Page 1 - September 2025

Why Scriptures are

Read to a Dying Man

SWAMI SIVANANDA

September 8 marks the 138 birth anniversary of Swami
th
Sivananda. To commemorate his Jayanti and express our
gratitude and reverence, we are pleased to publish an
illuminating article by him.
Editor

an takes birth in this world with a definite purpose. It is
Mnot for mere sensual enjoyment that man is born in this
world. The goal of life is Self-realization or God consciousness.
The various activities of life should ultimately lead to that ideal or
goal, or else life itself is wasted. There is no difference between
the life of a beast and that of a man if he does not attempt to attain
the goal of life.
In the Gita, you will find: “Whosoever leaving the body goes
forth remembering Me alone, at the time of death, he attains My
being; there is no doubt about this.” 1
It is very difficult to keep up God-consciousness at the time
of death when diseases torment the body, when consciousness
fades away. Some people imagine: ‘Why should a man become
a sadhu and spend his life in the Himalayas? What is wanted is
that one should think of God at the time of death. That can be
done even at home.’ This is a mistake.

1 Bhagavad Gita, 8.5

Reproduced with permission, from What Becomes to the SouI After Death published
by the Divine Life Society, P.O. Sivanandanagar 249792, Dt. Tehri-Garhwal,
Uttaranchal, India. Appeared in Tapovan Prasad in December 2005.

Tapovan Prasad 8 September 2025