They Can Never Be Dead

Cheeniya · Mar 21, 2018

Stephan Hawking, the famous theoretical physicist who spent all his life in trying to understand the mysteries of the Universe, passed away at the age of 76. He was born on 8th January 1942 exactly 300 years after the death of another immortal scientist, Galileo Galilei. Most of his life was spent in a wheelchair, crippled by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , a form of motor neurone disease that attacks the nerves controlling voluntary movement. Despite being confined to the wheelchair, he mentally travelled farther into the space than any of our satellites ever reached. In one of his interviews, he stated "My goal is simple," he once said. "It is complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all." That made him completely different from the rest of us. Sitting in that wheelchair, most of us would have spent our life cursing our fate but he never believed in fate. That liberated him to pursue his quest.

Ramanujan, who in his short span of life of 32 years, stunned the world with his mathematical genius and his jottings are still being probed by mathematical wizards the world over. Swami Vivekananda lived a brief span of 36 years and died while meditating. This is how his end is recorded:

On 4 July 1902 (the day of his death) Vivekananda awoke early, went to the monastery at Belur Math and meditated for three hours. He taught Shukla-Yajur-Veda, Sanskrit grammar and the philosophy of yoga to pupils, later discussing with colleagues a planned Vedic college in the Ramakrishna Math. At 7:00 p.m. Vivekananda went to his room, asking not to be disturbed, he died at 9:20 p.m. while meditating. (Courtesy: Wikipedia)

Take my all time favourite Kahlil Gibran for instance. He was a thinker and writer par excellence. He wrote both living and dying with intense felicity. I have often quoted his passion for dying in my various ramblings. He loved his loneliness and became an acute alcoholic to pursue his thoughts further. Winston Churchill described tact as “the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip.” Kahlil spoke about dying evoking in us deep fearlessness about death. Kahlil died at the age of 48. Inscribed on his grave are the words: "a word I want to see written on my grave: I am alive like you, and I am standing beside you. Close your eyes and look around, you will see me in front of you.”

I remember a scene from The Ten Commandments. Ramses 1 is in his final stage. Sitting next to him is his beloved niece Nefertari overcome with grief and Ramses tells her ‘Why do you grieve? After all dying is a part of living’. Whether dying is a part of living or living is a process of dying is a mute point. But what matters most is how we live our life. Some may die at a ripe old age and some may die young. My favourite writer Wodehouse lived up to 94 and he was half way through another novel when he died. And successive generations continue to keep laughing uncontrollably at his humour.

Stephan Hawking made fabulous strides into the distant space while carrying a stricken body and he never complained about it. All that mattered to him was exploration of the Universe. May his life change our concept of how we live!

PS: I may take a while to reply to FBs if there are any as I am in an acutely painful ailment. Please bear with me.

joylokhi · Mar 21, 2018

Dear Cheeniya sir,
I read and re- read this post of yours. How true every word is! In addition to the names mentioned by you there are countless people like mother theresa, Abdul kalam ji , our shankaracharyas etc etc - no, its seems too crude to just refer to them as people - they are Gods in human form who lived their lives as living examples that we, the lesser lot should acknowledge and try to live upto. Thank as always for a lovely post that needs to be really internalised by each one.
Sorry to see that you are not keeping too well. Do take care. With love and best wishes.

GeetaKashyap · Mar 21, 2018

Cheeniya Sir,
All these people were exceptional and their tremendous contribution to the society will keep them alive till the end of our earth. They are all chiranjeevs!

Cheeniya said: ↑

PS: I may take a while to reply to FBs if there are any as I am in an acutely painful ailment. Please bear with me.
Click to expand...

Your health is more important; get well soon. TC.

iyerviji · Mar 21, 2018

My dear Anna

Take care of your health. My prayers to get well soon. All those whom you have mentioned are role models. We have to learn a lot for them.

