Life and death, both are two sides of a coin! Everybody knows that- one day, we have to face death, yet the desire of living grips us so tightly. What a magical spell of life all over the world!
Suddenly a group of birds flew on the sky…. Oh! That's a sign of freedom! Someone is set free from it’s mortal body. Yes, not me alone, hundreds and thousands of lives are set free from their so called mortal bodies and so did mine! What a relief!
I am free…free from those delusive bondage! I am so happy..so happy that it was beyond my power to express. Funny thing is, I am watching my own funeral………………………………………….
Few hours before, the doctor announced that I am dead. So, the funeral process has begun by my family members. My mortal body is laying on a mat. Some people are crying, of course they are my family members, others are passing some mixed comments, good and bad as well. Well, even though, I expected my death would come soon, yet it happened a little earlier than my expectation.
I knew it through my own calculation because I was a good astrologer, although I never practised it for public, the stars told me everything I needed to know. My calculations never went wrong. My death was obvious, because both of my kidneys failed. The other alternative was adopted, but the original and duplicate definitely has some difference! I couldn't afford any more. Eventually, it is done, over now. No more pain, no more pleasure, no more headache, nothing…now a blissful life where death can't reach. Literally, I won over ‘death’! I am not afraid of death any more!
Oh, yes! I was narrating the eye catching aftermath milieu of my death. My kith and kin, my children, wife, every single person were deeply remorse with sorrow. People surrounded my funeral, paid their sympathy to my family members for my loss! The first day rituals of my death was finished at the burial ground, the final and last destination of one’s life! The sympathisers gradually dispersed to their own houses there after.
Here starts my new observation upon my family, though, they do not belong to me any more. I was thinking the repercussions of somebody’s death in his or her family. How many days, a month, a year…five years? Well, everybody would feel sorry, they would miss you but after that……? Life will become normal and will run in usual routine. How true it is!
In my family I noticed one thing; my son and daughter get used to their usual life, my wife is neutral since she knows that her journey is not far away, but my three years old grand son is the only one who is missing me too much. Abruptly, I started analysing ‘why so’?!
The answer is quite obvious that he is a kid now, I was his only loyal friend! The adulteration of lust has not touched him yet. He has neither any worldly desire nor passion of life achievement. He is just a kid. His wishes are limited with toys, delicious food, attention, love and affection from every corner surrounding him, that’s it. I was the one who entertained him any time he required, others were busy in their scheduled work. Any fantasy he demanded, I displayed it happily. Many a time, he made me a horse and rode over me. Holding my ears, he used to say with his lovely baby voice, ‘Grandpa, move.’ Probably that fun time, he is missing now. Well, few years after he would grow up and follow up the same pattern like others.
My heart is crystal clear now. Cause, I don't exist any more with a human body, rather the purest of pure, the immortal soul only. When I was alive, knowingly or unknowingly, I did so many mistakes which can not be corrected any more but at least I intended to show the true picture of life to my dear ones; particularly my grand son so that he would be aware of fictitious layer of worldly desire.
Twenty years later……………………………..
Once, I wished to see my family. By then, everything had changed so much. My grandson has become an adult. He is a fine gentleman, working in a reputed private company. Perhaps, like me he desired something high to achieve. I noticed that he was busy doing something on his desk. He was writing a letter. He was aware of hurdles for a senior post, yet at that very moment he was puzzled. He was too frustrated to take a correct decision, bent upon to leave the job and jump to a new platform. I read the letter he made ready to deliver to his boss next day morning.
No more I could resist myself. I screamed, ‘Hey, Babu! What the hell are you going to do? Stop it. Please listen to me patiently, then you decide.’
But there was no answer. He was still continuing to add something to that letter.
Over and over, I pronounced, ‘Hey..hey! Look at me. Don't do this suicidal attempt. You are already in a very good post. Just wait a few years more to go to the top. Life is not that easy, the way you think. Desires are just like mirages in a desert! It will make you run and run till you will be tired.
Please, listen to me!’
Again the air was silent, no sound disturbed the silent atmosphere.
