Mrutyu Ki Dastak - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Mrutyu ki Dastak" (The Knock of Death), drawing from the provided excerpts:

Title: Mrutyu ki Dastak: Prachin Shastra Evam Adhunik Gyan (The Knock of Death: Ancient Scriptures and Modern Knowledge) Editors: Baidyanath Saraswati, Ramlakhan Maurya Publisher: D K Printworld Pvt Ltd, Nirmal Kumar Bose Smarak Pratishthan

Overall Theme: The book "Mrutyu ki Dastak" is a compilation of essays presented at a seminar organized by the Nirmal Kumar Bose Memorial Foundation in Varanasi in 2002. The seminar's theme was "The Concept of Death: Ancient Scriptures and Modern Knowledge." The book aims to provide a multifaceted understanding of death by exploring its concept from various religious, philosophical, scriptural, and scientific perspectives, primarily within the Indian context. It seeks to address the universal and inevitable nature of death, which transcends social strata and beliefs.

Key Aspects Covered:

Universality of Death: Death is presented as the ultimate truth for the soul, an unavoidable reality that affects everyone regardless of their status, be it a yogi or a worldly person, a king or a pauper.
Multi-religious Perspectives: The book delves into how different religions view death, questioning whether it's a comma or a full stop in life's journey. It specifically examines the concepts of death in Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
Scriptural Insights: It explores death through the lens of various Indian scriptures, including the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Puranas (specifically Yamagitas), Jyotisha Shastra (astrology), and various rituals and Karmakandas.
Modern Scientific and Sociological Views: The book engages with contemporary knowledge from biology, medicine, and sociology to understand death, especially in light of advancements like cloning and life-sustaining technologies. It questions the real meaning of death in the face of such progress.
Jain Perspectives on Death: A significant portion of the book is dedicated to the Jain understanding of death, particularly focusing on:
- Maha-utsav of Death: The concept of "Mrityu Mahotsav" (Death Festival) within Jainism, which reframes death not as a sorrowful event but as a joyous occasion or a "Mahotsav" when approached with the right perspective.
- Sallēkhanā/Santhara: Detailed discussions on Sallēkhanā (or Santhara), a Jain practice of voluntary fasting and renunciation leading to death, often considered a sacred rite. It clarifies the difference between Sallēkhanā and suicide, emphasizing the former as a spiritual discipline aimed at purifying the soul.
- Types of Death in Jainism: The text outlines different classifications of death in Jainism, including 'chyut' (due to complete lifespan), 'vyakti vishay kshan' (due to specific causes like self-harm), and 'tyakt' (voluntarily renounced, like Sallēkhanā). It also references seventeen types of death mentioned in Jain scriptures and their reduction to five in texts like Bhagavati Aradhana.
- The Soul (Jiva) and Matter (Pudgala): The Jain concept of life as the combination of soul and matter (pudgala), and death as the separation of these two, is discussed. The subtle bodies (Tejas and Karman) that accompany the soul after death are also mentioned.
Death Rituals (Karmakanda): The book provides insights into post-death rituals, particularly the sequential Shraddha rites in Hinduism, their procedures, and the qualifications of those performing them.
Philosophical Disquisitions: Various philosophical explorations of death are presented, including the Indian philosophical concept of Moksha/Nirvana as liberation from the cycle of birth and death, and the existentialist perspective on death.
The Nature of Death: The text grapples with the enigma of death, its causes, its experience, and its impact on human existence, questioning whether death is real or an illusion.
Dualitas of Life and Death: The book highlights the intertwined nature of life and death, suggesting they are two sides of the same coin or complementary forces.

Structure of the Book: The book is divided into three main sections:

Section 1: Death from the Perspective of Religions: This section covers the views on death from various religious traditions like Shaivism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Islam.
Section 2: Death in Scriptures: This section delves into scriptural interpretations of death from the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Puranas, Jyotisha Shastra, and the rituals associated with death.
Section 3: Death and Modern Knowledge: This section examines death through the lenses of modern science (medical, biological), sociology, and contemporary philosophical thought, including existentialism.

Key Contributors: The book features contributions from numerous scholars and religious figures, including:

Baidyanath Saraswati: Co-editor, known for his work in anthropology and Indology.
Ramlakhan Maurya: Co-editor, a sociologist.
Munni Pushpa Jain: A scholar of Jainism, discussing "Mrityu Mahotsav."
Anekanth Kumar Jain: A scholar of Jain philosophy, discussing "Santhara."
Ramshankar Tripathi: A scholar of Buddhism, discussing the Buddhist concept of death.
Kapildev Pandey: A scholar of Puranas, discussing Yamagitas.
Banshidhar Tripathi: Discussing the concept of death in the Bhagavad Gita.
Ragunath Giri: Exploring death from the perspective of Indian philosophy.
Vashisth Narayan Sinha: Offering a philosophical reflection on death.
Bhanushankar Mehta: A medical professional discussing ancient scriptures and modern knowledge.
Vijay Kumar Rai: A mathematician discussing whether death is real or false.
Minati: Discussing the spiritual perspective on death.
Ajay Kumar Srivastava: Discussing death as "poison" versus immortality.
Hetukar Jha: Discussing death in the Maithil tradition.
Kusum Giri: A sociologist discussing death from a sociological perspective.
Sushma Khanna: An existentialist perspective on death.
Raghvendra Pratap Singh: Discussing the folk concept of "Melan."
Dinananth Jhunjhunwala: Discussing birth, life, and death.
Ram Pravesh Shastri: Discussing life as a companion of death.
Ramesh Narayan: Discussing Mahatma Kabir and the joyful aspect of death.
Mukhtada Hasan Azhari: Discussing death from an Islamic perspective.
Renu Dwivedi: Discussing death in Sikhism.
Triloknath Mishra: Discussing death in Jyotisha Shastra.
Santosh Kumar Mishra: Discussing death rituals.

Conclusion: "Mrutyu ki Dastak" serves as a comprehensive interdisciplinary exploration of death, aiming to provide readers with a broader understanding of this profound human experience by integrating traditional wisdom with modern scientific inquiry. It highlights that while death is a physical cessation, its conceptual and spiritual interpretations vary widely, offering different paths to comprehend and perhaps even embrace it.