Defying Death

‘Death’ is a word that conjures up images of sickness and sorrow, pain and parting. There is finality about the word that is difficult to shake off. It also instills in one the ‘fear of the unknown’; a fear that is ubiquitously present in monarchs and mongrels alike. Death is, therefore, eulogized and revered as ‘The Great Leveler’.

“You can be a king or a street sweeper,
but everybody dances with the Grim Reaper”.
~Robert Alton Harris

‘Here today, gone tomorrow’ is aptly said of life, as no one knows where life came from and where it goes. Until the mid 20^th century, death was a reality that most people accepted, albeit reluctantly. But now there is a greater surge in defying death, fostered by an increased demand for lasting life. With several advancements in life- saving techniques, the last breath on earth can be infinitely postponed; life can ‘lie in state’ with the help of life-saving machines.

Everlasting youth and eternity has from time immemorial topped the list of ‘most wanted’. It is small wonder; therefore, that man has been devising means to defy death, either by partaking carefully prepared concoctions or by appeasing a plethora of Gods. While some of the methods have had a ‘placebo’ effect, most have failed for want of a sound proof.

In James Hilton’s ‘Lost Horizon’, he describes a mystical lamasery in Tibet called ‘Shangri-La’, synonymous with ‘paradise on earth’, where immortal beings led happy lives. Is this a mere figment of man’s overworked imagination? Or is it based on reality? It may help to delve further.

The Mystery of Mastering Death

The early Egyptians made feeble attempts to overcome death. They made ‘mummies’ of human bodies and placed it in tombs along with some of their wordly possessions. This was their desperate attempt at non-stop existence.

The Bible refers to ripe old individuals who lived for hundreds of years. The good Book even tells us of a way to ensure that we defy age --by honoring our parents! Are we then leading shorter lives because we fail to honor our parents? Although the advice invites reflection, it would hardly appeal to the present hedonistic generation.

Interestingly in Robin Sharma’s bestseller, ‘The Monk who sold his Ferrari’, there is reference to mysterious individuals in the Himalayan forests, reported to have been around for several hundred years. It seems as if they hold a patent for vitality, vigor and youthfulness. These men and women, who have synchronized their lives with the rhythms of nature, are reported to be in a spiritual, single-minded pursuit of self –betterment.

The Modern ‘Elixir’

The modern man, who is ‘choke- a- blocked’ with the vagaries of technical empowerment, has neither the time nor the inclination to follow the forest track. He connives to arrest ageing and death in their tracks by popping a pill or by lazing around in steamy saunas.