Life and Death

Breath not Years

Bramha Devaru determines the lifespan of each soul by allotting a certain number of breaths for each jeeva. As each breath used up reduces one’s lifespan, Vayu Devaru performs “Shwaasajapa”* with each breath, in order to render them “saarthaka”/worthwhile.

Thus, a day in the life of a human is not 24 hours but 21600 breaths**. The scriptures consider 100 years to be “poornaayu”, a complete lifespan. To live a 100 years, a human would have had to have breathed 767600000 times.

By this token, one can lengthen or shorten one’s life by slowing or quickening one’s breath. Breathing is naturally slower when the mind is calm and/or in a meditative state. And it is naturally quicker in states of anger, agitation, fear and/ or lust.

Being aware of each breath is said to be the easiest way toward self-awareness. Consciously inhaling slowly, holding the breath and exhaling slowly, not only improves one’s mental and physical condition, but also lengthens one’s life.

*Madhwaachaarya’s brother, Vishnu Tirtha, exhorts people to turn their attention inward and listen with their internal ears to PraanaDevaru’s “hamsa mantra”( Shwaasajapa).

**One round of inhalation and exhalation (with normal breathing) is calculated to be 4 seconds. Therefore, 1 minute= 15 breaths, 1 hour=900 breaths, 24 hours= 21600 breaths.

Poornaayu

The body is the medium through which a soul works off its karmic debt and strives towards God realisation. Its purpose is spiritual effort and is hence called “saadhana shareera”. So, the interest of the spiritual aspirant in living a full life, is to make best use of the present birth in seeking God. With every new birth, the soul loses precious years in childhood and adolescence. (Barring a few evolved souls who are in sync with their spirituality since childhood, like Meera Bai, for instance).

Apamruthyu

Death is certain for every being that is born. Bhooloka or our Earth is also called “Mrthyaloka” owing to the inevitability of death in this plane of existence.

Apamruthyu is untimely death, a life cut short abruptly in an accident, murder, or any other avoidable situation. One may recall that Vaikunta Daasaru was destined to experience apamruthyu through an elephant but was saved from death by the Keshava’s grace and the divine presence of Purandara Daasa. A long lifespan is called dheergaayu. The opposite, that is, short lifespan, is called alpaayu. Apamruthyu is not to be confused with alpaayu.

Alpaayu like apamruthyu is not, except in truly extraordinary cases, changeable.

Markandeya, who was destined to die at 16, through the grace of Rudra Devaru was able to remain sixteen years of age forever. (Adhyatmachutuke_Maha Shivarathri) And, Jagannatha Daasaru, was gifted 40 years of his life by Gopal Daasaru and was thus able to beat his alpaayu. (More on this later)

An important aspect of apamruthyu is that it is escapable, with God’s grace. And who else to appeal to, but to Mukhyapraana!

One can listen to a rendering of Jagannatha Daasa’s prayer to Vayu Devaru/Anila Devaa, to save one from apamruthyu…