YOU ARE ETERNAL

 

YOU ARE ETERNAL

While interpreting chapter second, verse 27 of The Bhagavadgita, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan(1888-1975]  says “For to the one that is born death is certain and certain is birth for the one that has died. “ In simple words, there is no conclusive death. There is rebirth and redeath and thus there is a cycle of births and deaths. You are eternal. According to Lord Buddha, this cycle can be terminated only through nirvana which is attainable through his philosophy of Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path.

Dr.S. Radhakrishnan, however  adds that the inevitability of death cannot justify murders, suicides or wars. We cannot desire deliberately the death of others, simply because all men are bound to die.

In verse 30 of the same chapter, Lord Krishna says :”The dweller in the body of every one, O Bharata (Arjuna), is eternal and can never be slain, Therefore thou shouldst not grieve for any creature.

Man is a compound of Self which is immortal and body which is mortal.

Recently, I came across a poem written by the American poet J. L. Mccreery (1835-1904), the first three stanzas of which reminded me of the above-quoted verse of the Bhagavadgita. They read as follows:

THERE IS NO DEATH ! The stars go down

To rise upon some other shore,

And bright in heaven’s jeweled crown

They shine forevermore.

 

There is no death ! The forest leaves

Convert to life the viewless air;

The rocks disorganize to feed

The hungry moss they bear.

 

There is no death ! The leaves may fall,

And flowers may fade and pass away ----

They only wait, through wintry hours,

The warm, sweet breath of May.

 

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G.R.Kanwal,  10^th August 2023