Don't Cry When I Die

The discussion was spontaneous. Moot question was the title of the book 'who will cry when you die' by Robin Sharma. From human affection, like, friendship and love to dislike, anger and hatred came up as the platforms from which the quantum of tears people will shed when dies. One has to be a good human being, friend, lover, father and son in order to deserve the tears of parting was the summation. And then, a friend who normally participated enough to encourage the discussion smiled.

"If you have all finished, then I have a question to ask", he said. The forum looked up.

"I would like to cite a shloka (spiritual poetry in Sanskrit) by Adi Shankara, the founder of the school of Advaita", he said and went on to recite Nirvana Shataka:

Mano buddhi ahankara chittani naaham

na cha shrotravjihve na cha ghraana netre

na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vaayuhu

chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham

I am not the mind, the intellect, the ego or the memory,

I am not the ears, the skin, the nose or the eyes,

I am not space, not earth, not fire, water or wind,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva…

Na cha prana sangyo na vai pancha vayuhu

na va sapta dhatur na va pancha koshah

na vak pani-padam na chopastha payu

chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham

I am not the breath, nor the five elements,

I am not matter, nor the 5 sheaths of consciousness

Nor am I the speech, the hands, or the feet,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva…

Na me dvesha ragau na me lobha mohau

na me vai mado naiva matsarya bhavaha

na dharmo na chartho na kamo na mokshaha

chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham

There is no like or dislike in me, no greed or delusion,

I know not pride or jealousy,

I have no duty, no desire for wealth, lust or liberation,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva…

Na punyam na papam na saukhyam na duhkham

na mantro na tirtham na veda na yajnah

aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhokta

chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham

No virtue or vice, no pleasure or pain,

I need no mantras, no pilgrimage, no scriptures or rituals,

I am not the experienced, nor the experience itself,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva…

Na me mrtyu shanka na mejati bhedaha

pita naiva me naiva mataa na janmaha

na bandhur na mitram gurur naiva shishyaha

chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham

I have no fear of death, no caste or creed,

I have no father, no mother, for I was never born,

I am not a relative, nor a friend, nor a teacher nor a student,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva…

Aham nirvikalpo nirakara rupo

vibhut vatcha sarvatra sarvendriyanam

na cha sangatham naiva muktir na meyaha

chidananda rupah shivo’ham shivo’ham

I am devoid of duality, my form is formlessness,

I exist everywhere, pervading all senses,

I am neither attached, neither free nor captive,

I am the form of consciousness and bliss,

I am the eternal Shiva…

"Friends, if I am eternal and Shiva, when I pass away I actually shed only this physical human form. Why should anyone cry and shed tears at all?, he said. There was complete silence for sometime in the forum.

There is actually no death. It is only a change of form. Like Krishna says, that which is inside cannot be destroyed. It is beyond weapons, wounds and therefore death. Al Hallaj, the great Sufi saint said 'Ana al-haqq' (I am that); Hinduism teaches 'Tatvam Asi' (I am that); Swami Vivekananda proclaimed that man is potentially divine. Human affections and hatreds are but on the superficial body and emotional response created by our sensations. Like Rumi says, "when you lower me into the grave, I rise to eternal life".

When Nelson Mandela's cortege was set to commence, South African people were dancing and singing. A curious reporter asked them why they were so joyous on such a solemn occasion. The reply was beautiful:

"We believe when a person dies, he becomes an angel and guards over us. It is therefore a moment for rejoicing, not repenting".

Don't cry when I die.