The philosophy of Krishna Consciousness puts a lot of weight on the concept of “death”. Now for a common man, this may sound morbid and pessimistic. It is morbid and pessimistic only if we think “death” is the end of life. The Krishna Consciousness philosophy does not say that death is the end of life but rather death is seen as a point of transformation of the soul from one body to another. We die only to be transferred into another body with another set of rules and circumstances. It is important therefore, to visualize plan and live our daily lives not as “one life of 100 years" but as endless waves of different life forms (including plants and animals).
Just as, in my youth, I prepare for my next stage of adulthood and from adulthood I prepare for the next stage of retirement (old age), similarly it is important I prepare my current life for the next life. It is only common sense, assuming I accept the concept of transmigration of the soul into different bodies, to find a solution to put an end to the different bodies I will assume in the future. This continuous birth and death seems cyclical without much sense and hence futile (not to speak of the miseries associated with it). Therefore it is ok to talk about death as a tangible reality in the mood of transformation than as an end.
This whole conversation is out of the window if I think I have only one life to live. Of course I believe in the transmigration of the soul from one body to another and hence am preparing my current life for a better future (and that includes for future bodies).
If you believe in the concept of the transmigration of the soul, then please think about your next life and prepare for it now. Chant Hare Krishna!
Hare Krishna
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