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Death is described as a dreadful figure. A skeleton or a bare skull is its symbol. The very word Malak-ulmaut, Maut-ka-Firishta strikes terror in the heart. Yamaraj inspires horror. The common superstition about Death is so widespread that many persons with a weak mind shortly before dying begin to see aud feel the presence of grotesque apparitious dragging them away from their dear and near ones, or bear in imagination the call of their dear and near ones, or hear in imagination the call of their dear dead relations and such ballucinations cause serious injury to the brain, tend to hasten the end, and aggravate physical suffering immeusely.
This highly undesirable, and extremely damaging condition of mind is due to a want of proper understanding of the elementary truths of religiou, philosophy, metaphysics, to an utter indifference towards simple explanations of the facts of life, and to the deplorable habit of avoiding any the least reference to even a word or idea connoting Death. This is the basic ignorance, moola mithyatva, which pervades society through and through, but which is entirely foreign to all religions and philosophies.
A right-believer, Samyak-drishti, or masallam-ul-eeman has no fear of Death. He is convinced that Life is Immortal, Eterpal, and that in Essence he is a potential God, possessing all tbe Attributes of Godhead, Infinite knowledge, Infinite Might, Infinite Joy, as the natural elements, which compose and constitute his being. He is further convinced that the body be in habits is a temporary abode, and that he must have a better and better, and a constantly improving abode in future, and hence the change of body is to him as welcome as going to a more commodious, better furnished, and better-situated tenement. Death to him is a change for the better.
Shatabdi Granth ]
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