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Most of our mates on this portal must have definitely heard about Sadhguru. He is one of the most influential Gurus that India has currently. Besides Om Swami, Sri M, Sri Sri Ravishankar, He is one of the greats who are guiding people to live a better life. He, just like others, has written several books, and has continuous dialogues with youth to guide them through the shackles of corporate life. 

In ‘Death – An inside story’ Sadhguru has taken up one of the most controversial subjects – Death. The word itself sends chills in some people. Despite we all know that death is inevitable, and it happens to everyone who has taken birth, we still try to avoid any dialog around this subject. As mortals, we want to continue. This statement itself is an oxymoron, and still so easy to forget. We want to look for assurance that after death also we continue in some form. None of us can say with guarantee what happens after death. Mystery continues.

The book is divided into 3 parts:

1. Life and Death in One Breath – explaining the what and how of death.
2. The Gracefulness of Death – preparing for death
3. Life after Death – ghosts and reincarnation

Some excerpts from the book:

1. When your body perceives the fragility of its existence, there is a very profound relief and acceptance. (10)
2. When there is imminent death, the defined boundaries of the body will be somewhat diffused, which will dilute one’s physical presence in our vision. (60)
3. The fear of death is about what you think will lose by death. The fear of death is essentially the fear of loss…the only thing that can get hurt, the only thing that will feel trampled, the only thing that can be abused in you is your ego or your persona. You are only constantly afraid of losing the image that you have built of who you are. (139)
4. When someone is dying, they said you are never supposed to say, ‘Aiyyo, Amma!’ You are supposed to say – Rama, Krishna or Shiva, or some thing like that. The idea is to generate some thought to think beyond oneself [to dis-identify with physical frame or body]. (169)
5. It is your karma that makes you settle down in a place. (289)

Read the point 4 in light of point 5 of the post – The Play of Gods! This actually means that at the time of death, the family members may chant a mantra or stotram to any of the Gods mentioned, specially the Ishta Devata of the dying individual, whose energy can support the individual on their onward journey.

The cover page mentions – ‘A book for all those who shall die’. Even though this may look like a marketing gimmick, it is still true. The book has immense wisdom covered in 350 pages. Sadhguru has covered several technical aspects in the book – The Vayus, chakras, runanubandha, the sheaths etc.