You are right how long we live does not matter but how we live matters. Every minute is important and we should utilise our time in a good way

shyamala1234 · Mar 21, 2018

Cheeniya said: ↑

Stephan Hawking, the famous theoretical physicist who spent all his life in trying to understand the mysteries of the Universe, passed away at the age of 76. He was born on 8th January 1942 exactly 300 years after the death of another immortal scientist, Galileo Galilei. Most of his life was spent in a wheelchair, crippled by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , a form of motor neurone disease that attacks the nerves controlling voluntary movement. Despite being confined to the wheelchair, he mentally travelled farther into the space than any of our satellites ever reached. In one of his interviews, he stated "My goal is simple," he once said. "It is complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all." That made him completely different from the rest of us. Sitting in that wheelchair, most of us would have spent our life cursing our fate but he never believed in fate. That liberated him to pursue his quest.

Ramanujan, who in his short span of life of 32 years, stunned the world with his mathematical genius and his jottings are still being probed by mathematical wizards the world over. Swami Vivekananda lived a brief span of 36 years and died while meditating. This is how his end is recorded:

On 4 July 1902 (the day of his death) Vivekananda awoke early, went to the monastery at Belur Math and meditated for three hours. He taught Shukla-Yajur-Veda, Sanskrit grammar and the philosophy of yoga to pupils, later discussing with colleagues a planned Vedic college in the Ramakrishna Math. At 7:00 p.m. Vivekananda went to his room, asking not to be disturbed, he died at 9:20 p.m. while meditating. (Courtesy: Wikipedia)

Take my all time favourite Kahlil Gibran for instance. He was a thinker and writer par excellence. He wrote both living and dying with intense felicity. I have often quoted his passion for dying in my various ramblings. He loved his loneliness and became an acute alcoholic to pursue his thoughts further. Winston Churchill described tact as “the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip.” Kahlil spoke about dying evoking in us deep fearlessness about death. Kahlil died at the age of 48. Inscribed on his grave are the words: "a word I want to see written on my grave: I am alive like you, and I am standing beside you. Close your eyes and look around, you will see me in front of you.”

I remember a scene from The Ten Commandments. Ramses 1 is in his final stage. Sitting next to him is his beloved niece Nefertari overcome with grief and Ramses tells her ‘Why do you grieve? After all dying is a part of living’. Whether dying is a part of living or living is a process of dying is a mute point. But what matters most is how we live our life. Some may die at a ripe old age and some may die young. My favourite writer Wodehouse lived up to 94 and he was half way through another novel when he died. And successive generations continue to keep laughing uncontrollably at his humour.

Stephan Hawking made fabulous strides into the distant space while carrying a stricken body and he never complained about it. All that mattered to him was exploration of the Universe. May his life change our concept of how we live!

PS: I may take a while to reply to FBs if there are any as I am in an acutely painful ailment. Please bear with me.
Click to expand...

Dear Cheeniya sir,
Good to see a blog from you.
One that is born is bound to die.Even if lethargic, wallowing from self pity, sulking, happy or sad ....everyone is bound to die.
Exceptional people like Stephan Hawking, Vivekananda, Khalil Gibran and quite some others did not think about death and just went on living in their passions....to me they look like they never thought of death. When the time came they disappeared from the face of earth. Whole world mourned their death and they continued to live in our hearts.
But many live as if they would be on earth forever, even the slightest idea of death scares them and feel death is going to happen to others.
The people you mentioned are exceptional and continue to live in our hearts for ever and we can bow in respect to them.
Do not bother about replies to feedbacks, take care of health. I am sure you would be reading the feedbacks. Replies can wait.
Syamala

sindmani · Mar 21, 2018

Take care of ur health sir.
Your posts are highly informative and inspirational. thanks

Viswamitra · Mar 21, 2018

Dear Cheeniya Sir,

First thing first. Please take care of your health first before responding to any of these responses. Stephan Hawking's loss to the world is enormous considering his tireless research in theoretical physics and cosmology. He had an ambition to go the space himself despite his illness and Richard Branson offered him a free trip to space. He is a perfect role model for differently-able persons as to how much they could achieve in life. It is interesting fact to know that he was born on 300th anniversary of Galileo's death and died on 139th anniversary of Einstein's birth.

It is interesting contrast between Stephan Hawking and Ramanujam. Stephan never believed in God, Ramanujam attributed all of his mathematical talents to divinity and revelation. He said all his equations are revelations. He didn't complete a formal college education but all his equations were accepted by world renowned mathematicians. He collaborated with a British Mathematician via mail to propagate his equations.

