I was reading a book lately, written by John Green. Somewhere in the book there was a line which opened the doors of infinite questions. The line read -
“i shall say you that you would die and none will remember you.”
When I read this line there was a sudden heart ache inside caused due the true fact written by the writer. Now the question arises, Why he must have written this line? There could be two possible answers, either he himself is petrified about his own existence or he is someone who knows the universal and spiritual truth very well.
This small line questions the whole existence of us in this universe. It mocks on our stupidity of earning name and fame. It keeps all we have, all we want to acquire at stake. If I am going to die and no one would even remember about my existence, then why am I running in a circle again and again to achieve something that would be just gone away without anyone’s notice.
But if we put more thought into it we realise that the line has some deeper meaning in it. Maybe the sentence is trying to communicate that since no one will remember you, so there’s no point wasting your energy on something that is just superficial. Theres no point devoting your time on some wordily relationships or work. Its written that you will die one day no matter what, then why not invest your whole energy into your own self, into the awakening of your own consciousness.
A similar text was written by Swami Ramdas in his work known as Manache Shloka.
It said, “मरे एक त्याचा दुजा शोक वाहे अकस्मा- त तोही पुढे जात आहे, पुरेना जाणीई लोभ रे क्षोभ त्याते, म्हण- ूनी जाणीई मागुता जन्म घेते”
Which means when someone dies, the mourners don't realise that even they too are heading towards death. It is the greed, be it of name, fame or to be remembered till eternity, that pushes us into the cycle of birth and death.
By this Swami Ramdas tries say that instead of mourning or rushing towards unsatisfied needs, everyone should indulge themselves to attain peace and then ultimately salvation.
I m sure the writer didn’t advocate that all the relationships or all of your work is just some futile exercise. It is of course important and should be done with all integrity and hard work.
As the famous Shloka from Bhagwat Geeta goes, “"कर्मणये वाधिकारस्ते मां फलेषु कदाचन । मां कर्मफलहेतुर्भू: मांते संङगोस्त्वकर्मणि" ।।”
Which means, You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.” Its should be noted that Geeta emphasis on on the word prescribed duty.
As the Geeta tell us, I m sure writer did also try to say that these all actives no matter how important they seem are just the path to achieve something bigger. These are all just your (prescribed) duties which needs to be fulfilled without any attachment or emotions. Wordily exercise cannot ever be your final destination, they could surely be the path to achieve your ultimate aim i.e. “self actualisation”. Because my friends, you would die and none will remember you.
- Soumya Tare
