Day of the Dead
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by Tridandi Swami R.G. Bhakti Prapanna Parvata Maharaja
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All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada, Maharajas, Prabhujis, Didis and Friends. Friendly Dandavats here in Mexico. They are celebrating the "Day of the Dead", but “the death” according to the following verse of the Bhagavad-Gita does not exist for the soul: “For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." [B.G. 2.20]
The ordinary living being does not die, what to say of the Vaisnavas, as affirmed by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. We mention here a verse written in 1871 by Srila Bhaktivinoda on the samadhi of Haridasa Thakura, in which he explains the influence that Vaisnavas exert in this world, even after the game is over: "He reasons ill who says that Vaisnavas die when thou are living still in sound. Vaisnavas die to live and in living try to spread the holy name around."
As the Srimad-Bhagavatam by Sukadeva Goswami and as confirmed by Srila Prabhupada explains, death does not touch the devotee. This is stated in Canto 2, Chapter 3, Verse 17 and goes as follows: “Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.” This verse confirms, indirectly, the very important thing that the human form of life is meant to use to get to know and accelerate devotional service perfectly, and the relation that we have with the Supreme, which is now lost. The same opportunity is not repeated. So, the time of the rising and setting of the Sun will be uselessly wasted, if it is not used properly to include and understand the identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life that is wasted is not possible to be compensated with any amount of gold. The human life is only conferred to a living being (jiva), so that it can include and understand his spiritual identity and the permanent fount of his happiness.
The living being, the human being, is especially looking for happiness, because happiness constitutes the natural situation of the living being. But he is looking for happiness vainly in the material atmosphere. The living being is by constitution absolutely a complete spiritual spark, and his happiness can be perceived perfectly in spiritual activities. The Supreme Personality is the all-spiritual complete one, and His name, forms, quality, pastimes, retinue and personality, are all identical to Him. As soon as a person puts himself into contact with any one of the aforesaid energies of the Supreme Personality through suitable channels of devotional service, the door of perfection is opened immediately. In the Bhagavad-gita (2.40), with the following words, the Supreme Personality has explained that efforts that are never made in devotional service are frustrated. Neither does the failure exist either. A small beginning of those activities is sufficient to even release a person from the great ocean of material fears. As well as one very powerful drug that becomes congested in the veins acts immediately in all the body, also the transcendental narrations of the Supreme Godhead become congested through the devotee's pure hearing of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and can act in a very effective way. The auditory understanding of the transcendental messages implies the total understanding in the same way in which the fruition that happens in a part of the tree implies the fruition of all the other parts of the same. That understanding that is had for a moment in the company of pure devotees, such as Sukadeva Gosvami, prepares the life of one for eternity. And for that reason the Sun cannot rob the pure devotee of the duration of his life, as long as the devotee is occupied constantly in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, purifying his existence.
Death is a symptom of the material infection of the eternal living being; only because the material infection is the reason why the eternal living being is subjected to the law of birth, death, old age and disease. Hoping that the present finds you well, in good health and it brings you back to consciousness of Krishna.
Todas las Glorias a Sri Guru y Sri Gauranga.
Todas las Glorias a Srila Prabhupada.
Tridandi Swami R.G. Bhakti Prapanna Parvata Maharaja
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