I am back after a fabulous trip to Coorg, Bellur and Hallibed with my friend in his new Ford Ikon. I wanted to blog about the wonderful trip, but then my teachers father passed away last evening after a massive cardiac arrest. Hence thought would share few thoughts he had shared with me when he was alive.
Death has been the most mysterious concept to me till date. My imagination stops, and my mind become blanks if I try to analyze what death exactly is. I got a called in the morning and astrologer K Gopalakrishnan (my teacher), informed me about his fathers death, and I instantly asked when are you taking the body to the crematorium. BODY?!! He had a name and he had few relationships attached to his being. He was a father, he was a husband, he was a friend and he was a well wisher (I honestly dont know his name, I called him mama) and the moment he died he is referred to as a corpse and nothing else.
There was no sign of ailment, and the death was unexpected. In one sense it is good to die without getting bed ridden we can at least presume that to be a blessing in disguise, but the suddenness of the event could create real panic for the people who care.
I got introduced to him in 2002. My astrology class used to start at 6 am, and he would be the first person to greet me. At 68, he used to get up at 4 am; getting up early is the one of the most difficult habits to be cultivated.
He always had a beautiful smile on his face, and his forehead used to be full of vibhuti, kum kum and a paste of chandan giving him a divine look. Kancheepuram was one place he used to love to visit, and we had a plan to together someday which didnt materialize.
He was blessed with an amazing sense of humour, and could make anyone laugh. He had traveled a lot, and could mimic too. I should say a wonderful person to be with.
He had a special adoration for me because of my love towards Lord Ayyappa and my yearly pilgrimage to Sabarimala. He incidentally had traveled to this shrine 7 times, with his father, and the commonality brought was together.
Out of love, he happened to give me few advice about life, and it mattered a lot to me..
1) Be witty
2) Never lie
3) Never cheat
4) Never borrow or take loans
5) Never eat out
6) Invest in children and lands
7) Stick to one wife and one God
He said, just by sticking to these preliminary things you can have a content life, and you need not undergo any sufferings. Will try to stick to them, and let me see .
May his sole rest in peace!