8.

One of the questions the YAKSHA asks of YUDHISHTHIRA is: “What

is the greatest mystery in this world?’’ YUDHISHTHIRA replies:’’ Although
many people dying everyday, most of us don’t realise or thing about our death.
Isn’t hope that we’ll be living forever, the greatest mystery of all?’’ By Leo
Tolstoy, in story “What Mean Live By’’-an angel is sent to earth by GOD to
learn some important lessons in life, on of which is: “What is not given to man”.
Through his experience on earth, the angle learns that “It is not given to man to
know his own needs.” Explaining the second lesson, Tolstoy says, “It is not
given to any man to know whether, when evening comes, he will need boots for
his body or slippers for his corpse.”
When dealing with issue of death most people of though several stages- denial,
depression anger and finally acceptance. The fact death is universal and
avoidable, and so should be accepted as being an inevitable part of life.
Most rituals associated with death are, in fact, designed to enable us to reach a
state of acceptance, of coming to terms with death as a natural, inevitable event.
For instance, the lighting of a lamp or candle, a tradition in most religious belief
systems, is meant to help light up the soul’s journey, which is grouping its way.
It is believed that the soul at this stage is most receptive to our offerings of
prayer.
Whatever our belief system, it is clear that by focusing on helping the departed
soul, our own grief vanishes slowly but steadily. In doing so, we would perhaps
move closer to understanding the impermanence of life. A mediaeval book on
the craft of dying says,” Learn to die and thou shalt learn how to live.”
Topic:- You live, Once you know how to deal with death.