In the previous episode, we had witnessed Sage Vyaasa explaining to Yudishtra, the intricacies behind “Maranam” (Death) as he is mourning the death of Abhimanyu. Sage Vyaasa quotes Sage Naarada’s words wherein he describes how Bhagawan Brahma creates “Mrithyu Devata” on the recommendation of Bhagawan Shiva. As the “Mrithyu Devata” is created, Bhagawan Brahma entrusts her with the responsibility of maintaining the cycle of death systematically amongst all living beings in this world. However, as the “Mrithyu Devata” sheds tears with this unfortunate duty being assigned to her, Bhagawan Brahma consoles her and declares further that these tears shed by “Mrithyu Devata” will induce both physical and mental diseases in living beings, which would be the reason behind their death when the appropriate time comes. Bhagawan Brahma says that Mrithyu Devata will not be at fault for death happening in the world, and she will just be an instrument to cause it.
This is the reason why we see people dying all around us with various diseases at different periods of time. Recently we’ve just passed through a disastrous phase of “Covid-19” pandemic and if we’ve to connect the dots with whatever Bhagawan Brahma is saying here, we can understand the bigger picture, can’t we? Even apart from this, we see people getting into various other diseases as they get older and because of these diseases complicating with time, death occurs. Hence, this is the rule of this world that death is inevitable and all we can do is to face it bravely without any fear. Thus, moving on further, Mrithyu Devata asks another question to Bhagawan Brahma – “Oh Bhagawan Brahma! Whatever you’ve said to me till now are all fine! However, please clarify one thing to me – Does this “Mrithyu Devata” have death for herself? I’m going to be instrumental in ensuring that death happens for everyone in this world. However, is death inevitable for me also?”
At the onset of this question, we might not be able to understand this clearly. Mrithyu Devata is the “Goddess of death”. For this “Goddess of death”, is death inevitable? Mrithyu Devata continues her question further thus, “Oh Bhagawan Brahma! If I keep on alleviating people from this world in the form of death, I’m accumulating so much sin within myself in the process, isn’t it? If such is the case, when am I going to alleviate my sins and proceed to attain “Moksha”?” For this question, Bhagawan Brahma consoles her with the answer thus, “Oh Mrithyu Devata! Please do not worry on this. This is a duty that is assigned to you and do it with your utmost sincerity. Everybody has their own duty. For example, Yama-Dharma-Raja has a big duty of rendering punishments for those people who enter the “Naraka Lokha”. Does this mean that Yama-Dharma-Raja will not get ‘Moksha’? Not at all! If Yama-Dharma-Raja starts thinking like this, people in the “Naraka Lokha” will start enjoying without any punishment, won’t they? Hence, this is also an important duty which somebody should do. Similarly, your duty is also as significant as anybody else’s. Hence, do not worry about the repercussions. By performing your duty, you will not accumulate any sins upon yourself!”
Even as Bhagawan Brahma consoles her this way, Mrithyu Devata still doesn’t seem to be convinced. She now decides that there’s no point talking with Bhagawan Brahma and Bhagawan Shiva anymore as they are not going to alleviate her from this state of mind. Hence she starts travelling to several “Punya Kshetras” around the world and performs intense “Tapas”. This is because, as Mrithyu Devata begins with her assigned task, she sees that if a father dies, the son cries profusely. If the son dies, the parents mourn the child’s death profusely. If someone is getting killed, severe legal repercussions galore. Thus, at every place where Mrithyu Devata is performing her task of unleashing death, she encounters only sadness everywhere. Upon seeing people getting sad and unconsolable, Mrithyu Devata could not bear it! Her emotions take over and she becomes fatigued and weak. Hence to come out of it and make herself mentally and physically strong to combat this, Mrithyu Devata undertakes immense “Tapas” and with this, she develops an extremely strong will power within her and is able to keep all her emotions in check.
Thus, as Mrithyu Devata travels to one place after the other, she meets Yama-Dharma-Raja on the way. As Mrithyu Devata pours out her frustration thus, Yama-Dharma-Raja is now going to give a very important answer here. He says thus, “Oh Mrithyu Devata! Please do not worry too much about people crying! They will cry for a maximum of two days. After that they will wipe off their tears and start looking into their other works. Please understand that death is something that is temporary in nature. People will be sad initially about it, but they will move on with life. So please do not give so much importance into people’s sad emotions! Continue doing your duty!”
So for today, let us understand up to this point and we shall continue this discussion further into the next episode as well! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 