Death, Though Inevitable, Yet Certainly is Not Painless

No matter how many times do our holy scriptures and self-help books guide us to follow the ambits of accepting things as they are, and master the art of staying unattached, yet a closer look, coupled with an iota of honesty would reveal how far fetched it actually is. 

Had it not been the case, then social media feeds and news columns/editorials wouldn’t be filled up writeups over the deceased. Whether Irrfan Khan, Rishi Kapoor, Sushant, Ram Bilas Paswan or Soumitra Chatterjee, not one stone-hearted person could opine with a straight face that their demise didn’t feel personal. 

And, why wouldn’t it? We are humans, mortals, where most of us even claim to have a heart. In one of his literary works, Rabindranath Tagore did mention that “Marana re, tuhu mamo shyam saman”. The literal translation of which would mean, Oh dear death, to me, you are my Lord Krishna.” 

Various scholars hold the thought that when death visits a person, he must have a profound personality and mental makeup; so much so that when he could see death visiting him, and while he’d be counting his last breaths, he must be prepared to welcome it with a hug, and thus transcend on his journey towards the other world. 

But where does it leave people like us? The mortals? The ones that claim to be their closest peers? We continue questioning the ever-changing, the all-happening universal phenomenon. “Why” seems to dominate most of our questions…

But, do the deceased that have already transcended towards their spiritual voyage have the immaculate strength to gauge and fathom our agony? Perhaps yes. Perhaps not. No matter what their state of mind is, they have already left this humble abode of theirs and set off towards the unexplored and unknown. Or should I paraphrase and say that that abode is actually their permanent home, and this was just a vacaying spot? Much like Shakespeare had mentioned, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players?”

Again, perhaps yes. Perhaps not. Even though this is a phenomenon of the universe, but the feeble, weak-hearted mind, doesn’t budge from its archaic beliefs of attachment. Maybe, it’d require some more time. 

As of now, death, every death for that matter evokes a sad feeling, pinches like a huge thorn, and leaves behind an ever grasping air of melancholy. The concept of life and death are inevitable, but certainly not painless.