People generally avoid talking about death and many deny the fact that they are afraid of death as though it is beneath one to be afraid of it.Death is certain once we are born and our conscious mind avoids the topic of death as far as possible. However, it creeps in.
We were in Yugoslavia and there were no antibiotics. My temperature was so high that I lapsed into a strange coma and had an out-of-body experience. I saw a tunnel in a pearlescent blue colour. I wanted to go through it, but I had the contrary sensation of desperately trying to stop myself.
There is a school of thought which declared that philosophy is born out of fear of death. Well, that is also one of the reasons. The quest for immortality is present in Humans. Also the urge to explore and enquire. What happens just before death, at the time of death and of course after death. After I wrote an article on Life after death, one reader called up and told me she enjoyed the article and wanted to know if I can be 100 % sure of my views on Life after death. I replied that to answer that honestly, I should die first and more importantly I should be able to communicate after my death and she should be able to receive it.
That’s how it is about things beyond us. At times like these one examines the tools of Knowledge.Hinduism has Perception, Inference , Testimony Comparison, Intuition.Some accept all,yet some only Some.Vedas or Sruthi comes under Sabda praman, Testimony.
One should experience life. Life is not lived by Mind but by heart and emotions. So experience plays an important part in Life.
There are volumes upon volumes of testimony from all cultures, geographical areas,countries, from people of different races and languages on Near Experience to Death.
Most describe that they saw their own body lying in state and we’re in a position to see and listen in to what is being spoken and what was being done to their own Body while they watched. I had written on This and also on the death rites of Hinduism that relate to these issues. People reported that they felt warmth, surrounded by Bluish Light and felt extremely happy.This is common vto all Out Of Body Experience,O.B.E.
Out of Body Experience.
I am providing here below the OBE narrated by popular Canadian actor Donald Sutherland.
“It was soft, warm and I was the most relaxed I’ve ever been. I somehow found myself looking down on my own body, stretched out like a shell. At first I couldn’t get my brain to order anything to move, but I was determined not to die.
Of all the paths to realize God,Bhakti Yoga,Path of Devotion,though seemingly easier than the other three paths,Path of Knowledge,Gnana Yoga,Raja Yoga,Path of disciplining the body and mind to channelise Consciousness,Karma Yoga ,Path of doing away with the determination for the fruits action,is very difficult.
Goddess Abhirami
It is very easy to say I surrender to God.
But in reality we do not.
Whereas in Karma Yoga,one has to renounce the Sankalp for the fruits of action,not merely the result..
This is Karma Yoga at its best.
Hence, the Death chant of Hinduism,Karna Mantra is from the Bhagavad-Gita.
‘
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
Abandon all varieties of Religion, Dharma and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction and grant you Salvation. Do not fear.
Here Lord Krishna uses the rarely used form of address to speak to Arjuna.
That is ‘Ma Sucha’
This is a term of endearment by a Father to his son.’
In Tamil Abhirami Andhadi by Abhirami Bhattar gives out the essence of both Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga.
He says,
‘As death, dictated by my actions stalks nearby,May you assure me not to be afraid,
I shall always think of,and call you as Mother when I perform an action,
Abhirami,the one who fills the consciousness of of the Seekers’
Greatness of the poem lies in the fact that one’s own death and mode of death is determined by one’s actions,
And one willing God not merely at the time of death or difficulties but at all times!
இழைக்கும் வினைவழியே, அடும்காலன் எனை நடுங்க
அழைக்கும் பொழுது அஞ்சல் என்பாய், அத்தர் சித்தமெல்லாம்
குழைக்கும் களப குவிமுலை யாமளை கோமளமே
உழைக்கும் பொழுது உன்னையே அன்னையே என்பன் ஓடிவந்தே
பொருள்:
அத்தர் – சிவபெருமான்
சிவபெருமானின் சித்தம் அனைத்தையும் தன்வயத்தில் வைத்திருக்கும், சந்தனக் குவியல் போன்ற முலைகளை கொண்டிருக்கும் அழகிய இளைய பெண்ணே, நான் செய்த தீவினையால், என் இறுதி காலத்தில், கொடிய எமன் என்னை துன்புறுத்தும் போது, எனக்கு அச்சம் உண்டாகும் போது, அன்னையான உன்னை அழைப்பேன். அப்போது, நீ “அஞ்சேல்” என்று ஓடிவந்து அருள் செய்வாய்.
