Death Is a Change of State

देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा |

तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति || 2.13||

Meaning of the Shloka: Just as the body goes through various phases such as childhood and old age, the soul goes through various bodies. The wise aren’t deluded by this. (Bhagvad Gita 2.13)

Context: Arjuna was unsure about his rightful duty at the brink of the war. He was wondering whether he should surrender as the war would lead to the death of many of his loved ones. 

Krishna explained the nature of death to him to highlight how it is a natural event that can’t be stopped and hence must never affect your decisions.

What is death

Death is the last of six phases of an entity’s life cycle. The other five phases are birth, existence, growth, transformation, and decline. An entity could be anything tangible like the earth, moon, or cars, or intangible like thoughts, feelings, or memories.

Interestingly, if you zoom in or out enough, you can see all of them together. For instance, our body creates new cells by consuming (breaking down or destroying) the food we eat. 

Keep in mind that death represents the loss of something valuable as well. It could be money, material possessions, relationships, or youth. The philosophical dilemma behind Arjuna’s predicament is whether you should let the loss of anything disrupt you from the dutiful path.

How to deal with death

As we discovered above, the cycle of creation and destruction is eternal and unstoppable. It is even true for the very planet we are on and the star that it revolves around. Everything, tangible or intangible, has a date of death.

So, regardless of the distress the loss of a precious thing causes, you have to realize that death is an inherent trait of matter, that it will inevitably exhibit. And deal with it the same way you deal with the other phases — by focusing on your next duty.

Of course, it is normal to experience grief, considering you are a human who is merely exhibiting its natural traits. At the same time, understanding this fact about the universe empowers you to console yourself and overcome any adversity.

Conclusion: Go to war

One of the primary reasons people shy away from dangerous challenges on the path to greatness is because of fear of loss. The ultimate fear of loss, as you may imagine, is the death of oneself. 

Whenever any kind of loss stands in your way, it is natural to look for alternatives. However, if you break death down to understand its inevitability and recognize the fleeting nature of everything in this universe, the fear fades away.

Men who are on the path of righteousness, the path of truth and God, can easily conquer their fears by doubling down on their duties and focusing on the sincerity of their actions.

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Next Chapter: Pain Is an Illusion

Previous Chapter: Equanimity Leads to Inner Peace and Salvation

Index (with Prologue): Krishna Said That: Prologue

Life and death