The Evolved Soul
One of the most important teaching from the Gita is to overcome the fear of death. While death is inevitable, rare is the person who is ready to go. Insecurity and Fear are the two diseases for which there is no medical cure.
In Chapter 2, the Lord starts his teachings. He tries to explain that the soul is immortal.
Death from a worldly point of view – Death is natural to all beings. There is no use in sorrowing for this unavoidable occurrence. Life comes from the Unknown. It remains for a short time in the field of the known. Then it goes back to the Unknown again.
We all know that it is impossible to take your wealth, youth, relationships with you. All we can carry is our Positive Karma. Those who have lived a dharmic life and accumulated good karma will definitely get upgraded in their next life. They have done their duty without attachment to the results. This reality has to sink in. Imbibing the teachings of the Gita helps us to overcome our limitations.
Why we fear Death?
- Fear of the unknown
- Fear of the punishments we get for our wrong deeds
- Fear of losing near and dear ones – How will they manage without me?
- Unfinished business – pending list of desires
Death comes suddenly, it doesn’t inform you. However well organised you are, it will take you by surprise. One can only focus on the causes that make us afraid of death. These are beautifully enumerated in the Gita.
- I am not the body
- I am a spark of the divine which is immortal
- The Sukshma Sharira carries with it to the next life a well-documented karmic balance
An enlightened soul doesn’t worry about death. He has worked his whole life to understand “Who am I”. He is ready – the name of the Lord is always on his lips.
Shlokas 15 – 18 from the Ishavasya Upanishad explain the above points well. These verses are chanted when a person is dying and during the funeral rites.
Hiranmayeena patrena satyasyaapihitam mukham
Tattwam pushann apaavrinu satya dharmaya drishtaye
The Sun God is considered the best visible manifestation of the Absolute – the son of Prajapati. According to astrology, the Sun is conjoined with the Atman, and the Moon with the Mind. The period of the sun moving towards the north, the Uttarayan is considered auspicious. Many believe that even a sinner dying during this period attains to heavenly regions.
O! Sun, we have to realise the Truth hidden in you. With our eyes, we cannot have the true vision of you. All we see is only a brilliant light. We are unable to see the Reality hidden within this great light. Remove this golden disc so that we can see the truth hidden behind. May I see it in all glory.
pushann ekarshe yama surya prajapatya vyuha rashmin samuha tejah
yat te rupam kalyanatamam tatt te pashyami yo saav asau purushah so ham asmi
Gather your rays, let me behold you because the brilliance is too much for my physical eye. Then show me your true radiant form.
Vayur anilam amritham athedam bhasmantam shariram
Aum krito smara kritam smara krito smara kritam smara
Now comes the prayer to the mind. O mind, recollect all the karmas you have done in this life-time. Remember each one. Reflect on how you have lived this life. Only the fruits of your karmas will accompany you. Nothing else of this manifested world will follow you. May the life enter into immortal breath. The mind is reminded that his life, the soul is entering into the Immortal Breath.
Bhasmantam shariram – The person is reminded again and again that his body is becoming ashes. You are not the body. But you are going to the other sphere mingling with the Vital Breath.
And then a message to the intelligence – Remember what we are telling you, Go with this understanding. Remember that your body is becoming ashes and you are free.
Go – Merge with the immortal breath.
The End
A Few Good Things 
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