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I am the Soul
very dear to Raychandbhai. The young Raychandbhai happened to hear about the death. Yet he did not know what 'dying' meant. He immediately went to his grandfather Panchalbhai and asked, “Grandpa! Is Amichandbhai dead?”
Grandpa said, “Yes, my son! He is dead.” "Grandpa! What does 'dead' mean?”
How is this question answered? What do you tell an innocent child? The grandfather tried as one would explain to any other child, “My son! Now he will not walk or talk, will not eat or drink, he will do nothing.”
“But why not? He is just the same. Then why wouldn't he do anything?"
"Son! Those who die, do nothing”.
But this did not satisfy Raychandbhai. He wondered, 'How did this happen? Just a little while ago he was doing everything and now he doesn't walk or talk. How come?', and to find an answer he went over to the dead man's house. When he reached there he found many people tying the dead man tightly to a litter. Raychandbhai was moved to see this. He thought, ‘My goodness! What is all this? Why are they tying him like this? Does it not hurt him? And why is Amichandbhai silent?' and so shocked he fell into a deep thought. He was perplexed why these people who would never have hurt Amichandbhai, were now tying him down. In the meantime, the people picked up the litter and started moving. Raychand was surprised and wondered 'what next? where do they take him now?' He began following them. Several elders tried to turn him back, but he concealed himself and followed them to the cemetery. Afraid of catching somebody's eye, he hid himself on a tree.
As he watched from atop the tree, the litter was placed on the pyre and the pyre was lit from the side of the foot. Within no time the whole body was consumed in flames. Raychandbhai stood there electrified. He was bewildered over this happening
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