Mortality

The Gurbani indicates that “death is pre-ordained”. As pointed out in the following verses, Jeeva (individual beings, embodied beings…) come into this world with a fixed departure from here.

• ਮਰਣੁ ਲਿਖਾਇ ਮੰਡਲ ਮਹਿ ਆਏ ॥ : maran likhaae manddal mehi aaeae || Destined to die, he comes into the world. (sggs 685).
• ਕੋ ਰਹੈ ਨ ਭਰੀਐ ਪਾਈਐ ॥੫॥: Ko rahai na bhareeai paaeeai ||5||: No one remains here when the count of the breaths is full ||5|| (sggs 465).
• ਮਨਮੁਖ ਅੰਧੇ ਕਿਛੂ ਨ ਸੂਝੈ ॥ ਮਰਣੁ ਲਿਖਾਇ ਆਏ ਨਹੀ ਬੂਝੈ ॥: The blind, self-willed Manmukhs do not understand anything; death was pre-ordained for them when they came into the world, but they do not understand (sggs 114).
• ਮਰਣੁ ਲਿਖਾਇ ਆਏ ਨਹੀ ਰਹਣਾ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਜਪਿ ਜਾਪਿ ਰਹਣੁ ਹਰਿ ਸਰਣਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Death (of the physical body) is pre-ordained – no one who comes can remain here. (However) chanting, meditating on the Lord and remaining in His Sanctuary, Eternal Life is attained (ਸਦੀਵੀ ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ). ||1||Pause|| (sggs 153).

Sanjog (ਸੰਜੋਗ – union…) of Jeevaatmaan and body (ਜਿੰਦ ਤੇ ਸਰੀਰ) is considered the life (ਜੀਵਨ), and Vijog (ਵਿਜੋਗ –  separation…) of these two constitutes death (of the physical body – ਮੌਤ, ਮਰਣ).

According to the Gurbani, Sanjog (ਸੰਜੋਗ – union…) and  Vijog (ਵਿਜੋਗ –  separation…) are pre-ordained.

• ਸੰਜੋਗੁ ਵਿਜੋਗੁ ਧੁਰਹੁ ਹੀ ਹੂਆ ॥: Sanjog vijog dhurahu hee hooaa: Union (ਜਿੰਦ ਤੇ ਸਰੀਰ ਦਾ – Jeevaatmaan and body) and separatinchon (ਜਿੰਦ ਤੇ ਸਰੀਰ ਦਾ – Jeevaatmaan and body) are ordained by the Primal Power (sggs 1007).

Also, it’s called the union (ਮਿਲਾਪ, ਮਿਲਣ) when two (or more) individuals meet. To the contrary, it’s the separation (ਵਿਜੋਗ, ਵਿਛੋੜਾ, ਜੁਦਾਈ) when they separate from each other.

This duo of Sanjog and Vijog (union and separation – ਜੀਵਨ, ਮਿਲਾਪ, ਮਿਲਣ, ਵਿਛੋੜਾ, ਜੁਦਾਈ, ਮੌਤ, ਮਰਣ, etc.) make the world go. That is, as stated in the Gurbani, this duo sets the “foundations of the Universe”. Based on each Jeeva’s (individual’s) Karma, people come and meet here, and then, after awhile, they die separate from each other.

• ਸੰਜੋਗੁ ਵਿਜੋਗੁ ਦੁਇ ਕਾਰ ਚਲਾਵਹਿ ਲੇਖੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਭਾਗ ॥: Sanjog vijog dui kaar chalaavahi lekhe aavahi bhaag: (These two powers of the Primal Being – ) Union separation make to world go (ਦੋਵੇਂ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦੀ ਕਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਚਲਾ ਰਹੀਆਂ ਹਨ). (Based on our Karma – ਸਭ ਜੀਵਾਂ ਦੇ ਕੀਤੇ ਕਰਮਾਂ ਦੇ ਲੇਖ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ) we come to receive what is written in our destiny. (sggs 6).

The Gurbani time and again urges us not to be afraid of death. Instead, we are urged to understand it through the Shabad.

• ਜਿਹ ਮਰਨੈ ਸਭੁ ਜਗਤੁ ਤਰਾਸਿਆ ॥ ਸੋ ਮਰਨਾ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦਿ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸਿਆ ॥੧॥: Jih Maranai sabh jagat traasiaa. So maranaa gur sabadi pragaasiaa ||1||: That death which terrifies the entire world – the nature of that death has been revealed to me, through the Gur-Shabad (ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਦੀ ਬਰਕਤਿ ਨਾਲ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਸਮਝ ਆ ਗਈ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਉਹ ਮੌਤ ਅਸਲ ਵਿਚ ਕੀਹ ਚੀਜ਼ ਹੈ). ||1|| (sggs 327).

The urbani also tells us exactly how to escape death:

• ਸਬਦਿ ਮਰੈ ਫਿਰਿ ਮਰਣੁ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੂਏ ਕਿਉ ਪੂਰਾ ਹੋਇ ॥: Sabadi marai phir maran na hoi. Bin mooe kiou pooraa hoi: One who dies in the Shabad, will never again have to die. Without such a death, how can one attain Perfection? (sggs 153).
• ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਜੀਵਤੁ ਮਰੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਸੈ ਮਨਿ ਆਇ ॥੧॥: Gur kai Sabadi jeevat marai Hari Naam vasai mani aai ||1||: Through the Gur-Shabad, remain dead while yet alive, and the Name of the Lord shall come to dwell within the mind ||1|| (sggs 33).

Now, what is it to die in the Shabad? We will attempt to reflect on it in a separate post.