Death and dying - Part 1

(This article is kinda long, but I request that you read it fully and also the other Parts which are to follow)

Yesterday was my dads death anniversary (Jan 10th). Its been 6 years now that he died all of a sudden because of a cardiac arrest as the whole family was getting ready for a marriage of my cousin. My dads death had brought shock and sadness to everyone in the family as nobody expected a healthy (nothing much apart from a history of high blood pressure for which he was taking medicines) to die so suddenly. But apart from the initial grief, it also brought an understanding and acceptance for the whole extended family about the nature of death (its can come to anyone at anytime). I know this is a very touchy subject and sometimes I do get emotional about it. But I thought that this is a good time to do a reality check. What is our attitude about death and dying? Do we hate to even mention/talk about this subject? Or we know that at certain point (maybe 40/50/70 years from now) that we may die and right now its about living life to the fullest (whatever thats supposed to mean to an individual...it depends from person to person).

So lets try to understand what is death and dying. Not that I am an expert in the subject matter (I wouldnt be writing this if I were!!!) but I will base my explanation on verses from Gurbani and the other phenomenas which can be verified through Bani. Gurbani talks of 3 types of death.
1)Physical death
2)The state of being spiritually dead
3)The death of Ego

Let talk about Physical Death today. To start I will use a very common shabad (verse) which is generally read at someones death. Although this shabad is very enlightening but at the time of death or otherwise we just listen to this shabad but never really pay attention to what the Guru really wants to tell us. Let first take a look at the Shabad very carefully and try to fully understand what its trying to tell us. This is very profound concept of physical death that Guru Arjan Dev the 5th Nanak has given us:

pavanai mehi pavan samaaeiaa
The wind merges into the wind.
Here Guruji is saying that the physical body is made up of Five elements (earth, wind, water, fire, sky/void/energy). Each of these elements are merged into their respective form. Our breath (wind) merges with air, our body (earth) merges with dust (earth), the water in our blood and body also evaporates while burning/buried and again merges with water and so on.
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jothee mehi joth ral jaaeiaa
The light blends into the light.
Here Guru Sahiba talks about the fire and sky element of our being (Soul/Spirit). In Gurbani the Soul/Spirit is often refered to as Jyot or light (man thoon joth saroop hai aapanaa mool pashaan O my mind, you are the embodiment of the Divine Light - recognize your own origin).
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maattee maattee hoee eaek
The dust becomes one with the dust.
Again here Guruji refers to the physical body merging into the earth/dust again.
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rovanehaarae kee kavan ttaek
What support is there for the one who is lamenting?
Now Guruji questions the condition of the people who are left behind. They are crying over the dead and Guruji asks who is the support of the person who is left behind and is crying. This question points to the fact that the person crying is also going to leave at some point and there is no stopping that, he has no one to go to for comfort him. Sounds harsh but please read on.
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koun mooaa rae koun mooaa
Who has died? O, who has died?
Now the most important question. So if the elements have merged into their respective elements, so who has died? This question really needs to be contemplated.
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breham giaanee mil karahu beechaaraa eihu tho chalath bhaeiaa
O God-realized beings, meet together and consider this. What a wondrous thing has happened!
So Guruji says that like minded God/Truth/Love seeking people gather together and contemplate as to what has just happened. Who has died? The spirit/energy/Jyot moves on, the body is left behind, SO WHO HAS REALLY DIED?? Oh man I hope we realize the beauty of this question and how Guruji is trying to awaken us. Guruji is trying to tell us that we are all Jyot swaroops (Light Beings) and the Jyot does not die itself. Its undying. It cannot be killed. It cannot be afflicted by diesease or pain. It cannot be punctured by a sword or a bullet. WE ARE ALL JYOT SWAROOPS (Light Beings). And dont thing that light being is something metaphoric. I consider this to be literal. We are literally Light Beings- made out of Light, and I will try to explain it through NDE (Near Death Experience) of others.
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agalee kish khabar n paaee
No one knows what happens after death.
So very true. No one knows what happens death except Guru. So what really happens after death? There are two possiblities as to what happens after death. The first one (the not so desired one):
kaparr roop suhaavanaa shadd dhuneeaa andhar jaavanaa
Abandoning the world of beauty, and beautiful clothes, one must depart.
mandhaa changaa aapanaa aapae hee keethaa paavanaa
He obtains the rewards of his good and bad deeds.
hukam keeeae man bhaavadhae raahi bheerrai agai jaavanaa
He may issue whatever commands he wishes, but he shall have to take to the narrow path hereafter.
nangaa dhojak chaaliaa thaa dhisai kharaa ddaraavanaa
He goes to hell naked, and he looks hideous then.
kar aougan pashothaavanaa
He regrets the sins he committed.

Now lets look at the other possiblity. The one which we all desire and seek and the main purpose of our life:
saahib hoe dhaeiaal kirapaa karae thaa saaee kaar karaaeisee
One, upon whom the Merciful Lord bestows His Grace, performs His service.

so saevak saevaa karae jis no hukam manaaeisee
That servant, whom the Lord causes to obey the Order of His Will, serves Him.

hukam manniai hovai paravaan thaa khasamai kaa mehal paaeisee
Obeying the Order of His Will, he becomes acceptable, and then, he obtains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.

khasamai bhaavai so karae manahu chindhiaa so fal paaeisee
One who acts to please His Lord and Master, obtains the fruits of his mind's desires.

thaa dharageh paidhaa jaaeisee
Then, he goes to the Court of the Lord, wearing robes of honor.

So as we can see there are two possiblities. We are judged for our actions, good or bad. Based on the judgement we can be sent to hell (cycle of birth, death and then rebirth according to Gurbani. Heaven/Hell is considered as a physical place in many religions. Again this is something which can debated but not here) or be sent to heaven (to become Jyoti Jyot meaning merging completely witht the Supreme Light).

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rovanehaar bh ooth sidhaaee
The one who is lamenting will also arise and depart.
Here Guru Sahib hits the hammer on the head (this is the real straight-talk-express. McCain needs to come up with a better slogan). Guruji is saying people who cry around the dead are also going to die at some point.
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bharam moh kae baadhae bandh
Mortal beings are bound by the bonds of doubt and attachment.
And thats the reason we cry. Weather we like to hear this or not (sometimes truth can be hard to digest) but this is the truth - because of our attachment to the person and the sadness of them departing, we cry. If we understood truly what has been explained in this Shabad, then we would not make such a big hue and cry about death (not that its totally possible by everyone even after understanding this. Everyone has their own emotional capacity to handle situations and I think Guruji understands that, but He also wants us to be aware of the reality.
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Now this Shabad is pretty long and I really need to sleep. So I will continue. Till then chew on this.