Life after...

I was returning a while ago in an Auto after a heavy dinner and a discourse by a friend. Of course, I am in Hyderabad.

A lot of thoughts crossed my mind when the Auto came over Nagarjuna Circle, Banjara Hills flyover. For people who don’t know the geography, this is a place where there is a cemetery on either side of the road. Probably, the road has been built through the cemetery.

The first thing that came to my mind was, Why did Human beings started to bury the dead? Leaving aside all the religious beliefs, I was drawn to my eighth or ninth standard Biology lessons, which taught of the concept of 'Evolution'. I began to think that, this probably was the way that man found to save himself from seeing the human body decay.

I was reminded of the verse from Shankaracharya's Bhaja Govindam, 'Yaavat Pavano nivasati dehe taavat prichchati Kushalam Gehe. Gatavati vaayou dehaa paaye, bhaarya bibhyati tasmin kaaye', which roughly translates into 'Till the time there is life in you, people think about you and your well being. The moment, 'Air' is out of one's body, even the wife would be frightened to see the dead'

I was also reminded of a teacher by name 'Francis D'souza,' who taught History in my high school. Once he had remarked, 'It feels so great after you are dead to be buried in the lap of mother nature, rather than being burnt into ashes.' I really dont remember the context in which he said that, but yes, even then I was wondering, how can somebody know what happens after he is gone. What difference does it make to the body without any life in it?

Thoughts about reincarnation, Life after death, all the stories that I had heard of as a kid that 'Yamaraj' would be standing in hell with a vessel of boiling oil and the moment you enter hell and if you are a sinner, you will be fried in that vessel: The 'Kinkaras' will chew your nails off if you have done that all your life (Nevertheless, i still have that habit and I am sure, there wouldn't be anything left for them :-) ) : There would be no food given for days together if you waste food that has been served for you : Your tongue will be cut off for using fowl language when you are a kid, etc. etc.

I was preoccupied in thinking about the discussion that I had with my friend on the way things are going in a recessionary economy, when all of a sudden, I was reminded of my once upon a time ambition, 'When I die, I should be happy and there should be at least a million people who cry!'

By the time, I began to think of on this, I had reached my destination and the next problem was to get the door opened...