries will help us. Just as we experienced difficulties through life, our children and grand-children have to experience their share of difficulties. They have to learn from their own experiences. Should they not exhaust their karma? Unless they go through the experience they cannot exhaust their karma. By worrying unnecessarily about them, you are spoiling your goodness. You will die in the process of worrying. The net result will only push you into another womb, that’s all.
Do you really need to go through this cycle? Break free now! Develop courage. Discard desires. You are travelling towards death. Now give up every form of desire. Give up attachments towards everyone. Forget your bodily pains. You are about to discard the body. Why then are you worrying about its pain?
In these last moments, what is the use of worrying- ‘if only this problem was resolved, if only I was living in my own home.’ Do you think family members will allow your dead body to be retained at home just because it is your own property? Do you presume that they will cremate or bury you within your home? Never! Why then do you long to own a property? Nothing in this creation is permanent. What is destined, will definitely come. If it is not destined, it will not come. Only the lotus feet of Lord Srihari are permanent in this creation. Place your focus solely upon Him. Meditate upon any deity of your choice. All deities are manifestations of the same Lord Srihari. Worship Hanuman, Devi or Ganapati. It does not matter.
Instead of placing your focus on the Lord, you waste your time worrying, “My elder son has not obtained a proper job. My second son is yet to be married. My third son still remains childless”. What is the use of these worries when you are hanging precariously between life and death? Doctors have declared that your days are numbered. You are being fed through tubes. Why can’t you focus upon your future journey at this hour?
Worries cause you to fear the terrible serpent called death. Day and night the fear that death will attack looms on your head. At the moment of death, worldly thoughts such as- ‘O he is yet to return my loan. My son is yet to get married”- linger in your head. You are destroying yourself.
Therefore, first and foremost, do not fear this serpent called death. The living entity wanders through the creation but cannot escape the fear of death. He lives in trepidation. He has acquired tensions and worries. He has not decided to follow the measures by which he can obtain relief from these tensions. That is why, the person who has acquired fear cannot acquire fearlessness.
Mother Devaki prayed, “Due to Your infinite grace, the human being can unexpectedly reach Your lotus feet and obtain relief”.
At some point of time, either in this birth or in another, you necessarily have to recollect the Lord’s feet! It is inevitable! In this birth you had no time to focus upon God. You worried for other family members even on the death bed. You will necessarily have to obtain another birth. There is no escape from these difficulties. Ultimately in one birth or another, you will have to focus upon the lotus feet of the Lord!
This tenth canto of Bhagavatam is said to be the face of the Lord precisely because it prevents us from falling into this trap called re-births. In other words, it prevents us from falling into the trap of death. It cautions us. Ultimately in this birth or another the person will have to seek shelter in Your lotus feet.
Suppose a person needs to travel from point A to point B. The destination is visible to him. It is a direct, smooth path, well-lit, and is also recommended by all experts. There are no thorns or potholes on the path. Instead of travelling directly on this path, if he chooses a roundabout path which is longer by 10-15 miles, does it make any sense?
Narayana Narayana.