Four Letters from Lord Yama.

(Lord Yama is the Hindu God of death.)

Beware of being deluded by Maya.

Wake up now!

Lord Yama in his mercy and compassion, sends Four Letters.

Do you know what they are?

The first letter is the appearance of grey hairs.

Lord Yama warns;" Oh man, you have wasted your life. Old age is approaching you. Your life will soon come to an end. Wake up now and apply yourself to Sadhana."

But man ignores it and goes to the chemist and gets a pigment to colour the hair black. He then goes on as before. He wants to show that he is superior to Lord yAMA.

The second letter arrives.His eyesight grows dim.

There is yet a chance for him to wake upand apply himself to Yoga Sadhana; but he does not. He goes to an eye specialist and puts on beautiful spectacles.Even after that he continues to live the same sensual life.In the spectacles he feels he appears even more presentable than otherwise.

And then the Third letter comes.Teeth begin to fall.

This is a very serious warning from Yama. But the deluded man does not care even now. He goes to the dentist and has a beautiful set of false teeth made for him. Now he is even more happy:"My natural teeth were not so good as these " he says.He cares not to take the warning of Yama.

Then the fourth letter arrives.Limbs loose their vigour.He has a tottering gate. He cannot sit erect or walk unaided. But foolish man does not realise that his life is nearing its end. He goes to the shop, purchases a beautiful walking stick, and puts a silver cap on it- He looks even smarter with it than without.

Alas, all the four warnings of the Lord go unheaded.

Finally, he is snatched away by Death.

Such is the miserable condition of the ignorant man.

Wake up now. There is still time for you!

ON DYING

Dear Bernard when asked about death would quote the following;

I DIED AS A MINERAL AND BECAME A PLANT,

i DIED AS A PLANT AND ROSE TO AN ANIMAL,

I DIED AS AN ANIMAL AND I WAS A MAN,

WHY SHOULD I FEAR/

WHEN WAS I EVER LESS BY DYING?

YET ONCE MORE I SHALL DIE AS MAN,

TO SOAR IN THE BLESSED REALM;

BUT EVEN FROM GOODHOOD I MUST PASS ON.......

The Mathnawl,from The 21 Lessons of Merlyn