Life, Sorrow and Death

There is a prayer called the Mrityunjaya Mantra

In one of its many interpretations, I came across the line…

‘Release me from the shackles of life, sorrow and death’

It was a powerful statement and one that impacted quite deeply.
It was enlightenment and epiphany.
Everything in life, everything that we seek, everything that we fear, everything that we yearn for, any and everything that caused hurt, every single thing can be traced back to those three.

While there are a multitude of good things attached to the Trinity, surely, no good thing can be called a shackle. Let us instead look for the shackles, the chains, the binds, the negative impact brought down upon us by this Trinity.

Freedom from the binds imposed on us by Life
Life that led to need – need of approval
Need that led to fear – fear of disappointment, fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of abandonment
Fear that has led to a crippling shyness, anxiety, hesitancy and dependency
Fruits of said fear that nearly led me to give up on life
How is that for irony!

Freedom from the binds imposed on us by Sorrow
Sorrow fed by Life that led to hurt
Hurt that led to defensiveness, to avoidance
Avoidance that has led to apathy and so on
Sorrow fed by Death that led to grief
Grief that led to compound fear – Fear of abandonment (due to external causes)
Fear of abandonment that when increased led to increased dependency
Fear of abandonment that led to fear of further attachment
One fear that has led to another on and on and on in an ever-increasing, unending cycle.

Freedom from the binds imposed on us by Death
Death of others leading to grief, sorrow and fear
Fear of losing others, of being alone
Fear of my own death and leaving other loved ones floundering and alone
Guilt that I was and still am capable and under certain circumstances liable to… have others fear and expect it.

Anxiety, Depression, Suicide Ideation, Social Phobia, Co-dependency; all are problems I still face. All born and borne with a clear Cause and Effect cycle to the Shackles of Life, Sorrow and Death

‘Release me from the shackles of life, sorrow and death’

It was enlightenment and epiphany.

Have you read the bottom line?
Fear, fear and only fear.
So many problems with one main cause.
It gives me courage, it gives me calm.
It gives me hope that one day I can
Finally overcome it all.

Mrityunjaya Mantra
In simple speech: Mrityu = death, Jaya = victory, Mrityunjaya – Victory over death

Victory over death – victory over a meaningless death – the triumph, the conquer of having led a meaningful life – the means of leading a successful, meaningful, fruitful life – a meaning that once achieved will live beyond our physical death. Be it in memories of love, comfort, of helping hands, in words of wisdom by the wise, in the will I have to help, to inspire; I will be immortalized. I will not bow down. I will not bow down.

Life, Sorrow and Death – How has it affected and changed you?
Please feel free to share...

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