Author: Beloo Mehra
Date published: July 2, 2025
As a Collaborating Center of SAIEN (Sri Aurobindo Integral Education Network), BhāratShakti regularly contributes to the SAIEN Blog. Death’s Lessons is our seventh blog published on SAIEN platform.
Death remains one of the greatest truths of Life. Not really THE truth, but one of them, relevant till it is conquered, necessary because through the passage of death Life continues, renews itself.
Witnessing the death of a loved one teaches so much. That one moment ends up giving so much as it takes away so much. The moment of earthly goodbye becomes a moment of lifelong blessing. That moment changes something deep inside, even awakens something as a deep sense of peace begins to emerge in the midst of the pain. A faint remembrance of the eternal truth becomes a source of calm strength.
Death is not the opposite of Life. Death is the opposite of Birth. Life goes on. Only Form changes. All this and more which is mere book learning, becomes real and living only in that moment of death.
Months and years continue to pass. For many months after my mother’s death in 2013, she came to me often. At night when I would close my eyes. In the wee hours of the morning when I wasn’t yet fully awake but not asleep either. Her face, her smile, her eyes, her voice. Yes, her voice.
Her voice from the time when it carried and expressed all the different shades and nuances of a mother’s loving heart. The voice of a woman strong and independent, the voice of a mother full of love, concern and caring.