The Art of Dying – Varnashrama Dharma.
Dhirasanta Das Goswami: In the eternal Vedic social system, a man’s life is divided into four stages:
1) Brahmacharya: This stage extends from the birth of a child to his marriage, after the completion of his studies. Brahmacharya means complete celibacy, meaning that till one’s education is complete, one has to remain celibate.
2) Grihastha: Entering into the life of a householder. After completing one’s education one has to get married and enjoy the material things in life such as begetting children, so that the system of life as handed down to us by our forefathers continues unbroken.
3) Vanaprastha: As soon as some young fellow from the family is ready to take on the household affairs, one should at once retire from family life to prepare oneself for spiritual upliftment. One is not supposed to stumble in the dark alleys of household life till one is forcefully dragged out by the will of death.
4) Sannyasa: Indeed, everyone’s life must be so arranged that in the last stage of life, at least fifteen to twenty years prior to death, one can be completely devoted to contemplation of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. The first part of these last years is formed by the Vanaprastha ashrama. The last part is known as Sannyasa, where one has to give up absolutely everything, except a small cloth to cover one’s private parts. The final stage of Sannyasa is for exclusive and concentrated meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Even today in India we can see the first two ashramas, Brahmacharya and Grihastha, being followed almost to the letter. However, we seem to have forgotten the latter two stages of life, having got stuck in extreme attachment to what we have acquired in these first two stages. We must realize that while the first two are stages where we acquire material things, the next two represent stages where we are taught how to leave things. This is the crux of Vedic education. Whilst the modern system only teaches us how to ‘acquire’, our ancient system also instructs us on how to leave things, in the right manner, at the correct time.
There is a remarkable consistency in the Shrimad-Bhagavatam in as much as it reveals that our whole life should be an effort directed towards improving our last moments. The first step in this is indeed voluntarily giving up the home when the time is ripe and the children have become responsible enough to take over the household. The scriptures are clear that not for a moment should one then stay in the house. Still, if the wife wants to stay with her children, she can continue to live with them, or if she wants she can accompany her husband. However this may be, one thing is for certain according to the Shrimad-Bhagavatam:
One should leave home, freed from all obligations of family, etc., and die at a time and place unknown to one’s relatives. Whether it be through one’s own inner voice or through wisdom granted by others, the wise person is one who becomes indifferent to material things and leaves his home with Lord Krishna in his heart.’ (1.13.25)
This ideal is exemplified in the conduct of Yudhistira, the eldest of the five Pandava brothers:
‘Having installed his grandson on the throne, Yudhistira decided to go away from material life. He gave up his silken garments and gold ornaments, and became free of all possessions. He then internalized his outward disposition, and clad himself in old, torn clothes. He voluntarily became dumb, and with disheveled hair presented himself as if he was a madman or a dullard. Then without waiting for anybody, acting as if he was deaf, the once mighty king Yudhistira set out from his home towards the northern direction, traversing a path marked by great men since time immemorial.’
‘His four younger brothers followed in his footsteps. They too had resolved in their minds that it is the lotus feet of Lord Krishna which are the ultimate refuge for all, and therefore they concentrated their hearts on the same. The resulting surge of devotion totally cleansed their minds and they became established in the Supreme State which can be gained only by those who have totally washed away all their sins, and not by those still in the throes of material attachments. Their beloved wife Draupadi too, having realized that her husbands had lost interest in her, concentrated her mind on Lord Krishna and attained Him.’ (SB 1.15.37-50)
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The Art of Dying – by George Harrison
There’ll come a time when all of us must leave here
Then nothing Sister Mary can do
Will keep me here with you
As nothing in this life that I’ve been trying
Could equal or surpass the art of dying
Do you believe me?
There’ll come a time when all your hopes are fading
When things that seemed so very plain
Become an awful pain
Searching for the truth among the lying
And answered when you’ve learned the art of dying
But you’re still with me
But if you want it
Then you must find it
But when you have it
There’ll be no need for it
There’ll come a time when most of us return here
Brought back by our desire to be
A perfect entity
Living through a million years of crying
Until you’ve realized the art of dying
Do you believe me?