Death is a New Beginning

We give a lot of importance to death. But the rule is that nothing is permanent, even the universe, once it is created, it has to go after 4.32 billion years. If you build a house, how long will it stay? 50 years, 100 years, 200 years maximum. Then you know what happens to it, its condition.

What do you do? You demolish and build a new house. You feel excited about this. You don't look at as if you are killing that house, destroying that house. When the new house comes up, you feel good about it. So this demolition is natural, it has to be there.

In the same way, the body is only a house or vehicle for the Atma. It has to be discarded and a new body acquired, then only there is progress for the Atma. An Atma cannot progress if it stays in the same body for long.

It gets used to it, it gets entangled in the problems that happens in and around that body. This the Lord doesn't want. He wants everyone to progress and eventually merge into him. Death is natural and reasons of death are many. Ete sahasramayutam pashaha mrityoho martyaya hantave. Says Veda, Mrityu Devata has 1000, 10000 ways of causing death. We are only sentimental about death.

because being with someone is a habit. You don't like breaking habits. Even if your newspaper doesn't come at the specified time one day you are upset. If salt is a little less in the food one day you are upset, you're angry. Sentiments are connected to habits. You are habituated to someone's love and care. When that ends, you're upset. You don't know what to do. You're not even bothered that that atma is soon going to acquire another body and continue

you its progress towards the final destination. Your son or daughter gets admission in a premier institute and you don't want him or her to go because you can't bear the pain of separation. Aren't you stunting their growth when you're doing this? This is what happens at death also. They are moving forward to a better state, to a better body. Aren't we too selfish when we grieve death of someone too close?

Our scriptures are very clear. They don't allow death rights to be performed if there are tears in the eyes of the performer, the sun, or whoever it is. There is no scope for grief at death in our scriptures. In fact, the body should be submitted to Agni as soon as possible before sunset because otherwise you are becoming a hindrance in the progress of the deceased person.

The rights are your contribution, your help in his or her progress. Like packing bags, taking him or her to the railway station, airport, bus stand. This is how scriptures look at death. There is no rest in peace in Sanatana Dharma, there is no rest. The deceased person is sitting out on a journey, he is not going to rest to a better level, to a higher level. You should say bond voyage then rest in peace. There is no time to rest.

• How does the text use the analogy of a house to change our perspective on the impermanence of the physical body?
  Just as we intentionally demolish an old, deteriorating house to build a new one without feeling like we are committing an act of destruction, the text suggests we should view the physical body merely as a temporary dwelling for the Atma. Discarding the old body is reframed not as a tragic end, but as a natural, exciting, and necessary step for spiritual renewal.
• Why is remaining in the same physical body for an extended period considered detrimental to the Atma?
  Staying too long in one body causes the Atma to become deeply entangled in the specific earthly problems, routines, and attachments of that single lifetime. Death intervenes to force a detachment from these limiting circumstances, allowing the soul to acquire a new vehicle and continue its progressive journey toward ultimately merging with the divine.
• According to this philosophy, what is the actual root cause of human grief and sentimentality surrounding death?
  Grief is fundamentally framed as a reaction to broken habits rather than a profound spiritual tragedy. People become habituated to the physical presence, love, and care of an individual. When death disrupts this comfortable pattern, the resulting upset is rooted in an attachment to that habit, much like becoming unreasonably angry over a delayed newspaper or poorly salted food.
• In what way does the author compare grieving a death to a child leaving for a premier educational institute?
  When a child leaves for a top school, parents might feel the pain of separation, but holding the child back would stunt their growth. Similarly, when someone dies, their Atma is moving forward to a better state or body. Grieving excessively and wishing to hold onto them is viewed as a selfish attempt to hinder their inevitable spiritual advancement.
• What does the Vedic reference to Mrityu Devata reveal about the nature and inevitability of death?
  The text quotes the Veda stating that Mrityu Devata has thousands and tens of thousands of ways to cause death. This highlights that the specific physical cause of death is merely an instrument of a broader, unavoidable natural law. Death is an absolute certainty with infinite avenues of execution, emphasizing that we should accept the event itself rather than fixate on the immediate cause.
• Why do Sanatana Dharma scriptures strictly prohibit tears during the performance of death rites?
  Tears and grief from the performer of the rites are believed to act as an emotional anchor and a spiritual hindrance to the deceased person's onward journey. The scriptures view the rites not as a time for worldly mourning, but as a crucial, sacred duty to assist the departed soul in moving forward, which requires emotional detachment and spiritual clarity.
• What is the spiritual significance of submitting the body to Agni before sunset?
  Cremating the body promptly is seen as a necessary logistical step to swiftly free the Atma. Delaying the process unnecessarily keeps the soul tethered to its former physical vehicle and earthly attachments, thereby obstructing its transition and delaying its progress toward its next destination.
• How does the text reframe the purpose of last rites, moving them away from being a final, sorrowful farewell?
  The last rites are compared to packing bags and dropping a loved one off at the airport or railway station. They are an active, supportive contribution to the deceased person's ongoing journey. The rites provide practical spiritual assistance and momentum for their travel to a higher state, rather than serving as a permanent goodbye.
• Why is the widely used phrase rest in peace considered fundamentally inappropriate within the framework of Sanatana Dharma?
  Rest in peace implies a final, static end to existence and a permanent halt to activity. In contrast, Sanatana Dharma views the Atma as embarking on a continuous, dynamic journey of evolution. Therefore, bon voyage is more appropriate, as there is no idle resting period; the soul is immediately setting out to achieve a higher state of consciousness.
• What is the ultimate, hidden purpose behind the continuous, sometimes painful cycle of acquiring and discarding bodies?
  The continuous cycle of birth and death is not a punishment or a tragedy, but a highly engineered divine mechanism for spiritual evolution. The ultimate design of this process is to ensure the Atma constantly learns, breaks free from stagnation, progresses through various experiences, and eventually achieves the highest spiritual goal: complete liberation and merging with the Lord.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi