Recently Indian media was condemned for ‘ghoulish’ coverage of an illustrious Indian film star’s death. Untimely deaths of extremely well known people especially under mysterious circumstances create a lot of curiosity in minds of people. These events trigger at least for some time an intense debate and speculation about how, when and why someone died. After a while, other news items take over the media attention and people move on in life. However, the message conveyed by the universe through such incidents remains the same. Perhaps, because it is meant to have a permanent effect on us, it is certainly not something to gossip about and forget. Life is ephemeral and unpredictable. Are we ready to face that final exam of death is the question that remains to be asked every single time something like this happens. In fact our seriousness about our spiritual life is directly proportional to our awareness level of life’s uncertainty. Perhaps chanting well and taking shelter of higher authorities can help us decode the signals that universe send us from time to time, in the right way, important as they are. Otherwise we risk our own self being lost looking for permanent shelter in this world of helter-skelter. Perhaps we need to wake up to death. Hare Krishna.
“Wake up to death”
Unless you turn prudent and wise
You are in for a nasty surprise
In a world of birth, old age,disease and death
No one could ever escape their wrath.
In millions of lifetimes wasted away
Your soul enjoyed in every way
You acted enough and went astray
In the scene of birth and death’s replay.
He remembers all, you remember nay
And warns you in every possible way
This world is not for overstay.
As He says in Gita, eight point sixteen
And repeats it number of times, umpteen
That those who make Him life’s captain
Never take birth in this world again
As His divine abode those souls attain.
God’s abode as they explain
Is without misery, death and pain
In eternal bliss that world sustains.
So think O lost soul once again
Think of this as bad bargain
There is no loss, there is only gain.
Run as far as you think you can
Arms of death catch you offhand
Our endless plans never let up
Before, messengers of death show up
And say - Sorry sir..your time is up!
Death won’t show the mercy slight
When 42,000 scorpions bite
Pain of death, is by no means joke
Desire to love god, it must invoke.
Its too late to pray at that time
Alas! I forgot life’s purpose of mine
Can I please get, a few moments more
I am missing those, whom I adore.
But a moment won’t be granted more
If spiritual life is all you ignore
Messengers of death will say no more
And pull the soul through one of the nine doors.
Whoever you think of, when you die
Human being, cat, dog or fly
Same body for next life, you buy.
A perishable body waits for you
Making birth and death’s cycle continue..
So wake up before time gets you
Search for truth is long overdue.
Without any further delay
Make chanting beads your close ally
Fix your mind and heart and pray-
Holy names show me the way.
When this world appears to be grey
Only Holy names shine like sun ray.
This game of changing bodies must be ended
Our relationship with God must be mended
For remembering Him until last breath
Is success of one’s life and death.
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