Talk:Living each day of our Lives Purposefully

By Vishal Agarwal

Since death is a certainty, and it is uncertain when we will die, we must not waste even one day of our lives –

Tomorrow’s tasks should be done today and afternoon’s tasks in the morning; for death will not wait for anyone whether the person has completed his task or not. Vishnu Dharma Sutra 20.41 Whether one’s mind is focused on his farmland, or traffic, or his house; or whether his mind is engrossed in some other object dear to himself; death comes suddenly and snatches him away just as a she-wolf grabs a lamb (without warning). Vishnu Dharma Sutra 20.42

No one is dear to Kāla (the all-devouring time), and no one is its enemy. This body is obtained as a result of actions done in previous lives, and when its duration and the effect of actions are over, Kāla snatches away this life. Vishnu Dharma Sutra 20.43

When the time of one’s death has not arrived, he will not die even if pierced by a hundred arrows. And if the time of his death has come, he will die even if brushed by the blade of the kusha grass. Vishnu Dharma Sutra 20.44

Everyone becomes old, and he is sure to die one day. When a person’s time is up, no medicine, mantra, homa (Vedic fire rites), and no recitation of sacred prayers can save him. Vishnu Dharma Sutra 20.45

The awareness that death does not make an appointment and that our lives might end at any moment without a warning can change a person’s outlook toward life. Consequently, these people may change how they interact with others in the following ways:

1. We become less quarrelsome, more forgiving, more compassionate and helpful.
2. We develop more empathy towards the sufferings of others.
3. We try harder to achieve our personal goals and become a better person.
4. We invest more in developing a deeper relationship with our dear family members and friends.
5. We judge people not based on superficialities (like their looks or their possessions) but according to more substantial standards like character and knowledge.
6. We take several things in our life for granted – a loving family, access to good education and food, and so on. Realizing that death can snatch us away from all these at any moment helps us to appreciate and value them more. We tend to spend less time on superficial things that do not matter (e.g., the latest model of your cell phone) and focus more on things that matter in our lives (e.g., family, friends, charity).
7. The understanding that we have a limited and unpredictable length of time on this earth motivates us to improve our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being constantly and steadily. We tend to waste less time and get into the habit of planning and prioritizing.
8. We become more cooperative and collaborative instead of competitive and confrontational. We focus more on the collective than on individual good and commonalities between all of us rather than on differences.

The following beautiful story is narrated to illustrate how the knowledge of their impending death transforms the behavior of people-

Story: How a Man Overcame his Volatile Temperament with the Help of Sant Tukaram

In the 17th century. in the Indian state of Maharashtra, there lived a very renowned Sant named Tukaram. One day, a man approached him and asked, “Respect Sant Ji, I get angry very easily. I have tried a lot to tone down my temper tantrums but nothing seems to work. For no apparent reason, I become angry and abusive towards my spouse, children, other family members, and friends. You are a Sant; please help me. Please suggest a remedy to make me a better person who does not lose his temper so easily.”

SantTukaram

Sant Tukaram replied, “I could have helped you. But alas, this transformation takes time. And I can see that you have only seven days to live. When it is the last day of your life, I hope that you will come to see me.” The man was shocked beyond words. He had just a week more to live! But how could a Sant, who can see the future, be wrong? He left the cottage of Sant Tukaram, sad, worried, and disappointed.

A week passed, and the man showed up at Tukaram’s door again, and said, “Respected Sant, today is the last day of my life, as you had predicted. Please bless me before I die, so that I might be reborn as a better human being.” Tukaram asked him, “Tell me, how many times did you get angry with those around you in the last seven days?” The man replied, “Sir, how could I get angry with anyone in these seven days? I knew that these were the last days of my life. I just wanted to leave this world on a happy note, with the good wishes of everyone, with love between me and others.”

Tukaram smiled and said, “I had lied to you that you will die today. But the fact of life is that every day that we live could be the last day of our life. We must live each day with this awareness that those whom we love today might not be with us tomorrow. I wanted you to realize this so that you did not get angry with anyone.” The man’s eyes were filled with tears. He fell at the feet of Sant Tukaram in gratitude and said, “What you have taught me is true. All relationships in this world can come to an end very abruptly. And therefore, we must value everyone at each moment, and use that as our guiding light to shape our behavior towards all.”