He adds later, about total surrender,this
Be it This or Bad for me, I know nothing,
For I have given you what all I have , long back,
Real Karna Mantra in Tamil
பாடல் 33 (ராகம் – சிவரஞ்சனி, தாளம் – ஆதி) கேட்க:
‘நன்றே வருகினும், தீதே விளைகினும், நான் அறிவது ஒன்றேயும் இல்லை, உனக்கே பரம், எனக்கு உள்ள எல்லாம் அன்றே உனது என்று அளித்து விட்டேன், அழியாத குணக் குன்றே, அருட்கடலே, இமவான் பெற்ற கோமளமே பொருள்: அபிராமி, அழியா குணக்குன்று. த்ரிகுணாம்பா என்று ஸ்ரீ லலிதா சஹஸ்ரநாமம் அழைக்கிறது. மூன்று குணங்களுக்கும் (சத்வம், ரஜஸ், தமஸ்) தலைவி என்று பொருள். குணத்ரய விபாவினி என்று தேவி மாஹத்மியத்தில், முதல் அத்தியாயம் மது கைடப வத வர்ணனையில், அம்பாளை பிரம்மா புகழ்கிறார். இமவான் பெற்ற கோமளம் – மலையரசன் ஹிமவான் பெற்ற அழகிய செல்வம். ஹைமவதி என்று அம்பாளுக்கு ஒரு நாமம். ஹேமம், ஹைமம் என்றால் தங்கம். இமயம் – தங்கம் போன்ற உயர்ந்த மலை. அருட்கடல் – அருள் நிறைந்த கடல் அம்பாள். அன்னையே, அழியா குணக்குன்றே, அருட்கடலே, மலையரசன் பெற்ற அழகிய செல்வமே, எனக்கென்று ஒன்றும் வைத்துக்கொள்ளாது, எல்லாம் உன்னுடையது என்று ஆக்கிவிட்டேன். அதனால், நன்மையோ தீமையோ எதுவும் என்னை ஒன்றும் செய்யாது. இரண்டிற்கும் வேறுபாடு அறியாதவனாகி விட்டேன். விருப்பு வெறுப்பு அற்றவனானேன். உனக்கே பரம் என்று என்னை ஆக்கினேன். என்று பட்டர் பாடுகிறார். நமக்கும் இப்படி பட்ட சம தரிசனம் கிடைக்கட்டும். பகவத் கீதையில், பகவான் ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணர், “எவன் என்னுள் அனைத்தையும், அனைத்திலும் என்னையும் காண்கிறானோ, அவன் எப்போதும் என் அருகிலேயே இருக்கிறான். என்னை விட்டு விலகுவதே இல்லை.” என்று கூறுகிறார். அதுபோல் அனைத்தும் இறைவனுடையது என்ற எண்ணம் நமக்கு இருந்தால், உலகத்தில் துன்பம் என்பதே கிடையாது. என்றும் இன்பமே. ஆனந்தமே. பாடல் (ராகம்-நாதநாமக்ரியா, தாளம் – –விருத்தம்–) Abhirami Andhadhi -95
I have remarked in an article that there are two reasons for this.
One is the fear of Pain accompanying Death and another is,
The uncertainty of what would happen after death.
Would we suffer unbearable pain after Death as described in various legends and Religious Text?
What would happen to us after Death?
Are we reborn?
In that case will we be a Human being?
Will what is called as Sins haunt us?
Scroll down for video.
Indian philosophy answers this on two levels.
