Elephant Droppings

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Death To Relativity

After a couple of beers, I started to worry about my death...

You see, I am a Hindu, and so assured of eternal life. I mean, Hinduism says one is destined to a cycle of life and death, eternally. Death is always followed by a reincarnation in another form, and this new form is decided by your
karma (deeds)in the old form, or something in these general lines. The only way one can break out of this cycle is by reaching moksha (salvation), and in my current incarnation I stand no chance of reaching in the general vicinity of the same, so my next life is all but assured, ergo I should not be worrying about my death in normal circumstances.

Since I don't know any theology, all the above made perfect sense for me. My body is nothing but a collection of atoms¹, and as long as they work together I live this life. When they are tired of one another, when they stop co-operating with one another, I stop living this life. It does not mean that my atoms die. They go away and create other bodies - men, women, caterpillars, polar bears, toucans, and squids. I will live in all of them, and that would be my rebirth. (In a past life, some of my atoms might have been a part of a left upper tooth of a Tyrannosaurus Rex -- eminently possible; who could deny it?) So I need not worry about my death, which is but a temporary phase of life.

See, the problem here is
Albert Einstein . For wasn't it him that proposed that matter can be converted to energy? What will happen if all my atoms get converted to energy? Like rays of light, for example? Won't they then go away forever from this beautiful earth? What, then, about my rebirth? Worst of all, if my rays get caught in a black hole, what will I do? Die forever?

That is what is I am worried about now...





1. This collection of atoms is known as atman in Hinduism ;)

20 Comments:

  • Lovely post. I have read too somewhere that we get recyled into new things, which means I am made up of atoms of differents life forms that must have existed in the world in the past. As disconnected atoms, I guess you need not worry about being lost in the Black Hole :) Because there is no chance that all your atoms will turn into a ray of light.

    Great post. You got me thinking now or rather animated my brain atoms :))

    By Blogger silverine, at 3:23 AM, March 18, 2006  

  • Silverine, glad you liked it. Now that I'm sober, I couldn't understand a word of it ;)

    By Blogger പാപ്പാന്‍‌/mahout, at 8:10 PM, March 19, 2006  

  • Lesson learnt - A couple of beers can make you a philosopher.

    By Blogger Jo, at 9:26 AM, March 21, 2006  

  • Sach..if this post could have a BG music then i'd play "naranaayingane
    janichhu bhoomiyil" :)
    nyway i am not too impressed with this 'recycling' idea..ek zindgi dang se jee nahi jaati..why suffer with another one?

    By Blogger .:: ROSH ::., at 3:25 PM, March 22, 2006  

  • Malluji,
    Now I know... a bit of you and a bit of silverine and a bit of Jo and a bit of me and a bit of ML in the last birth were one person. And all these atoms were together for a long time that they decided , lets meet in the next birth also. If not in this world, then in the virtual one. Hence blogs and music groups. wah wah...
    Luvvuluuu

    By Blogger Achinthya, at 11:30 AM, March 23, 2006  

  • @Jo -- That is the universal truth, innit?

    @Voicee -- Do good karma to break out of the loop. [Drinking lots of alcohol would aid in doing so -- I've seen complete drunks taking out their whole wallets and giving them to beggars :)]

    @Achinthya -- But some of those C, O, and H atoms from my last birth went away and formed a quantity of alcohol, and I've been searching for them during all this current life. (hic). Wait, lemme just check this other bottle here. (hic)

    By Blogger പാപ്പാന്‍‌/mahout, at 6:28 AM, March 24, 2006  

  • Great,I dont mind being hailed a beggar. Come on, wheres ur wallet?
    And Jo, beware, he might come out with more of those wise pearls...

    By Blogger Achinthya, at 7:14 AM, March 24, 2006  

  • chettente blog super aanu ketto.suttle humour is the best type of humour:)
    regards,
    oru paavam anonymous malayali

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:20 PM, March 24, 2006  

  • Your atoms continue, but their specific pattern (consciousness) doesn't, and ay, there's the rub.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:09 AM, March 26, 2006  

  • Living forever: I was wondering if it will be possible to interface your brain with the www after your body dies. Your brain, the sponge, can spend the rest of time soaking in information...

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:13 AM, March 26, 2006  

  • buy why? we need you always...if you die, who will keep running such a good blog? hehe! keep up the good work...cheers


    visit me at http://www.CyberRowdy.com

    By Blogger CyberRowdy(Q8TechDrive), at 10:50 AM, March 26, 2006  

  • well i have to repeat a theory we devised in school - "an atom is the smallest part of matter and that which cannot be seen by a naked man's eye".

    By Blogger Mind Curry, at 11:38 AM, March 26, 2006  

  • an amazingly pithy and well, reassuring post!

    By Blogger R.Nandakumar, at 10:08 AM, March 29, 2006  

  • There is a theory that 'atom' was discovered by Kanadhan when he was peeling an onion on a bottle of arrack (beer was not available then).

    Interesting post. I must say that you have a good style of writing (because I read all your posts in one stretch).

    Thanks to Nandan bhai for giving a link from his blog.

    By Blogger Myna, at 5:10 PM, April 12, 2006  

  • U need some sleep after a good drink and fun dude !!! Lol...JK

    Well incidentally i been thinkin bout the exact same stuff lately..

