Hare Krsna,
Due to our bodily consciousness spanning many lifetimes, there is a fear of impending death. Unless one is spiritually realized, it is hard to accept death of one’s own body and everything related to it – family, friends, relatives, worldly respect, fame, property, wealth, etc. It is hard to imagine that there is no after-life once this body is gone. This is the reason why people act under the illusion that this is the only life they have got and they have to make the most of it through sense gratification. Arjuna was also bewildered about the impending death of his family and friends in the Kuruksetra war. It is amazing Lord Krsna’s teachings in Bhagavad Gita started with the topic of life and death. This means the question of life and death has existed since time immemorial. In a few verses, Lord Krsna dispels the wrong notion of so-called birth and death. He said, “While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead. Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change…Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent [the material body] there is no endurance and of the eternal [the soul] there is no change. This they have concluded by studying the nature of both.” (BG Chapter 2 11-16)
It is interesting Lord Krsna did not immediately reveal to Arjuna that He is the shelter from birth and death. He declares only towards the end of His discourse to surrender unto Him and that He will deliver all from all sinful reactions. This also means deliverance from birth and death. In this lesson, Lord Kapiladeva explains that the terrible fear of birth and death cannot be forsaken by any other process than bhakti yoga.
“The terrible fear of birth and death can never be forsaken by anyone who resorts to any shelter other than Myself, for I am the almighty Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original source of all creation, and also the Supreme Soul of all souls.” (SB 3.25.41)
This means without devotion to Krsna, there is no deliverance from birth and death. Without coming under His shelter, there is no possibility of stop the cycle of birth and death. nānyatra mad bhagavataḥ pradhāna-puruṣeśvarāt. “You cannot get it without taking shelter at My lotus feet. You cannot get out of this fear,” as Srila Prabhupada says in his lecture.
Why only the personal form of Krsna? Even His holy name is capable of delivering the chanter from the cycle of birth and death. That was the instruction of Yamaraja to the Yamadutas (SB 6.1)
“Although not having fully realized Kṛṣṇa, persons who have even once surrendered completely unto His lotus feet and who have become attracted to His name, form, qualities and pastimes are completely freed of all sinful reactions, for they have thus accepted the true method of atonement. Even in dreams, such surrendered souls do not see Yamarāja or his order carriers, who are equipped with ropes to bind the sinful.” (SB 6.1.19)
My dear servants, please do not approach such devotees, for they have fully surrendered to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are equal to everyone, and their narrations are sung by the demigods and the inhabitants of Siddhaloka. Please do not even go near them. They are always protected by the club of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore Lord Brahmā and I and even the time factor are not competent to chastise them. (SB 6.3.27)
Ajamila was delivered from Yamadutas by chanting the Holy Name of the Lord, even though he chanted to call out his own son, Narayana.
“While suffering at the time of death, Ajāmila chanted the holy name of the Lord, and although the chanting was directed toward his son, he nevertheless returned home, back to Godhead. Therefore if one faithfully and inoffensively chants the holy name of the Lord, where is the doubt that he will return to Godhead?” (SB 6.2.49)
This is the power of the Lord and His Holy Name. Just by chanting His Holy Name, we can be delivered from all sinful reactions and impending death.
As a conditioned soul, I often go through phases of fearfulness in my life. This fear used to insurmountable during my pre-bhakti days. But now after practicing bhakti yoga for few years, this fear is slowly going away. I often deliberately and sincerely pray to the Lord to remove all my fears. One of my favorite prayers is to Lord Nrsimhadeva:
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possess nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demon-like desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world.” (SB 5.18.8)
The conclusion is that one cannot surpass the cycle of birth and death unless one is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. The Lord is stated here to be Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, indicating that He is full of all opulences and is therefore perfectly competent to deliver one from the cycle of birth and death. He is also called pradhāna because He is the Supreme. He is equal to everyone, but to one who surrenders to Him He is especially favorable…By the grace of the Lord, simply by surrendering unto Him one can get out of this cycle of birth and death. (SB 3.25.41 Purport)
This is the mercy and love of Krsna for all of us. He is so kind that He is awaiting to relieve us from the cycle of birth and death. All we have to do is surrender unto His lotus feet wholeheartedly and engage in His devotional service beginning with the chanting of His sweet Holy Name.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare | Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 