417 Only tears will unload the burden
This burden will go
Only in weeping
We know that
The dead won’t comeback
What is the use of?
Lamenting
But who can withstand
Such a loss?
Years may go
Quickly
Along with it
Memories might disappear
Yet the relationship
That we had with them
Will often come and
Remind us the vacuum
The body will
Disappear one day
But the relationship
Will remain forever
Through some means
In each generation
The beauty of relationship
Will continue
God alone gave
This great status
He gave relationship
For humanity to continue
He linked human beings (through relationship)
For the continuation of humanity
And made them to live
Generation after generation
The past generation
Is not in our memory
We may not see
The future generation
But through our generation
He made a bridge
To link
Each generation
Arranging a separation
Through death
He set a rule
For humanity to continue
To unload that
Burden of separation
He gave a heart
To weep
To mingle
Relationship and separation
With each other
And making a whole
Keeping both
Joy and sorrow in them
He created us
To live on earth
30-4-16, 11.00, am. Mathigiri
Today is the 10th death anniversary of Prasad. Since past two days I was thinking about him. I wanted to call his mother and wife. At the same time I know that my calling is going to increase their pain of separation more. However this morning I first called Prasad’s mother. The moment she spoke both of us began to cry unable to control our sorrow. Then I called his wife, but only I was crying and she said, ‘Swamiji you should not cry. Your shishya has gone nowhere. He is only with us.’ Anyhow I find it difficult to control myself and continued to cry thinking about him. He is very close to me.
Knowing the fact that crying over dead people is foolish think. But according to my personal conviction, God, mercifully gave the emotion of crying to release our burden. For me crying for those who passed way is not an act of foolishness but another way of celebrating the importance of human relationship.
Though gradually we will lose the memory of those who passed, often the way we miss their relationship will come and remind about the vacuum that death has created. Of course body will perish but the relationship that we have with others will continue generation after generation. God both allowed death and created relationship for the continuation of humanity. We won’t remember our previous generation and many won’t see the future ones but through our life and relationship we become the link to join them. Though death is a blessing for the continuation of humanity, tear is a means to unload the burden. So relationship and separation is mixed one. And we have joy and sorrow in them both. But this is part of life. So along with death, tear is also a blessing for me from God.
Though I am a great admirer or Mahatma Gandihi, I cannot agree with him on several issues. And his view on shedding tears for the dead is one such. When I read the following comments complaining about the Hindus weeping over the dead is not agreeable to me. I cannot understand his statements that Hindus weep because of their fear about death. Rather for me weep over the dead is another kind of celebrating relationship. The Muslims may not weep publically over a dead body, but definitely miss them much. But when any bombast happens in Muslim countries, I have seen many men and women crying on the very scene. This shows that they too are human beings and betrays what Gandhiji said about them.
Anyhow the following response from Dr. Hoefer will help us to understand the Islamic theology about crying:
“Jesus wept” (Jn 11:35), seemingly out of grief for the loss of His friend and the suffering of the sisters. Death is “the last enemy” (I Cor 11:56).
In regard to Muslims not crying at a loved one’s death, it is rooted in their theology. One of the expectations in the Quran for pious Muslims is that they accept events without grumbling. “Islam” means to submit, so Muslims should submit to every event as the will of God, without complaining. Allah then counts this pious submission as merit in their reckoning before Him in the Final Judgment.
A Western reporter in the Middle East related this statement from an interviewee: “The difference between you in the West and we Muslims here is that you love life and we love death.” Life is tough here, but the glorious joys of heaven, as described in the Quran, await those who have proved themselves worthy.
God bless.
Herb
25-8-16
206. PUNJAB LETTER
LAHORE,
Magh Sud 6 [January 27, 1920]
…The sight of the dead body of Abdul Hafeez was heart-rending. I was overwhelmed with grief as I looked upon that sturdy frame and that charming face, but I took heart from the fortitude of the Muslim brethren standing around. I observed no wailing and weeping near the body. The people were exchanging
remarks, unmoved with fear, as though standing round someone in deep sleep, and described to me how he had been killed. The scene appealed to me greatly. I thought of the wailing and crying usual among the Hindus. I wished that we were delivered from that horror. I also told myself that we could do a great many things if we discarded this fear of death. I have often felt that the followers of Hinduism, who
should least fear death, fear it most. The very thought of this makes me feel ashamed. We learn right from our childhood that the soul is immortal and the body transitory, and that every act will have its consequence. Why then do we fear death? The only son of Abdul Hafeez was standing by my side. He too spoke as if untouched by fear. May God give peace to the soul of Abdul Hafeez. (p.356)
[From Gujarati], Navajivan, 1-2-1920—Complete Works of Gandhi, vol. 19
417 அழுதால் குறையும்
அழுதால்தான் தீரும்
இந்தப் பாரம்
யாரிடம் புலம்பி
என்ன லாபம்
போனவர் வந்திடார்
புரிந்திட்ட போதும்
இழப்பைத் தாங்கிட
எவராலே முடியும்
ஆண்டுகள் ஓடி
மறைந்திடக் கூடும்
அத்துடன் நினைவுகள்
தேய்ந்திடக் கூடும்
ஆயினும் வாழ்ந்த
உறவு மட்டும்
இடையிடை வந்து
வெறுமையைக் காட்டும்
உடலும் ஒருநாள்
மறைந்து போகும்
உறவு மட்டும்
நிலைத்து நிற்கும்
ஏதோ ஒருவிதம்
தலைமுறை தோறும்
உறவின் அருமை
தொடர்ந்து நிற்கும்
இந்த மேன்மையும்
இறைவனே தந்தான்
மானுடம் வாழ்ந்திட
உறவினைச் சமைத்தான்
தொடர்ந்து வந்திட
மனிதரை இணைத்தான்
தலைமுறை தலைமுறை
வாழ வைத்தான்
சென்ற தலைமுறை
நினைவில் இல்லை
வரும் தலைமுறை
காண்பதும் இல்லை
நம் தலைமுறை
வாழ்ந்திடும் உறவில்
தலைமுறை இணையப்
பாலம் அமைத்தான்
மரணம் மூலம்
பிரிவினை வைத்து
மானுடம் தொடர
விதிஒன்று வைத்தான்
அந்தப் பிரிவின்
பாரம் நீங்க
அழுது பார்க்க
மனதும் வைத்தான்
உறவும் பிரிவும்
ஒன்றுடன் ஒன்று
இரண்டறக் கலந்து
பின்னிப் பிணைந்து
இன்ப துன்பம்
இரண்டிலும் வைத்து
இங்கே வாழ
நம்மைப் படைத்தான்
30-4-16, காலை, 11.00, மத்திகிரி