Different people are afraid of different things in life and one person'sobject of fear is not an object of fear for another person. However ingeneral, fear of death is common to all. Some people may boast that they arenot scared of death. However when they get some fatal disease which paralysethem or in case of dangers, the fear of death will be clearly visible intheir eyes. There is no material solution to this attack of Yamaraj and hispunishments after death. Though death is formidable and unconquerable,Sripada Sankaracharya, one of the great acharyas of the Vedantic tradition,gives a very simple solution to avoid interview with Yamaraj. In his famouswork "Bhaja Govindam" appears the following sloka.bhagavad gita kinchit adeeta / ganga jala lava kanika peetaasakrdapyena muraari samarca / kriyate tasya yamena sasarcaa"If a person reads little of Bhagavad Gita, takes a little drop of Gangeswater and performs worship to Murari (Sri Krishna) atleast once in hislifetime, then he does not have to face an interview with Yamaraj."There is a very interesting story in this regard. A man by the name ofRamesh , living on earth, thought to himself that the one thing he fearedmost was death. To avoid death, Ramesh practiced austerities andconcentrated his mind upon Lord Yama, the Lord of Death. Lord Yama waspleased and granted a vision to Ramesh. Lord Yama said: "My presence isonly available to those who are about to die or already dead. Yet I grantedyou my vision while you are still living, pleased by your penances". Rameshsaid: "I ask this favour of you. If death is inevitable, I ask that if I amto die, then at least send me a letter before death so that I can makeproper provision for my family before departure." Lord Yama said, "Sure, Ishall certainly do this. But as soon as you get the message, please setabout making the preparations. ", and he disappeared. Many years passedafter this. Ramesh's hair began gradually to turn grey, but he was living alife full of sinful activities with not a thought about the fear of death.He was pleased that so far no letters had arrived from the Lord of Death.Some Vaishnavas approached him and advised him to take to devotionalservice. He did not heed to their instructions as he thought so much timewas left.Some more years passed by. By this time Ramesh had lost most of his teethand the devotees came again to warn him about his imminent death. Still hedid not bother because no letter has come from his friend Yama. As the yearsrolled by, Ramesh's eyesight became dimmer. However he continued hissensual life thanking his friend Yamaraj for not sending any letter so far.Some more years passed by. Ramesh was now a very old man and with his backbent forward, he could not walk without the support of a walking stick. Hisskin was all wrinkled. One day he suffered a stroke and became paralysed.People said his condition was very critical. But Ramesh was still in ahappy frame of mind, since he did not receive any letter from Yamaraj. Thenhis destined end of life came and Lord Yama, the god of death, entered theroom. Ramesh was startled and his mind was seized with fear. Yamaraj said,"My friend, come now, you have suffered greatly. Today I have come to takeyou with me." Ramesh trembled in fear and said, " My friend, you havebetrayed me by breaking your boon. You have not sent me any letter as youpromised. Now all of a sudden you are taking me from this world. You are acheater".Lord Yama said, " Ramesh! You spent all your life in sense indulgence withno interest in spiritual life. How then could you know the letters I sentyou? Not one, but four letters I did send to you. But you ignored all ofthem."Ramesh was greatly puzzled: "Four letters did you send? But not even oneletter reached me. It is just possible that the postman/courier forgot todeliver it.".Lord Yama said, "My friend, do you think I will take a paper and pen andwrite a letter to you? No, With your body as paper, with the pen of bodilychanges I wrote my letters and time is the messenger who delivered thoseletters. Years ago, your hair turned grey. That was my first letter. Youignored it. Falling of your teeth was my second letter. My third letter wassent to you when your eyesight failed. The fourth message was when your bodybecame paralysed. You comfortably ignored all these letters. Now I have comenot as your friend but as the dispenser of the Laws of God.", and Yamarajtied the rope around Ramesh's neck and pulled it hard. People around Rameshsaid, " Ramesh is now dead".So when the body is young and hale and when we don't get any letter fromYamaraj, we should start our preparations for facing his lethal blow. Whenwe completely ignore his letters, then we come under his control. In theBhagavata Purana (6.3.29), Yamaraj himself identifies who are the candidatesfor his punishment.jihvaa na vakti bhagavad-guna- naamadheyamcetas ca na smarati tac-caranaaravindamkrishnaya no namati yac-chira ekadapitaan aanayadhvam asato 'krita-vishnu- krityaan"My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do notuse their tongues to chant the holy name and qualities of Krishna, whosehearts do not remember the lotus feet of Krishna even once, and whose headsdo not bow down even once before Lord Krishna. Send me those who do notperform their duties toward Vishnu, which are the only duties in human life.Please bring me all such fools and rascals."Srila Prabhupada's program of chanting and hearing and offering obeisancesto the Supreme Lord will empower us to escape the punishment of Yamaraj whois otherwise unconquerable. I pray at the lotus feet of Guru Maharaj, SrilaPrabhupada and all the devotees so that I will chant the holy names of theLord sincerely and become free from the fear of death.
Comments
Thanks for nice article...it is wonderful and shloka from bhagavatam really opens up the eyes.