One is after death it is observed in Higher Philosophy,that one does not die as the Atman, the soul is eternal and is never affected by pain or births or deaths.
Another view is that, as detailed in Garuda Purana , one is made to go through various punishments for sins and granted heaven for Righteous deeds.
I tend to agree with the former explanation of soul not being touched death as death is only a transition, as Krishna puts it ,”As Human body goes through childhood, youth and old age,
Kaumaaram Yavvanam Jara’ Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2.
But one can never be sure for none is here to report these experiences.
But there are medically recorded experiences of people who have touched the jaws of Death and there are people who have out-of-body experiences.
The former is called Near Death Experience(NDE), the latter,out-of-body experience (OBE)
I have posted a couple of articles on this.
Enveloped in A Pool of Light, Near Death Experience(NDE)
Now there is case well documented where the NDE is explained vividly and he medical team has recorded it with instruments.
In all these case, the philosophical view of Hinduism is reinforced.
People have reported being enveloped in a sheet of white light which felt warm, they have been able to see what is taking place, though they could not perceive, see or hear it with their senses.
The perception has become more acute.
In some cases they have been able to see their ancestors.
The ceremonies conducted by the Hindus state that after death, for twelve days the sukshma sarrera remains near the place of death, can perceive every thing and they leave only after Sabindikarana.on the twelfth day.
And Indian thought says it is Light which is the expression of Life.
The Santhi Mantra says TamasoMaa Jyotir Gamaya, Lead me from Darkness to Light.
Curious to note here is that Living is called Darkness and moving out of the body is Light!
Look at the explanation in the image below of Thirumoolar , A Siddha,in Thirumandiram is Tamil.
Samkhyas and Vedic Thoughts differ only on minor points.
Thirumoolar Explanation of Evolution of Universe.
Now read the report of verified Near Death Experience.
The report.
Pam Reynolds who had a Near Death Experience.
In 1991, Atlanta-based singer and songwriter Pam Reynolds felt extremely dizzy, lost her ability to speak, and had difficulty moving her body. A CAT scan showed that she had a giant artery aneurysm—a grossly swollen blood vessel in the wall of her basilar artery, close to the brain stem. If it burst, which could happen at any moment, it would kill her. But the standard surgery to drain and repair it might kill her too.
With no other options, Pam turned to a last, desperate measure offered by neurosurgeon Robert Spetzler at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Spetzler was a specialist and pioneer in hypothermic cardiac arrest—a daring surgical procedure nicknamed “Operation Standstill.” Spetzler would bring Pam’s body down to a temperature so low that she was essentially dead. Her brain would not function, but it would be able to survive longer without oxygen at this temperature. The low temperature would also soften the swollen blood vessels, allowing them to be operated on with less risk of bursting. When the procedure was complete, the surgical team would bring her back to a normal temperature before irreversible damage set in.
Essentially, Pam agreed to die in order to save her life—and in the process had what is perhaps the most famous case of independent corroboration of out of body experience (OBE) perceptions on record. This case is especially important because cardiologist Michael Sabom was able to obtain verification from medical personnel regarding crucial details of the surgical intervention that Pam reported. Here’s what happened.
Pam was brought into the operating room at 7:15 a.m., she was given general anesthesia, and she quickly lost conscious awareness. At this point, Spetzler and his team of more than 20 physicians, nurses, and technicians went to work. They lubricated Pam’s eyes to prevent drying, and taped them shut. They attached EEG electrodes to monitor the electrical activity of her cerebral cortex. They inserted small, molded speakers into her ears and secured them with gauze and tape. The speakers would emit repeated 100-decibel clicks—approximately the noise produced by a speeding express train—eliminating outside sounds and measuring the activity of her brainstem.
At 8:40 a.m., the tray of surgical instruments was uncovered, and Robert Spetzler began cutting through Pam’s skull with a special surgical saw that produced a noise similar to a dental drill. At this moment, Pam later said, she felt herself “pop” out of her body and hover above it, watching as doctors worked on her body.
