The Fear of Death

King Parikshit had been cursed by Sringi Rishi that he would die in the next 7 days with a snake bite as he had disrespected his father. To reverse this curse King Parikshit sought help from Shukdev Muni. Muni ji told him that the curse cannot be reversed and his death is unavoidable. Shukdev Muni narrated the Holy Gita as a means of redemption during these final days of the King’s life so that he could leave with peace. But the fear of death continued to overwhelm the king and Shukdev Muni decided to pause The Gita and instead narrated a short story.

People tend to focus more on the Puranas

Stories and legends are an integral part of the moral education in our country. The Puranas use simple stories or incidents to get the core message across. There are many such legends in the Puranas and there are 18 Puranas, along with their 18 sub-Puranas. The legends of the Puranas became so popular that people overlooked the Vedas, the primary source of knowledge from where the ancient stories originated. People tend to focus more on the Puranas because they impart knowledge in a simple and realistic form through stories. The knowledge that you acquire through a story ! a small medium, may not be easily understood through a mantra or scriptural verse. Shukdev Muni  also decided to narrate a story so that the king could overcome the fear of death from a snake bite.

There was a king

There was a king, said Muni Sukhdev! who had lost his way in the jungle. His bodyguards too could not keep pace with him. So, he was left alone and as the evening dawned a storm also ensued making it impossible to find his way back to the palace alone. It was windy and dark at night, and he did not know where to go and seek shelter. In a distant he saw a lamp burning in a hut.

He followed the light and entered the small shack. He couldn’t see anyone there except an extremely foul smell each around.He called out, “Is anyone here?” A voice from inside said, “It is my hut and I am a hunter but too weak to get up. I live in this jungle in this hut by myself.” The king said, “Well, dear brother. I want to stay here for the night but is there some place here where there is no foul smell. You have spread garbage and filth all around this place.”

The hunter asked him to come a bit closer

When the king came near, he saw that he had skinned the animals and their hides were hanging from the roof. He had waste all around. It was giving foul smell. The king did not have any other place to go. So, what else could be done! The king said, “Well, friend! Kindly let me rest for the night in a corner where the foul smell is less.” The hunter said, “O king! You may spend the night here but no more than one night. Everyone who comes here does not want to leave even though the house has a very foul smell!  presents an unpleasant sight, there are hides and excreta all around.

And I am pretty sure that if you stay here for a night and I ask you in the morning you will not want to leave either and will ask to stay here forever. You will sit here and call this place better than any other place. You will like the place. Therefore, just come inside once. You will feel bad initially! but once you get accustomed to the foul smell and surroundings, you will not wish to leave.” The king had no choice and decided to stay there for the night but by next morning he forgot all about his own palace. He sat in the hut and did not wish to leave.

He seemed to be the biggest fool to me

As Shukdev Muni narrated the story ! the king Parikshit got very angry and he said, “Muni Maharaj! what a fool that king must have been and how ignorant. He stayed in that small hut full of foul smell and did not want to leave that place. He seemed to be the biggest fool to me. Who would be more foolish or ignorant than him? And what sort of king he was? The place is so foul-smelling and yet he does not want to leave that.”  Shukdev Muni also got angry and said, “O King, this king is none other than you yourself. The hut is the body you live in. It is so filthy that you were writhing in pain when you came here and now, at the time of leaving also, you are restless.

This body of yours is full of waste and foul smell too but you are so attached to it that now you see yourself as one with it. You are feeling distraught as the time to leave this hut body is nearing. When death is telling you, ‘Get out of this body; I will give you a more beautiful house to live in’, you do not want to leave it. You are still attached to it and even after listening to the ultimate Gita Gyan you fail to understand that death is not your enemy. Death is the means to free yourself from the material bondages and foul smell so that you can go to your Godly palace. You are that ignorant king. There is no other king in my story. You are only that king.”

Now I have to leave it

In utter surprise and anguish, Parikshit held his head and started crying, he said, “Muni Maharaj! The knowledge, which I could not gain from your high preaching I have understood now in one blow. Now I am not enamored to this body. I know I have already lived in this body full of filth all those days for which I was destined to live in it. Now I have to leave it. When it is my turn to leave it then why should I not do it with pleasure? I will not be worried even if death comes because this is an opportunity to leave this body for the holy abode.”