The Meaning of Life in the Indian World of Thought

This essay explores death as a transformative force in Hindu scriptures, emphasizing how crises often lead seekers to spiritual enlightenment. Drawing from the *Bhagavatam*, *Katha-Upanishad*, and *Bhagavad Gita*, it presents death as both a teacher and a gateway to ultimate truth. The narrative of Parikshit, the discourse of Yama to Naciketas, and Krishna’s guidance to Arjuna highlight the impermanence of worldly life and the existence of an eternal, indestructible Reality. The essay challenges Western notions of life and death, introducing concepts of reincarnation, cosmic time, and the illusory nature of perceived reality. It argues that true wisdom lies in transcending material existence and recognizing the omnipresent eternal essence, which neither time nor destruction can touch.