Why be afraid of death, when death comes all the time?

“Each day, we wake slightly altered, and the person we were yesterday is dead. So why be afraid of death, when death comes all the time?” And yet even if we were to somehow make peace with our own mortality, a primal and soul-shattering fear rips through all of us whenever we think about losing those we love most dearly — a fear that transforms into all-consuming grief when loss does come. Every religion reminds us of the perishable quality of the body, which will, one day be reduced to mere ashes. It says in the Bible, “Ashes to ashes; soul to soul” – the body will return to dust but the soul will continue its journey until it unites with God.

Lord Shiva, known as “Bhasmoddhulita Vigraha” is The Lord who depicts death by being covered with holy ash” Bhasma”. The Sanskrit word bhasma means ‘disintegration’. Bha implies bhartsanam (to destroy), while sma implies smaranam (to remember). Bhasma is a reminder to us of the ephemeral nature of life.

Bhasma symbolizes the burning of our false identification with the mortal body, and freedom from the limitations of the painfully illusive cycle of birth and death. It also reminds us of the perishable quality of the body, which will one day, be reduced to mere ashes.
If we are Lord Shiva’s true devotees, the bhasma on Shiva’s body should constantly remind us of this ultimate reality and therefore keep us away from the ego, attachments and suffering that arise because of our mistaken identity with the physical body.

Shiva is the “One in whom the universe sleeps after destruction and before the next cycle of creation”. So do not fear death, all that is created must one day disintegrate; this disintegration is a return to the formless void from which creation may once again spring forth. Acceptance of this cycle is only way out our suffering. BE ONE WITH SHIVA. Shiva is the energy behind this endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
Om Namah Shivaaya. Om Namah Shivaaya.