Death

One who has withdrawn all their senses into the Self, and who has not caused pain to any creature except as permitted by the scriptures, conducts themselves in this way throughout their life. They reach the World of Brahman after death and do not return.

O Bharata, all beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their middle state, and unmanifest again at their end. What is there to lament in this?

For one who is born, death is certain; and for one who has died, birth is certain. Therefore you should not grieve over what is unavoidable.

The Blessed Lord said: I am Time, the great destroyer of worlds, fully matured and engaged here in the annihilation of all. Even without you, none of these warriors arrayed against you shall survive.

Uttering Om — the single imperishable syllable that is Brahman — and remembering Me as one departs the body, that person reaches the supreme destination.

And whoever, at the final moment, departs from the body while remembering Me alone — that one attains My state. Of this there is no doubt.

Whatever state of being one remembers when laying down the body at life's end — to that state alone one goes, O son of Kunti, for the mind is ever shaped by what it is filled with.

'Maghavan, this body is indeed mortal, held in the grip of death; yet it is the dwelling place of that immortal, bodiless Self. The embodied one is gripped by pleasure and pain — indeed, for one who is embodied there is no escape from pleasure and pain. But pleasure and pain do not touch one who is bodiless.'

'Know it in just this way, dear boy,' he said: 'this body indeed dies when deserted by the life, but the life itself does not die. That which is this subtlest essence — this whole world has That as its self. That is the truth. That is the Self. That thou art (tat tvam asi), Svetaketu.' 'Venerable sir, instruct me still further.' 'So be it, dear boy,' he said.

What is here is also there; what is there is also here. One who sees multiplicity here goes from death to death.

As moths fly full of speed into a blazing flame to their own destruction, so too do these worlds plunge into your mouths with great force, rushing to annihilation.

Knowing these two paths, O Partha, no yogi is confused. Therefore, O Arjuna, at all times remain steadfast in yoga.

And who and how is the adhiyajna here in this body, O Madhusudana? And at the time of death, how are You to be known by the self-controlled?

Those who know Me as the governing principle of the physical and divine realms, and of all sacrifice — even at the hour of death, with steadied minds, they know Me.

Come, I will tell you the secret, the eternal Brahman — and what happens to the Self upon death, O Gautama.

As many rushing currents of rivers race forward into the sea, so these champions of the mortal world rush into your blazing mouths.

At the hour of departing, with a steady mind, joined in devotion and in the power of yoga, fixing the life-breath rightly between the eyebrows — that person reaches the divine, Supreme Person.

Death is preferable to a life of dishonest means.

Upon realizing the Atman, which is soundless, intangible, formless, imperishable, tasteless, eternal, and odorless, and realizing that which has no beginning or end, beyond the great and unchanging, one is liberated from the cycle of death.

The Buddha declared, 'We are made up of our thoughts.' Our thoughts cause the cycle of birth and death.