“And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.5)

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अन्त-काले च माम् एव
स्मरन् मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्
यः प्रयाति स मद्-भावं
याति नास्त्य् अत्र संशयः

anta-kāle ca mām eva
smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ

1. The known

“I’m sorry to inform you that they passed away. It happened a while ago. Thank you for your concern. We appreciate it, for sure. The blow was a little easier to handle since we had known for a long time. The illness was drawn out, but there was no hope for recovery.

“This allowed loved ones and friends to prepare appropriately. This happens to everyone. No one is spared. We certainly wish for the best journey moving forward. We remember everything they did for us. We will surely never forget them. The impression they have left remains.”

2. The unknown

“I’m sorry to inform you that they are no longer here. Sudden and unexpected; that’s how it happened. Sadly, this is occurring more and more lately. No one has an answer, but I think they do really know. They are simply afraid to say anything, for fear of losing their friends, of getting fired from work, of having their house raided by the authorities, or of becoming the target of ridicule and scorn.

“I wish we would have had time to prepare. The funeral was well-attended. It was a great sendoff, but I wish the same kindness were there when people are alive. Why not treat everyone as if they are special? What is the harm? You are losing nothing in the process. Oh well.”

…

The Sanskrit word for time also covers death. This makes sense because the end of life is simply another strike of the undefeated force known as time. Kala is the cause of my birth, and as soon as there is birth, the subsequent arrival of death is a sure thing.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्
ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च
तस्माद् अपरिहार्ये ऽर्थे
न त्वं शोचितुम् अर्हसि

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur
dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ‘rthe
na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi

“For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.27)

To be more specific, death is anta kale. It is the end-time, in the relative positioning. For every state of being, there is a beginning, middle, and end. They are not necessarily the same for each person, as the adult is in the end state compared to when they were a youth. The youth is in the beginning, though life always continues.

न त्व् एवाहं जातु नासं
न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः
न चैव न भविष्यामः
सर्वे वयम् अतः परम्

na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ
na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ
sarve vayam ataḥ param

“Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.12)

Merging into transcendence covers both sides to the arrival of death. Both anta kale and adi kale are auspicious times. For certain, as explained in Bhagavad-gita, the person who thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead during anta kale achieves a transcendental nature moving forward. Of this there is no doubt.

Since anta kale does not always announce itself, the more intelligent approach is to have that consciousness at all times. As consciousness is something we carry, like a smartphone, government identification, or car keys, there is no question of it getting lost.

Rather, the only factor to defend against is change of direction. The consciousness might drift towards issues of temporary significance. My home. My job. Disruptions to my enjoyment. The threat of changing weather. The harsh words from a spouse. The rebuke from a previously trusted friend.

Through it all, if a person remains conscious of the Divine, they are fixed in transcendence. They do not worry over the arrival of a specific end, as they are merged into the higher way of living. Someone like Arjuna is liberated even when expressing doubts prior to an important assignment involving his occupation.

Bhishma is liberated when preparing to depart from the world. His mind fixed on Narayana, he merges into the Supreme Lord when travelling to the next destination. The gopis of Vrindavana are in the same kind of transcendence while working hard during the day tending to household duties.

Whether the end arrives today, tomorrow, or decades from now, the wise person remains prepared. The proper way to make sure the affairs are in order is to purify the consciousness, and for this the authorized system of dharma exists. It persists through time by the mercy of empowered representatives. People like Arjuna who reinstate the disciplic succession on the order of Shri Krishna, who is never subject to birth and death.

In Closing:

The subsequent fate,
Dependent on state.

The mind conscious where,
Next state of being there.

Not always known the end,
Without warning to send.

Consciousness way to secure,
On Krishna and transcendence for sure.

Categories: the two

Tags: death, god, hare krishna, life, poem, poems, poetry, religion