Remembering Someone Lost.

Standing before the funeral pyre my mind was pondering over the questions, which has been the subject of debate for thousands of years, but except some few great souls the collective humanity either ignores or just not able to think about the only reality of life called 'Death'. In the Mahabharata we find Yudhistira answering the question put forward by non-other than Lord of Death, Yamraj:

 Yamaraja asked Maharaja Yudhisthira,

‘What is the most wonderful thing within this world?’ 

Mahārāja Yudhisthira replied:

“Hundreds and thousands of living entities meet death at every moment, but a foolish living being nonetheless thinks himself deathless and does not prepare for death. This is the most wonderful thing in this world.” 

The passing away of friend’s mother has again brought back the memory, which as a child seeing the sleeping father I would cry thinking and feeling, what if father does not wake up? Life seems to have moved long from that period but still the great secret of life is not unlocked. Although has read some of the works of great souls but when the body bereft of life lay before me I can’t but have deep inexpressible emotions. Surrounded by the relatives, well-wishers who have come to pay their final respects, it was simply an emotionally moving sight. And when the dead body was taken outside of home for final rites the thought flashed, “Where is the love of son toward mother which does not allow it to remain inside home”.

 As she was a teacher the school authorities came and requested the family members to allow them for taking the deceased body to school so that the colleagues and students can give their last homage, which they hesitatingly agreed. The vehicle, “Swargarohan” came and amidst of so many people surrounding the body it was carried and taken towards the school. The long queues of students on both sides of roads waiting to receive the body of their departed madam who was alive just someday back shows the deep respect she commanded in her life of profession as teacher. Vice principle, PRO, colleagues and Senior citizen of that area came forward to receive their beloved comrade. Everyone offered flowers which were followed by some words spoken in memory of her by Vice Principal, senior citizen and students. Finally after one minute silence and pray for her soul to rest in peace, the body was taken to the cremation ground for final rites. On the way to cremation ground, driving my car, I along with my friends followed Swargarohan reflecting on the meaning and purpose of life along with various inputs given by friends besides me.  As the body was taken from the vehicle and put on pyre, clothes taken away and body made ready for the “Mukhagni” the first fire to be given by eldest son, I saw the face of ‘Khuri’ as I use to call her lovingly to see if she may wake up any time and throw away all the wooden pieces kept on her body. At last just to convince, put my finger on her closed eyes to see and have my last confirmation. 

The eldest son followed by his brothers made rounds and lit the fire as if their mother is no more!  As the lord Agni began to consume the body the thought came of the last day, when I met her alive. Although a beautiful smile always adorned her face most of the time but on that day she was little sad and seeing me near her, she asked, “Why you came after so many days, is this love of you and between you all”.  Whenever I met she would often talk about her son’s marriage and happiness. She would also think and speak about her school colleagues, acquaintances that she meet in her school making a comparative discussion as life of teacher and a mother of four sons who want a successful life for their children. As the fire took enormous size, again the thought of ancient thinker came questioning the validity of love, “ as soon as the one we love dies , we take it to fire, to burn it “ is this the love by burning! Lord knows. But what is gone is gone forever. May be she take another life for fulfilment, may be as the Katha Upanishad says, she has gone to place where there is no sun shining, no moon, no stars, only that by shining which everything shines.