Although she no longer had use of her eyes and ears, she described her observations in terms of her senses and perceptions. “I thought the way they had my head shaved was very peculiar,” she said. “I expected them to take all of the hair, but they did not.” She also described the Midas Rex bone saw (“The saw thing that I hated the sound of looked like an electric toothbrush and it had a dent in it … ”) and the dental-drill sound it made with considerable accuracy.
Meanwhile, Spetzler was removing the outermost membrane of Pamela’s brain, cutting it open with scissors. At about the same time, a female cardiac surgeon was attempting to locate the femoral artery in Pam’s right groin. Remarkably, Pam later claimed to remember a female voice saying, “We have a problem. Her arteries are too small.” And then a male voice: “Try the other side.”Medical records confirm this conversation, yet Pam could not have heard them.
The cardiac surgeon was right—Pam’s blood vessels were indeed too small to accept the abundant blood flow requested by the cardiopulmonary bypass machine, so at 10:50 a.m., a tube was inserted into Pam’s left femoral artery and connected to the cardiopulmonary bypass machine. The warm blood circulated from the artery into the cylinders of the bypass machine, where it was cooled down before being returned to her body. Her body temperature began to fall, and at 11:05 a.m. Pam’s heart stopped. Her EEG brain waves flattened into total silence. A few minutes later, her brain stem became totally unresponsive, and her body temperature fell to a sepulchral 60 degrees Fahrenheit. At 11:25 a.m., the team tilted up the head of the operating table, turned off the bypass machine, and drained the blood from her body. Pamela Reynolds was clinically dead.
At this point, Pam’s out-of-body adventure transformed into a near-death experience (NDE): She recalls floating out of the operating room and traveling down a tunnel with a light. She saw deceased relatives and friends, including her long-dead grandmother, waiting at the end of this tunnel. She entered the presence of a brilliant, wonderfully warm and loving light, and sensed that her soul was part of God and that everything in existence was created from the light (the breathing of God). But this extraordinary experience ended abruptly, as Reynolds’s deceased uncle led her back to her body—a feeling she described as “plunging into a pool of ice.”
Meanwhile, in the operating room, the surgery had come to an end. When all the blood had drained from Pam’s brain, the aneurysm simply collapsed and Spetzler clipped it off. Soon, the bypass machine was turned on and warm blood was pumped back into her body. As her body temperature started to increase, her brainsteam began to respond to the clicking speakers in her ears and the EEG recorded electrical activity in the cortex. The bypass machine was turned off at 12:32 p.m. Pam’s life had been restored, and she was taken to the recovery room in stable condition at 2:10 p.m.
According to Dr. Steven Laureys, a Belgian neurologist who heads the Coma Science Group at the university hospital in the city of Liege (Belgium), has spoken to many patients over the years who have awakened from a coma and told him about “journeys” they have been on during the near-death experience.
The team, which was made up of scientists from the Coma Science Group and the University’s Cognitive Psychology Research Uni, conducted Memory Characteristics Questionnaires, which test for the sensory and emotional details in recollections. They then compared near-death experiences with other memories of intense real-life events, as well as memories of dreams and thoughts. However, the scientists were surprised to find that near-death experiences were much richer than any imagined or real event, including births and marriages.
On April 10, 2013, Dr. Laureys told CNN that patients in intensive care are often scared to tell their stories of near-death experiences, as they are afraid that people won’t take them seriously; but people who go on the journeys can be forever changed, with some no longer fearing death.
The questionnaire asked survivors about how certain they were that a remembered experience was a real event. Dr. Laureys, who believes that the experiences originate in human physiology, said, “They (the patients) are very convinced that it is real.”
It has also been discovered that it is enough just to think you’re dying to have a memory of a near-death experience.
The study said, “Many individuals having had NDEs were not physically in danger of death suggesting that the perception, on its own, of the risk of death seems to be important in eliciting NDEs.”
