Art of Leaving

Many of us are very much interested in "Art of Living" but none of us want to know the "Art of Leaving". Yes, off course art of living is also important but more important is how to leave from this world. It's very painful situation for all of us, if we are not concern about how to leave from this material world peacefully.

Art of living can be manageable at any situation, by hook or by crook we have to live our life and it will be passed also we will never realize as a child turn to age of 5 and it turn to age of 10 and time come when he get married and he has his own child and suddenly he realize he turn to 60.

So, this way can understand any way our time is going by moments to minutes, minutes to hours, hours today, day to week and week to month and then year.

But the most difficult situation is to leave from this world, it is not very easy for us to leave this world immediately. There are so many attachments, relations stop us to leave from here but as we know this is the truth, we must accept it and we must go at any cost.

So here I am going to share you about the Legend personality who taught us "Art of Leaving". And if we take accept something out of it, we will learn how to leave peacefully from this material world.

Bhishmadeva is very well known as one of the twelve Mahajanas—authorities—in our Vedic scriptures. He was great warrior and well known for his religious principles. But due to some diplomatic situation he accepted the side of Duryodhana, but he never wanted Pandvas to suffer any more.

After the war, while on his deathbed (arrow bed) he gave deep and meaningful instructions to King Yudhishthira on statesmanship and the duties of a king. Bhishmadeva always gave priority to Dharma. He always walked in path of Dharma, even though his circumstances because of his promise, he was supposed to forcefully follow the orders of his king Dhritharashtra, which were mostly Adharma, he was totally upset. He was sure he must let dharma win and Pandavas win, but the way he led the war and stayed silent were his sins in a way and he paid for it with the bed of arrows.

When Mahabharta war got over and King Yudhishthir started ruling. There was only one person who was still there in Kurukshetra and waiting for his last breath on bed of arrows. Although he received boons, he can die from his own wish but still he was suffering from the pains of Arjuna's arrow for so many days.

Lord Krishna asked King Yudhishthir to go and get some teachings from Bhishmadeva as he knows all the Vedic principles and he is master’s in it.

So. King Yudhishthir decided to see Bhishmadeva and he went along with his brothers and Lord Krishna. There were many of demigods and great sages were came to see Bhishmadeva.

There were Narada Muni, Parvata Muni, Asita Rishi, Bhardwaja Muni, Kashyapa Muni, Vyasdeva and many more. So, we can understand how powerful Bhishmadeva was.

When Bhishmadeva saw everyone, he respected everyone from his heart and put his obeisance’s to Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna smiled and understood what Bhishmadeva wanted to tell and as Krishna is situated in everyone's heart, he knows everything what we will and wish.

Bhishmadeva was suffering a lot as there was no space with their body, his body was filled with arrows. But he never wanted to waste his life and he wanted to see Lord Krishna while he left his body. But Lord Krishna was also testing to Bhishmadeva, how much patience he has and how much time he can wait for me but finally Bhishmadeva won and Krishna shower His mercy upon Bhishmadeva.

Bhishmadeva advised for all human beings nine qualifications:

1. Not to become angry

2. Not to lie

3. To equally distribute wealth

4. To forgive

5. To beget children only by one’s legitimate wife

6. To be pure in mind and hygienic in body

7. Not to be inimical toward anyone

8. To be simple

9. To support servants or subordinates.

So, from this story we can learn, a person who can leave his body by his own wish but still he was suffering from so much pain and waiting for mercy of Krishna. So we have to suffer in this material world by our own past deeds but we should never forget to Krishna. If we remember Krishna at the time of death, Krishna will take care of us, as it is stated in Bhagwad Gita also in chapter 8.5.

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् |

य: प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशय: || 5||

Those who relinquish the body while remembering Me at the moment of death will come to Me. There is certainly no doubt about this.