The Cataclysm of Death

Remembrance of death causes a revolution in man’s thinking. For this to happen something shattering has to take place. That man is fortunate for whom this explosion takes place in this world itself, so he can remember death often and change himself before it is too late.

There was once a wealthy man who told his servants to make up his bed as he wanted to go to sleep. When the servant did so he found that the bed was very soft and very comfortable. And because he was very tired, he just felt like lying down and going to sleep on that bed. And he did just that. When his master came back to his room and saw that his servant was sleeping on his bed, he became angry and shouted at the servant, “I told you to make up my bed, not to sleep on it!” At this, the servant said: “Sir, remember the time when you will face death and you will be confined to a dark grave instead of this soft bed.” These words of the servant were like a cataclysm for the wealthy man. He trembled just listening to these words, and he started thinking of death a great deal.

From then on, the subject of death so dominated his thoughts that in spite of having absolutely everything, he started living as if he had nothing. He started thinking of death being more real than life. He started leading a very simple life and finally he died early.

The remembrance of death, the greatest reality, causes a revolution in man’s thinking. But for this to happen, something shattering has to take place. Obliviousness of death is such that nothing less than an explosion will work. This explosion may be material as well as intellectual.

That man is, without doubt, an unfortunate person in whose life such an explosion takes place and he is not able to remember death often and neither is he able to change himself.

That man is fortunate for whom this explosion takes place in this world itself, so he can remember death often and change himself before it is too late.