Laureys doesn’t want to speculate on the existence of Heaven or Hell, but he does say that only a small minority of near-death experiences are horrifying. Most of them are pleasant and uplifting. From his accounts, it sounds like more people go to “Heaven” than “Hell.
There are more cases which can be checked out in the web.
God Exists, Biology.
In his mind, Dr. Collins admitted that the science, which he loved so much, was powerless to answer the following questions:”What is the meaning of life?” “Why am I here?” “Why does mathematics work, anyway?” “If the universe had a beginning, who created it?” “Why are the physical constants in the universe so finely tuned to allow the possibility of complex life forms?” “Why do humans have a moral sense?” “What happens after we die?”
Dr. Collins always assumed that faith was based on purely emotional and irrational arguments, and was astounded to discover, initially in the writings of the Oxford scholar C.S. Lewis and subsequently from many other sources, that one could build a very strong case for the plausibility of the existence of God on purely rational grounds.
Actually, Dr. Collins says that he finds no conflict here. Yes, he also claims evolution by descent from a common ancestor is clearly true. He affirms that if there was any lingering doubt about the evidence from the fossil record, then the study of DNA provides the strongest possible proof of our relatedness to all other living things.
According to Dr. Collins’ words, he found that there is a wonderful harmony in the complementary truths of science and faith. The God of the Bible is also the God of the genome. God can be found in the cathedral or in the laboratory. By investigating God’s majestic and awesome creation, science can actually be a means of worship.
When Gödel died in 1978, he left behind a tantalizing theory based on principles of modal logic, a type of formal logic that, narrowly defined, involves the use of the expressions “necessarily” and “possibly,” according to Stanford University. So the theorem says that God, or a supreme being, is that for which no greater can be conceived. God exists in the understanding. If God exists in the understanding, we could imagine Him to be greater by existing in reality. Therefore, God must exist.
God Proved by Computer .
Using an ordinary MacBook computer, they have shown that Gödel’s proof was correct, at least on a mathematical level, by way of higher modal logic.
In their initial submission on a research server, “Formalization, Mechanization, and Automation of Gödel’s Proof of God’s Existence,” the pair say that “Goedel’s ontological proof has been analysed for the first-time with an unprecedented degree of detail and formality with the help of higher-order theorem provers.”
But unsurprisingly, there is a rather significant caveat to that claim. In fact, what the researchers in question say they have actually proven is a theorem which was put forward by the renowned Gödel, and the real news isn’t about a Supreme Being, but rather what can now be achieved in scientific fields using superior technology. The mathematicians say that their proof of Gödel’s axioms has more to do with demonstrating how superior technology can help bring about new achievements in science.
Benzmüller and Paleo believe that their work can benefit areas such as artificial intelligence and the verification of software and hardware.
I have quoted from sources in this article and I will post on how God is proved by Indian Philosophy through Intuition,Faith,Logic and Personal experience.
University of Michigan researchers George Mashour, M.D., Ph.D., and Jimo Borjigin, Ph.D., provide the first scientific framework for near-death experiences.
Whether and how the dying brain is capable of generating conscious activity has been vigorously debated.
But in this week’s PNAS Early Edition, a U-M study shows shortly after clinical death, in which the heart stops beating and blood stops flowing to the brain, rats display brain activity patterns characteristic of conscious perception.
“It will form the foundation for future human studies investigating mental experiences occurring in the dying brain, including seeing light during cardiac arrest,” she says.
Approximately 20 percent of cardiac arrest survivors report having had a near-death experience. These visions and perceptions have been called “realer than real,” according to previous research, but it remains unclear whether the brain is capable of such activity after cardiac arrest.
“We reasoned that if near-death experience stems from brain activity, neural correlates of consciousness should be identifiable in humans or animals even after the cessation of cerebral blood flow,” she says.
Researchers analyzed the recordings of brain activity called electroencephalograms (EEGs) from nine anesthetized rats undergoing experimentally induced cardiac arrest.
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