Talk:Medical versus Taittirīyopaniṣad - Perspectives on Death

By Vishal Agarwal

Death occurs in at least two stages: Clinical and Biological. The medical definition as well as the analogous Taittirīyopaniṣad's description of these two stages can be summarized in the table below:

Name of Stage	Medical Definition	Taittirīyopaniṣad description
Clinical death	Cessation of heartbeat, breathing, followed by irreversible brain damage, dilation of pupils, etc.	Failure of the Annamaya Kosha to continue performing its functions.
Biological death	Cellular level disintegration, stiffening of the body due to muscle breakdown, irreversible brain death.	The Prāṇamaya Kosha separates from the Annamaya Kosha.

The following summary description of Biological Death may be given here-

“Today, where a definition of death is required, doctors and coroners usually turn to ‘brain death’ or ‘biological death’. People are considered dead when the electrical activity in their brain ceases (persistent vegetative state). It is presumed that the stoppage of electrical activity indicates the end of consciousness.

However, suspension of consciousness must be permanent, and not transient, as occurs during sleep, especially in a coma. In the case of sleep, EEGs can easily tell the difference. Courts have ruled that ‘It appears that once brain death has been determined, no criminal or civil liability will result from disconnecting the life-support devices.’ Even by ‘whole-brain’ criteria, the determination of brain death can be complicated. EEGs can detect spurious electrical impulses, while certain drugs, hypoglycemia, hypoxia, or hypothermia can suppress or even stop brain activity temporarily. Because of this, hospitals have protocols for determining brain death involving EEGs at widely separated intervals under defined conditions.

A person is not to be assumed dead unless there are clear indications that death has occurred. These indications include decapitation, rigor mortis, livor mortis (blood pooling in the part of the body at least elevation), decomposition, and other bodily damage that is inconsistent with life.

In the case of electrocution, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for an hour or longer can allow stunned nerves to recover, allowing a dead person to survive. Likewise, people found unconscious under icy water may survive if their faces are continuously cold until they arrive at an emergency room....”

Ayurveda offers distinct signs of impending death, known as Ariṣṭa Lakṣaṇas. These include subtle omens such as loss of the person’s shadow, darkening of the tongue, drooping facial features, or changes in voice and skin. These signs indicate that life is irreversibly withdrawing, even if some vital signs still appear present. Classical texts like the Charaka Saṃhitā and Ashtanga Hridayam describe the role of marmas (vital points) and nāḍīs (energy channels) in determining the subtle flow of life and its end.

In Yogic and Tantric systems, true death occurs not simply with the cessation of breath or heartbeat, but when the prāṇa (life-force) exits through specific nāḍīs. The ideal exit for yogis is through the suṣumnā nāḍī via the Brahmarandhra (crown of the head), signifying a peaceful or even liberated departure. Lower exit points are associated with less favorable realms or rebirth. The Garuda Purāṇa details how the Atma is escorted by Yama’s attendants and guided through different lokas (realms), emphasizing the importance of ritual practices like antyeṣṭi (cremation rites) and śrāddha (ancestral offerings) to aid the Atma’s onward journey.

Further, texts such as the Manu Smṛti recognize death not only as a biological end but also as the loss of social and ritual agency, when the person can no longer fulfill duties or relationships. The performance of final rites marks the community’s acknowledgment of death and supports the closure of the Atma's presence in the human domain.