I went close to him said, ‘Hey, Babu! Don't dig your own grave! Listen, I will tell you a simple story, maybe you can understand. Right now, whatever you have, be satisfied. Later, you can try, please try to understand me, dear! But he continued his writing as if he couldn't hear me. I started the story:
‘Long long ago, there was a very powerful demon, who had only one son called Brutrasura. Like father, like son! Brutrasura too was very powerful but crooked. The demon, Brutrasura wished to become invincible. He worshiped Lord Shiva with great devotion. Years and years passed, he couldn't satisfy Lord Shiva. He then took the highest pinnacle of meditation by sacrificing his own flesh on the sacred fire(Havan kund). Eventually, Lord Shiva with his wife Goddess Parvati by his side, appeared before Brutrasura.
Lord Shiva was so pleased with Brutrasura’s worship that he promised him to give anything he wished. He took the boon as saying that if he (Brutrasura) ever put his own left hand over the head of a person, whoever it maybe would turn into ashes (destroyed).’
‘Hey Babu, are you listening?’ I looked at his face eagerly. But, he was silent. I didn't bother what he was doing, I continued my story.
‘What happened then, without a second thought, Lord Shiva granted him the boon. By that time, the demon was behold with the beauty of Devi Parvati. So, he immediately thought of Parvati as his wife by destroying Lord Shiva with His own given boon.
Lord Shiva could realise his own mistake, but it was too late. His words can never go wrong. He could understand the crooked intention of the demon. So he ran for his life. At last, he surrendered himself to Lord Vishnu to come to his rescue.
Lord Vishnu assuaged him. In the form of a dwarf Brahmin, Vishnu appeared before Brutrasura. He was clever enough to make Brutrasura, a fool. With his witty knowledge, the dwarf Brahmin (Lord Vishnu) asked Brukasura about the cause of his hurry. When Brutrasura narrated the whole thing, the Brahmin mockingly said that Lord Shiva’s boon was nothing but cheating. He lured the demon with his own sweet words and advised him to test Lord Shiva’s boon.
The Brahmin said, ‘Oh, Brutrasura! Why are you running after mirage wasting your time? Why don't you test it over your own head to justify the truth? Shiva can never be true.’
Poor Brutrasura was totally flattered by Lord Vishnu! So, happily he agreed with the Brahmin’s suggestion. He put his hand over his own head and got the ultimate consequence. He burnt down himself into ashes!’ I finished my story asking the same question, ‘Don't you get anything from this?’
‘So, Babu! Brutrasura could live happily with the boon, but his wrong decision and lust became the strongest weapon for his own destruction.’
‘Don't take a drastic step all on a sudden. Wait for the opportunity a little more,’ I screamed again and again, but my voice didn't reach at him. He finished the letter and kept it on the desk.
I stood there for sometime looking at him strangely. I failed to convince him the truth. Then, I thought, ‘Who am I now? Neither he can see me nor he can listen to me. He is an adult. Let him learn from his own mistake!’
I came out from that ‘my family concept’ and widened my vision to the maximum periphery. The whole world looked like a big maze to me! People are running through that maze to reach their goal! I thanked God! At least, I am free from those complexity! For me, the whole world was looking like a story! As if any corner of the world I stared, I felt the same repetition of the beginning, the middle, and the end of a story and the story is finished with either happy ending or in a tragic scene. Everything looks fictional. As if all are roaming around, in an illusionary stage!
Truly, a famous Oriya poet, Pandit Gopabandhu Dash said, ‘Rahi nahin kehi, rahibe nahin ti,
bhaba ranga mahi tale,
sarba nija nija, abhinaya sari,
bahudibe kala bale.’
The meaning of this poem is: No one will stay forever, nor anyone is immortal, after finishing our own act (the world is compared with a stage where the different actors perform different acting and then go back to the rest room) we all will vanish under the spell of death(time)!
This whole world is filled with tragedy, comedy, brutality, murder, love and compassion just like any play (story) contains. Hence, in short I can proudly say, ‘All the world is a story’ but nothing else!!! Mind your own step carefully because the stage is very slippery!!!