Vivekananda's spiritual ability stands tall certified by his Guru Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Sri Ramakrishna had the ability to have dharshan of mother Kali at will. However, he said, "Vivekananda had the ability to become thoughtless and reach consciousness much faster than anyone. His speech in Chicago reverberates even today through out the United States even today.

Kahlil Gibran's words on death is a big eye-opener. He said, "You would know the secret of death. But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life? The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light. If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life. For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one."

I watched Adi Sankara movie in Sanskrit that is available in the internet. He died at the age of 32 as well. Symbolically, he embraced his friend Mrityanjaya only after ascertaining that his friend Gnana will remain with him always. He confirmed to the entire world by that action that everyone's spiritual growth remains as encryption.

I watched Cho Ramasamy's "Enge Brahmanan?", a drama that talks about how a child born in a sophisticated family decides to follow the Ashrama life proposed by the Scriptures. When he lives with a Guru going out and asking for rice from various families, his rich parents' heart breaks. Then he enters Grahastha life as well. At one point, he meets with a person who was about to die and gripped with fear. This young man explains death is not real and it is only passing away of the frame. He removes his fear telling him that death is part of what we believe is life. When we break the Maya, life and death are mere mortal beliefs.

In a James Bond movie "Tomorrow never dies", a woman used to say, "There is no point in staying alive, if you don't feel alive". All of the above learned people, proved to us that it is not important how long we live but how we live that is important.

In my own perception, death happens to forgetfulness and gives another opportunity for our Consciousness to liberate overcoming the encryption. We are all born out of love, sustain in love and eventually merges in love. Why would I not take another opportunity given to me to erase the mistakes I have done on my previous chances knowing whatever good I had done would be with me in the form of encrypted experiences?

Viswa

jayasala42 · Mar 21, 2018

We have lost one of the most respected and best known scientist,who battled with a motor neuron disease since youth.
He was a man of great humour and
his book'A Brief History Of Time' was
the best seller which sold more than 10million copies.
He appeared in a number of popular TV shows and lent his synthesised voice to various recordings.Undeterred by his physical condition,he contributed much to the Science world.

"It shows," he said, "that one need not lose hope."
It is very rare to find people of this temperament.
Any dictionary may not be able to provide worthy words of tribute to this Scientist.
I can't but be reminded of Tagore who has elaborated on 'death' beautifully and was prepared to welcome death as a bride would welcome the bridegroom with a garland in her hands.
Cheeniya Sir, please take care of your health.Let the responses wait.
Jayasala 42

Mistt · Mar 21, 2018

Take care of your health, Cheeniya Sir ! Hope you recover soon.

Srama · Mar 22, 2018

Dear Cheeniya sir,

I don't know about the dead, but death definitely becomes an issue of the living.

Recently, I happened to listen to an interview with the makers of the movie 'Coco'. After that, I do really want to see the movie, just that since I am the only one interested I need to find that time alone to watch it. Coming back to the interview, the filmmaker says this about death and I quote -

"That was something that we had learned in our research - this thought that there are not just one death that there are three deaths that a soul can experience. One is when your heart stops beating. The second death is when you are buried in the ground and are never to be seen in this world again. And then the third and final death is that one that is attached to memory and when you are forgotten that, you know, you disappear - that that is the method by which you remain attached to the world are the memories that come your way." You can find the entire interview here 'Coco' Filmmakers Explore The 'Connection To Loved Ones Past'

Then like things happen, incidentally, I also happened to listen to another interview with the author of the book "The House of Broken angels". I am waiting for the library to notify me about its availability and in this book, the author speaks of his brother who knows he is passing in a few days, is burying his own mother, has a birthday to celebrate next day, and after he has passed on, the people he cared for received gifts from him for a few years - he had worked to make sure that his loved ones when they receive these (like flowers for his widow, notes to be delivered to his near and dear ones on their birthdays and things like that) to think of him fondly - a true story!

Now, do you see why death becomes about the living?

When I read about Stephen Hawkings passing and his story to my students and mentioned the diagnosis, especially about his life one of the students said that it was not fair to let a person know when bad things are about to happen - because however brave a person is, he will lose sometime living in fear or live contemplating on it. Of course, the child is barely 9 years old and I can see the truth in what he says - what you don't know doesn't hurt you.

Nice to see you back writing another snippet. We need them and sir, do please take care of your self.

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