We exhibit a tendency of not accepting or facing reality. Studies indicate that in matters of importance we have significant propensity to decide psychologically and then rationalise these logically. Many a time, our decisions are based on perceptions of others and not on logical examination of facts as to what effectively meets our needs. Our lifespan is currently around 70 to 80 years on average. But mortality is inevitable.
Stages of brahmacharya or bachelorhood, grihastahasan, householder; vanaprastha, living in detachment and sanyasa, renunciation, were all designed to prepare us for varied and inevitable life stages that we are bound to experience. The idea was to prepare one gradually to accept, withdraw and seek within.
The story of Yaksha Prashna -- inquiries of the Spirit -- set at the end of the 12 year exile period of the Pandavas in the forest in the Mahabharata highlights this concept. All the brothers -- Nakula, Sahadeva, Arjuna and Bhima -- except Yudhistra fail to heed the crane’s advice (who in fact was Dharmaraja in the form of a yaksha disguised as a crane), not to drink the crystal clear water from the alluring pond, without answering its queries first. The four brothers thus fall dead on drinking the water.
Yudhistra goes in search of his brothers and finds them lying dead. The crane poses questions of a metaphysical nature to Yudhistra. The wise Yudhistra gives the right answers to the various queries raised by the yaksha. Finally the yaksha asks Yudhistra, "Who is truly happy? What is the greatest wonder? What is the path? And what is the news?
Yudhishthira replies, "He who has no debts is truly happy. Day after day countless people die; yet the living wish to live forever! What can be a greater wonder? Argument leads to no certain conclusion, the shrutis are different from one another; there is not even one rishi whose opinion can be accepted by all; the truth about dharma and duty is hidden in caves of our heart: therefore, that alone is the path along which the great have trod. This world full of ignorance is like a pan. The sun is fire, the days and nights are fuel. The months and the seasons constitute the wooden ladle. Time is the cook that is cooking all creatures in that pan (with such aids); this is the news!
In more recent times, Steve Jobs of Apple fame -- when informed of his impending death due to cancer -- addressed students on the subject and said, "No one wants to die. And yet death is the destination we all share.Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life’s change agent, clearing the old for the new". He advised youth not to waste their time living someone else’s life; not to be trapped in dogmas; not to let the voice of others’ opinions drown out one’s inner voice that always guides us best. The wisdom to accept death, the ultimate truth, enables us to have the courage to follow our heart and intuition; it never fails.