The Wise Remain Resolute in the Face of Death

देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा |

तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति || 2.13||

Meaning of the Shloka: The human body undergoes different phases such as childhood, youth, and old age within a lifespan. Similarly, the entire body undergoes the phase of death. (Bhagvad Gita 2.13)

Context: Arjuna was unwilling to go to war because he was afraid of the bloodshed and death it would lead to. Consequently, he contemplated abandoning his duties as a warrior and leader.

Krishna reminded him that something natural like death should not affect the commitment and sincerity toward his duties. He elaborated on how the wise recognize the inevitability of death and do not let the sorrow that comes with it affect their actions in critical moments of life.

How to deal with mortality

Fear emerges from our affection for a certain entity or being. When we are attached, we are afraid to let it go, which determines the choice of actions. However, this clouds our judgment and we are swayed to do the easy thing over the right one.

There are plenty of individuals who remain in terrible conditions accepting crap they shouldn’t because they fear death. There are also many individuals who regret their decisions every single day because the fear of mortality disallows them from taking the right step forward.

However, when you recognize death as a simple change of state of our definitely fallible bodies, the fear dissipates.

Of course, you can still acknowledge the gravity of the circumstances, especially if it is about the lives of others, and still be resolute in your path. In fact, it allows you to critically evaluate and validate your decision in that particular situation.

If you are truthful, go ahead.

Conclusion: Do what you are supposed to

The potential consequence of a righteous act should not determine its validity.

There are many situations in life where you need to kick people away and fight for your dignity, quite literally. As always, death is a potential outcome. Instead of letting it overpower your nerves, see it as one of the many consequences.

This will help you realize whether you are doing the right thing and determine the right choice of action. If your decision-making framework is based on the truth, death doesn’t matter.

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Next Chapter: Emotions Are Perishable and Misleading

Previous Chapter: We Live Forever, Albeit in Different Forms

Index (with Prologue): Krishna Said That

Charging into battle