In the Hindu tradition, there is an inspiring narrative of King Parīkshit who was cursed to die in seven days due to his misbehavior with Rishi Shamika. The King decided to spend his last week of life listening to the beautiful narratives of Bhagavān Vishnu, which are compiled in the celebrated scripture Bhāgavata Purāṇa. We should spend every moment of our lives in the pursuit of Dharma and Moksha as our primary goals (and Artha and Kāma only as secondary goals):

Knowing God alone does one overcome death in this very life, there is no other way of becoming immortal. Rigveda 10.90.15 Time flies and man remains ignorant because of the pressure of work with which he is engrossed. People do not realize what is harmful or what is wholesome for them. They are deaf to their interest. Garuda Purāṇa 2.49.27 Seeing that collyrium and ink, used though very little every day, become exhausted after some time, and that the anthill flourishes in size day by day, one should be careful not to waste one's time. One should engage oneself in activities of charity or the study of scriptures. Garuda Purāṇa 1.113.8.' In infancy one is extremely obsessed with one's parents; in youth with one's wife; later in life one becomes obsessed with one's sons and grandsons. Never is one obsessed with the ātmā. Garuda Purāṇa Bodies are perishable, riches are transitory, death is ever-present. Hence, Dharma should be accumulated. Garuda Purāṇa 2.47.24

Whatever Karma-s we do in our lives decides where we are reborn after death. And this present life is not the only life we ever live. Therefore, it is never too late to perform good Karma. At the same time, we must not be complacent towards performing good karma or cultivating spiritual knowledge because it takes the effort of several lives to become enlightened. The time to do the right thing is now, and always. Therefore, we must live our entire lives with a higher purpose. The Vedas instruct:

From where speech returns along with the mind (thoughts), not able to grasp Brahman. But he who knows the Blissful Brahman does not fear anything at all. In the mind of that person, the thought, “Why did I not do the right thing? Why have I done evil deeds” does not create torment. He who knows this saves himself from these thoughts and protects himself from anxiety about good and evil. Yajurveda, Taittirīya Upanishad 2.7.1 Just as one who is about to die the next day guards himself against evil karma, so should one protect himself against evil karma every day till the time of his death. Samaveda, Jaiminīya Upanishad Brahmana 4.26.4

We should put things in the right perspective - which is that we are not the body, because this body is perishable and we have had many bodies in the past and will have many more in the future. We should try to identify ourselves with the ātmā and lead a spiritually oriented life, in which physical and material pursuits are harmonized with or subordinated to spiritual pursuits. Living such a life helps us embrace death with lesser anxiety and ensures us a good afterlife. Upon death, we leave all our material possessions and relationships behind us. What goes with us is our Karma, and our spiritual knowledge and understanding. The dead never return to us, but we who are left behind regret that we had spoken harshly to them, or were mean to them in other ways. Therefore, while others are alive, and while we are alive, we should try to stick to the good path of dharma and spirituality (adhyātma) rather than follow the path of Adharma and materialism and then repent later.

Is there hope then for someone who has lived a beastly life and is now on the verge of death? In Hindu scriptures, the Lord assures that even a dying man who has an unimpressive record of deeds should focus on Him alone at the time of death because this has beneficial results. Therefore, Hindus try to persuade a dying person to forget about all worldly worries and passions and focus only on the Divine.

People are afraid of the unknown, of uncertainties. Death is the greatest unknown, a great mystery and no one can be certain (in the ordinary sense of the word), about what happens to us after we die. However, placing one’s faith in the Divine, believing in the scriptural descriptions of death, the purpose of life, the process of death, etc., is very consoling because it tends to reduce the unknown factor. If we live a life, keeping in mind our higher purpose, death merely becomes a liberating moment, at which the little bird finally flies out of its nest and soars high in the sky. As the Vedas say:

Oh Lord Rudra Shiva, We worship and adore you, the Three-Eyed One (i.e., He who sees the past, the present, and the future or who sees the three worlds). You are sweet gladness, the fragrance of life, one who nourishes us, restores our health and inspires us to thrive. As the cucumber ripens and naturally frees from the vine, so also frees us from the bondage of this world and guides us to the state of immortality. Rigveda 7.59.12