Death of a devotee & materialistic person – from Bhagavatam!
There are vast – 180 degree differences between the death of a devotee & materialistic person. Let us read them from Bhagavatham!
DEATH OF A DEVOTEE
A devotee of Krishna dies happily because he feels that the time to directly and eternally live with Krishna has come and he need not take repeated births and deaths hereafter.
A devotee never fears for death. He also leaves without the worry of his family because he has staunch faith in the mercy of Krishna and he knows that death is common for all and is inevitable.
So, a devotee does not pray for extension of life for his own pleasure. He happily leaves.
DEATH OF A MATERIALISTIC PERSON
Lord Kapila describes how a person dies, ie, the process of the death in Srimad Bhagavatam (Translated & Purported by HDG Srila Prabhupada) like this:
SB – 3.30.14:
The foolish family man does not become averse to family life although he is maintained by those whom he once maintained. Deformed by the influence of old age, he prepares himself to meet ultimate death.
SB – 3.30.15:
Thus he remains at home just like a pet dog and eats whatever is so negligently given to him. Afflicted with many illnesses, such as dyspepsia and loss of appetite, he eats only very small morsels of food, and he becomes an invalid who cannot work any more.
(The result of not performing death rituals by the sons of deceased! READ HERE!)
SB – 3.30.16-17:
“In that diseased condition, (i) a man’s eyes bulge due to the pressure of air from within, and his glands become congested with mucus. (ii) He has difficulty breathing, and (iii) upon exhaling and inhaling he produces a sound like ghura-ghura, a rattling within the throat.
In this way he comes under the clutches of death and lies down, surrounded by lamenting friends and relatives, and although he wants to speak with them, he no longer can because he is under the control of time.”
PURPORT BY SRILA PRABHUPADA:
For formality’s sake, when a man is lying on his deathbed, his relatives come to him, and sometimes they cry very loudly, addressing the dying man: “O my father!” “O my friend!” or “O my husband!”
In that pitiable condition, the dying man wants to speak with them and instruct them of his desires, but because he is fully under the control of the time factor, death, he cannot express himself, and that causes him in-conceivable pain.
(What are the destinations after death for different religions? READ HERE!)
He is already in a painful condition because of disease, and his glands and throat are choked up with mucus. He is already in a very difficult position, and when he is addressed by his relatives in that way, his grief increases.
SB – 3.30.18:
“Thus the man who engaged with uncontrolled senses in maintaining his family, dies in great grief, seeing his relatives crying. He dies most pathetically, in great pain and without consciousness.”
PURPORT BY SRILA PRABHUPADA:
In the Bhagavad-gita, it is said that at the time of death, one will be absorbed in the thoughts he cultivated during his lifetime. (My Note: So, we must do only those acts that will not disturb our conscience at the time of death).
A person who had no idea other than to properly maintain his family members must have family affairs in his last thoughts. That is the natural sequence for a common man. The common man does not know the destiny of his life; He is simply busy in this present flash of life, maintaining his family.
(If one faces death without clearing loans, will he have to clear in next birth? READ HERE!)
At the last stage, no one is satisfied with how he has improved the family economic condition; Everyone thinks that he could not provide sufficiently. Because of his deep family affection, he forgets his main duty of controlling his senses and improving his spiritual consciousness.
Sometimes a dying man entrusts the family affairs to either his son or some relative, saying, “I am going. Please look after the family.”
He does not know where he is going, but even at the time of death he is anxious about how his family will be maintained.
Sometimes it is seen that a dying man requests the physician to increase his life at least for a few years so that the family maintenance plan which he has begun can be completed.
These are the material diseases of the conditioned soul. He completely forgets his real engagement–to become Krsna conscious–and is always serious about planning to maintain his family, although he changes families one after another.
This is the process of death of a devotee & materialistic person – from Srimad Bhagavatam.
(Death Rites & Rituals For Children & those who committed Suicide! READ HERE!)