“The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.1.6)

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एतावान् साङ्ख्य-योगाभ्यां
स्व-धर्म-परिनिष्ठया
जन्म-लाभः परः पुंसाम्
अन्ते नारायण-स्मृतिः

etāvān sāṅkhya-yogābhyāṁ
sva-dharma-pariniṣṭhayā
janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ puṁsām
ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ

“It is a sobering reality. One day it actually hits you. I don’t think there is a way that the adults can properly prepare the children in this regard. If a loved one should happen to leave this world, the child still holds out hope that the departed will return. How can you expect anything less? They do not have the maturity to understand the cruel reality of guaranteed death.

“Think about it for a second. Why even take birth? We are getting the keys to a new apartment. The previous occupants might still be there. They show us around. They offer helpful hints here and there. They assist in making the transition as smooth as possible. Then they leave. We are stuck in that apartment. That is, until our day comes, when we have to welcome new residents. We will then leave.

“What is the point to anything that we do in that apartment? We celebrate milestones like birthdays and anniversaries. We keep pictures of our friends and family. We watch television. We play games. We find ways to pass the time.

“What is it all for? We will never get to sit down and look at those pictures. Father time will tap us on the shoulder and force us to leave. There will barely be a moment to say a proper goodbye, to wish others well, to give thanks for the services offered to us. Can anything be crueler than this? It is like this sick game that the higher authorities are playing on us.

“What is the meaning? I want a legitimate answer. Otherwise, I think one person’s guess is as good as another’s. Whether you ascend or descend, whether you behave piously or impiously, whether you enjoy or suffer, it has no meaning in the end. Everyone is forced to die.”

Vedic culture begins with the premise of the nonexistence of the material body. This single piece of information changes the entire outlook. If we are disturbed by the guaranteed nature of death, we can think of it like a birth which never even took place. The entire affair is like a dream.

“The material body has no factual existence in relation to the eternal soul. It is something like a dream. In a dream we may think of flying in the sky, or sitting on a chariot as a king, but when we wake up we can see that we are neither in the sky nor seated on the chariot. The Vedic wisdom encourages self-realization on the basis of the nonexistence of the material body. Therefore, in either case, whether one believes in the existence of the soul, or one does not believe in the existence of the soul, there is no cause for lamentation for loss of the body.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 2.28 Purport)

There is a higher objective, though. We are something like on assignment. In how Shri Hanuman went to Lanka all by himself, in search of the missing princess of Videha, with only the link in consciousness to Shri Rama as support, so we are in this world all alone. We have one friend, who happens to have been our friend all along. In every prior birth in this place He was also with us. He has been witnessing, but also waiting for us to turn in His direction.

“The Vedas, like the Mundaka Upanishad, as well as the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, compare the soul and the Supersoul to two friendly birds sitting on the same tree. One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird (Krishna) is simply watching His friend. Of these two birds—although they are the same in quality—one is captivated by the fruits of the material tree, while the other is simply witnessing the activities of His friend. Krishna is the witnessing bird, and Arjuna is the eating bird.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 2.22 Purport)

In this assignment, our objective is to remember. This is our best chance. We did not have the same opportunity in prior placements. We were hindered by the type of body. Consciousness was not as pronounced, though we were still as much chaitanya as we are right now. Things are different this time around. The key is to meet someone who will show us the way. We require some guidance, some information, some wisdom, and some encouragement.

It is true that people follow different paths. Not everyone is in the same category of guna and karma. Their material qualities are different, and thus the work they follow may not be the same in every case. Bhagavata Purana says that in whichever direction we go, even with respected paths such as sankhya, yoga, and sva-dharma, the ultimate objective is to remember Narayana.

The Sanskrit is ante narayana-smriti. At the end, we should remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the source of men. We might be wildly successful in our chosen path. We might be so learned in sankhya philosophy that others approach us for instruction. We might be so adept at yoga that illness itself is too afraid to step foot near us. We reach the height of achievement in our particular dharma, such that others respect us for the work that we do.

Whether we succeed or not, whether we have an easy road or struggle the entire time, whether we are happy or frustrated, we should remember Narayana at the end. That is the objective applying to our placement. That is the reason for our birth. If we remember to remember, if we maintain the vision which is in striking distance, then we realize that the life experience is not torture. It is a blessed opportunity that should not go to waste.

प्रीति प्रतीति सुरीति सों राम राम जपु राम
तुलसी तेरो है भलो आदि मध्य परिनाम

prīti pratīti surīti soṃ rāma rāma japu rāma
tulasī tero hai bhalo ādi madhya parināma

“Chanting Shri Rama’s holy name with love, faith and according to regulative principles will be beneficial for you from beginning to end, says Tulsi.” (Dohavali, 23)

Goswami Tulsidas provides encouragement for this endeavor by explaining that remembering God is blissful and to our benefit the entire time. We are trying to remember at the end, but we can remember at the beginning, as well. We can remember throughout the life experience and thus have an easier time of it.

In Closing:

Bhagavata Purana to recommend,
That to remember at the end.

Thoughts on Narayana keep,
Then boon of birth to reap.

But can also reach the same,
At the start of the game.

And throughout the entire time,
For Him this life of mine.

Categories: questions

Tags: dailyprompt, god, hare krishna, life, poem, poems, poetry