Talk:The Process of Dying -The Trauma of Death

By Vishal Agarwal

Within traditional scriptures and teachings, it is posited that the experience of death involves four distinct types of suffering. “The four excruciating pains are vishleshaja dukha, mohaja dukha, anutapaja dukha, and āgāmī drishya darshaja dukha. Each type reflects a specific dimension of psychological, emotional, and spiritual distress encountered during the process of dying.:

1. Vishleshaja Duḥkha: The Pain of Separation

Vishleshaja duḥkha refers to the profound anguish associated with the separation of the subtle (astral) body from the physical (gross) body. This experience is metaphorically compared to the difficulty of separating two sheets of paper glued together—any forced detachment can result in damage. Similarly, when an individual's Atma harbors deep attachment to the physical body, the separation at death can be extremely distressing. Spiritual disciplines such as meditation and devotional practices are emphasized as means of preparing for this inevitable transition. By consciously working towards detachment during one's lifetime, the individual reduces the intensity of this suffering. In contrast, neglecting spiritual growth can exacerbate this pain, as attachments rooted in egoic identification (the sense of "I" and "mine") intensify the struggle at the moment of separation. Customs recommend timely cremation—preferably before the next sunset or during daylight hours—to mitigate this pain and facilitate the transition of the Atma. Practices such as embalming are generally discouraged in this context.

To alleviate this pain of the deceased person, cremation is performed as soon as possible, preferably before the next sunset, or during the daytime, and embalming of the body is discouraged.

2. Mohaja Duḥkha: The Pain of Emotional Attachment

Mohaja duḥkha emerges from the emotional suffering caused by attachments to family and loved ones. In this scenario, expressions of grief from close relatives—such as a spouse lamenting separation or children mourning their parent—amplify the pain of departure for the individual. The deep bonds formed during life can create significant distress as the Atma struggles to relinquish earthly ties and possessions. To ease this suffering, these customs encourage family members to manage their expressions of grief, avoid excessive mourning, and refrain from looking back at the funeral pyre after the cremation. Rituals and recitations are performed to remind the departing Atma of the transient nature of the physical body, urging it to progress forward on its eternal journey.

It is to alleviate this sorrow that relatives are advised not to grieve excessively, to leave the cremation ground without looking back at the lit pyre, and to perform ceremonies and chant verses to remind the Jīvātmā that his deceased body will perish and there is no coming back – therefore he should move on to the next station of his eternal journey.

3. Anutāpaja Duḥkha: The Pain of Regret and Remorse

Anutāpaja duḥkha arises from the awareness of one's past misdeeds and spiritual neglect. As death approaches, the individual may be haunted by memories of ethical failures, unfulfilled duties, and a life spent in pursuit of materialistic pleasures at the expense of spiritual advancement. This regret can provoke profound anguish, as the Atma anticipates judgment from Yama, the deity associated with death and moral reckoning The alleviation of this form of suffering is rooted in living a life aligned with dharm (righteousness), engaging in virtuous deeds, and cultivating spiritual awareness through meditation, prayer, and the study of sacred texts.

4. Āgāmī Dṛśya Darśaja Duḥkha: The Pain of Witnessing One’s Fate

Āgāmī dṛśya darśaja duḥkha refers to the suffering experienced when the dying individual perceives omens of their impending fate. According to certain texts, terrifying visions may manifest, such as fearsome beings with red eyes and horns, described as the messengers of Yama. The dread of such visions can induce overwhelming fear, sometimes resulting in physical symptoms such as involuntary excretion. The trajectory of the departing Atma is believed to be determined by its moral and spiritual state. An Atma burdened by sin is said to exit through the lower bodily apertures, leading to potential suffering in various realms of torment. Conversely, individuals with greater merit may pass through higher sensory channels such as the eyes, nose, or mouth. Advanced spiritual practitioners and yogis, however, are believed to transcend this suffering entirely by exiting through the brahmarandhra—the "tenth gate"—achieving union with Brahman or Īśvara (the Supreme Being). Scriptures such as the Garuda Purāṇa describe this pain as exceeding all earthly forms of suffering, surpassing even the combined agony of birth, aging, and disease.

Once again, the antidote for this pain is the same as that for the third type of pain experienced by the dying person. And therefore, it is a popular belief that a virtuous person does not undergo much pain while dying-

“It is significant to know that a pious Atma never suffers any of these pains. Through his spiritual discipline he has already humbled his ego; therefore his astral body has already been separated while living, so the first pain cannot come to him. He has cut asunder all knots of attachment, therefore the second pain cannot reach him. He has planned his whole life to reach Īshvara and has done all meritorious and noble deeds, therefore he does not have the third pain. It is only the messengers of Īshvara with their aerial car who come to him, who, with full consciousness, smiling and blessing everyone and chanting the name of Īshvara, depart from the body.”