Yama is as Omnipresent as Siva! Yama is associated with the
Deha, or Body; He cannot affect the Jivi. Siva is associated with
Jivi; but He will not allow the body to subsist for any length of
time. The body is the essential vehicle for the Jivi to understand
its real nature. Still, who knows when it becomes the target for
the attention of Yama, the Master of the Deha? Who knows when this
body will get entrapped in the coils of Yama's ropes? The Jivi,
burdened with this easily destructible body, must grasp the above
mentioned caution and be all eager to merge in Siva, whatever the
moment, that very moment! No single moment that is passed by can
be turned back. People usually delay doing some things, today's
till tomorrow, and yesterday's till today. But, the tasks of
Sadhana are not of such a nature; for them, there is no yesterday
and no tomorrow. This very moment is the moment! The minute that
has elapsed is beyond your grasp; so too, the minute that is
approaching is not yours! It is only that Jivi which has engraved
this understanding on its heart that can merge in Siva. Without
assimilating this truth in the heart, the Jivi is immersed in the
aims of today and tomorrow, based on the assumption that the body
is important; it thus lays the foundations for worldly attachment;
and so, it is born again and again with body and continues to have
the Darsan of Yama! It is the right of the Sadhaka to have
Sivadarsana and not Yamadarsana! He will not wish for it, nor even
contemplate it. Only those who have this relationship of the Deha
and the Jiva are Men. And those who have realised this principle
will not flag even to the slightest extent in their Sadhana. These
days, man is content with visualising and experiencing evanescent
worldly joys. He has no rest. Spending the nights in sleep and the
days in eating and drinking, he grows and grows, until, in his old
age, Death pursues him. Then, he cannot decide where to go or what
to do; all his senses have weakened; no one, nothing can rescue
him; so he ends as obedient meat to the jaws of Death!
How sad it is that this human life, precious as an invaluable
diamond that cannot be priced at all, has been cheapened to the
status of a worn-out worthless coin! There is no use repenting,
after wasting time without profit, without meditating on God or
practising any Sadhana to realise Him. What is the use in planning
a well, when the house has caught fire? When is it to be dug? When
will water become available? When is the fire to be extinguished?
It is an impossible task! If, at the very start, there was a well
ready, how helpful it would be on such critical occasions!
Beginning to contemplate on God during the last moments is like
beginning to dig the well after the fire has broken out. So, if
from now on, one equips himself by the contemplation of God off
and on, it will stand him in good stead when the end approaches.
Start today the Sadhana that has to be done tomorrow! Start now
the Sadhana that has to be done today! One does not know what is
in store next moment; therefore, there should be no delay in
engaging oneself in the Sadhana that has to be done. Physical
stamina is also necessary for this Sadhana, and so, the body has
to be tended, though over-tending causes damage. To the degree
that is essential, it should be looked after with great care.
