Think and Act Now

The Tibetan Book of the Dead is called ‘Bardo’. When a person is about to die, the chief Lama holds his hand and chants the Bardo. It is similar to Ishavasya Upanishad shlokas that say, “May this life enter into the immortal breath”, chanted when a person dies. “This body will become ashes, you are not the body! The body is ending in ashes, but you are going to the other sphere — mingling with the vital breath.” And then, a message, “Remember, remember what we are doing here; remember what we are telling you, remember O Intelligence, remember that You are the Supreme Spirit, that You are free! Mingling with the immortal breath, go!” When a person understands that at some point all his worldly activity will cease, and he says to himself, “Let me think that all this has already ceased. Then how would I lead my life?,” he will then live accordingly. Fire has always been a symbol of the spirit. Before the matchstick was invented, fire had to be lit by rubbing dry flint and fire came from a spark. A prayer to Agni says, “Lead us along the auspicious path to prosperity.… Prosperity, not only in this world but also after death. Agni, lead us unto prosperity. Take away all sins from us. Take away all deceitfulness from us. Burn it to ashes and we shall offer many prayers unto you forever! We shall continue to burn all our bad karma in you, O Agni! Destroy our bad karma, turn all our bad deeds to ashes and lead us to the path of prosperity.”

Source: Economic Times, 3/09/2019