    Hmmm am a firm believer in destiny....there ain't no satisfactory rational explanation with proof to explain the riddle...I guess you have to leave this body and pass on to find the answer that you can comprehend ....I believe in saving the soul .....its immortal !!! Have to reach it back to the maker who gifted it to you....if u become a ray of light better come at night time so I can save my ever-soaringelectricity bills teehee !! JK......Pretty thought provoking post.....will write a sequel sometime....and btw....will return the favor with ur tamil song request :)

    U are kewl !

    By Blogger BlueByrd, at 1:49 PM, May 05, 2006  

  • "Malarndhum malarAdha pAdhi malar-pOla vaLarum vizhivaNNamE"

    Like a flower that look like in its full bloom yet a pretty bud thats how the color seem to grow in sight..

    "vandhu vidindhum vidiyAdha kAlaip pozhudhAga viLaindha kalai annamE"

    Like a day still in between dusk and dawn you grown into a piece of art you pretty flamingo...

    "nadhiyil viLaiyAdi kodiyin thalai seevinadandha iLam thendralE"

    Like the gentle breeze that plays frisky with the ripples on the flowin river and blowing ever so gently brushing the climbers and plants with a soft comb in its arms...

    "vaLar podhigai malai thOndri madhurai nagar kaNdu
    polindha thamizh mandramE"

    Like the mountains of Podhigai that rises high in the city of Madurai and its tamil literary works ...


    "yAnaip padai koNdu sEnai pala venru
    ALap pirandhAiyadA, puvi Alap pirandhAiyadA"


    Armed with a Battalion of Elephants defeatin all your enemies and opposers.....you are born to rule my dear...


    "Aththai magaLai maNam koNdu iLamai vazhi kaNdu vAzhap pirandhAiyadA, vAzhap pirandhAiyadA"

    You were born to woo your uncles daughter ( mura Pennu) and live life to the fullest in pure romantic bliss forever...

    "Thangath thadiyAram vaira maNiyAram
    thandhu maNam pEsuvar, poruL thandhu maNam pEsuvAr mAman thangai magaLAna mangai unakkAga ulagai vilai pEsuvAr, ulagai vilai pEsuvAr"


    They'd bring Gold and diamonds to ask your hand in marriage....but you being his uncles neice the groom will seek to the buy the whole world for you cos he thinks just the GOLD and Diamonds won't do...

    I've tried my best @ verbatim translation...but there might just be a better translator than urs truly on my best day :)

    Njoy !!!

    siragil yenai moodi arumai magaL pOla vaLarththa kadhai sollavA
    kanavil ninaiyAdha kAlam idai vandhu
    piriththak kadhai sollavA, piriththak kadhai sollavA
    kaNNil maNi-pOla maNiyin nizhal-pOla
    kalandhu pirandhOmadA
    indha maNNum kadal-vAnum maraindhu mudindhAlum
    marakka mudiyAdhadA, uravai pirikka mudiyAdhadA

    By Blogger BlueByrd, at 4:40 PM, May 05, 2006  

  • gosh just when i thot i was done....i see another charanam :((

    This is one long @$$ song grrrrrrrr....

    Ok here we go...

    "siragil yenai moodi arumai magaL pOla vaLarththa kadhai sollavA
    kanavil ninaiyAdha kAlam idai vandhu
    piriththak kadhai sollavA"

    Should i tell you the story of how she raised me safe and warm in her feathers or should i tell you the stuff that i havent even thought about it my worst nightmare...how time played its sod game to make us grow apart ??...

    "kaNNil maNi-pOla maNiyin nizhal-pOla
    kalandhu pirandhOmadA"

    Like the iris of the eye and the shadow it casts..we were together as we were born ...


    "indha maNNum kadal-vAnum maraindhu mudindhAlum
    marakka mudiyAdhadA, uravai pirikka mudiyAdhadA"

    No matter if this land, high seas, and the blue sky all fade and vanish without a trace...the special relationship that we share can neither be taken away nor forgotten ....

    Cheers !!

    By Blogger BlueByrd, at 4:50 PM, May 05, 2006  

  • @Achinthya: My wallet seems to be a pecuniary black hole. I remember putting in money, but why is it always empty when I take it out again?

    @anonymous: nandi...

    @mujib: No serious talk here, samjhe? :)

    @sloganMurugan: Linking one's brain to www is the worst kind of hell I could imagine.

    @q8techdrive: Who said death would prevent me from updating this blog? :) In fact, if you see my update frequency, you would think that I was already dead :)

    MindCurry: :) That's good one!!!

    By Blogger പാപ്പാന്‍‌/mahout, at 5:50 PM, May 05, 2006  

  • @Nandakumar: Thank you. Coming from you, it is high compliment for me. (thanks for the link too).

    @Myna: Thanks. BTW, Kanadhans (literally "atom eaters") were a group of philosophers, atheists to the core, if I recall correctly. It could be that they were all followers of the first Kanadhan.

    By Blogger പാപ്പാന്‍‌/mahout, at 5:54 PM, May 05, 2006  

  • BB: Thank you so much for your comments, and THANK YOU SO MUCH for the translation. That was one song that has haunted me from the first day I ever heard it (that would be sometime in 1994, in Bangalore). I owe you one for that...

    By Blogger പാപ്പാന്‍‌/mahout, at 5:58 PM, May 05, 2006  

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