By Dr. B. S. Bains | Opinion |
Life is a Divine Gift!!
“There is only One breath; all are made of the same clay; the light within all is the same.
The One Light pervades all the Many and Various Beings.”
ਏਕੋ ਪਵਣੁ ਮਾਟੀ ਸਭ ਏਕਾ ਸਭ ਏਕਾ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਬਾਈਆ ॥
ਸਭ ਇਕਾ ਜੋਤਿ ਵਰਤੈ ਭਿਨਿ ਭਿਨਿ ਨ ਰਲਈ ਕਿਸੈ ਦੀ ਰਲਾਈਆ ॥ (SGGS p. 96)
A marvel of creation that begins with the silent meeting of two cells and blossoms into a living being of infinite complexity. Yet, the very body that carries us through our joys, struggles and purpose eventually comes to rest. In that moment, we are faced not only with loss but with the question of how we honour what remains.
Across cultures, faiths and generations, humanity has shaped traditions for this final farewell — some simple, some elaborate, all carrying the weight of love and respect. This reflection explores why these last goodbyes matter, not only for the departed but for those left behind, and why honouring the Creator’s gift is a heritage worth preserving.
When life departs from the body, what remains is more than just a physical form — it is the shell of a unique and intricate creation, a masterpiece no human mind or hand could ever replicate. This extraordinary vessel begins its journey from the union of just two microscopic cells within the sacred womb of a woman. From that single union, a living being is shaped — cell by cell, organ by organ, the blood composition, functioning of the brain, the speech, the bones the muscles and ambulation milestone — This happens through a process so precise, so intricate, and so perfectly balanced that even the most advanced science struggles to fully comprehend it.
This body is a mysterious vessel of countless wonders, holding within it questions that may be pondered for centuries yet never fully answered. And when life departs from it, the silence is profound. The once vibrant, living form returns to the bewildering elements of this earth, dissolving back into the very forces from which it was formed.
Across the world, every culture has developed its own way of honouring this “left-behind vessel.” These rites are not mere rituals; they are expressions of heritage, identity and collective memory. Why should it be wrong for friends and members of the community to come together to pay their final respects to someone who, in their own right, was a pillar in society?
In Northern India, including Punjab, for example, the body is bathed, clothed with dignity and the final blanket or shawl is placed on the deceased. It is not just symbolic — it’s a practice steeped in heritage brought down for generation, representing honour, gratitude and a gesture of respect both to the Creator and to the life lived.
Whether cremated or buried, across the universe the deceased are sent off with utmost respect. In Japan, families gather for a quiet wake before cremation, offering incense and words of gratitude. In parts of Africa, elaborate dances and music accompany the farewell, celebrating the individual’s contribution to the community. Among the Maori of New Zealand, the Tangihanga ceremony involves days of storytelling, song and communal mourning, keeping the memory alive through shared narratives. Balinese have the Ngaben ceremony, a: sacred cremation ritual for their deceased.
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In Sikh tradition, the body is also treated as a sacred trust from the Creator — to be cared for in death as it was in life. The Antim Sanskaar (final rites) begin with bathing and dressing the deceased in clean clothing, often decorated and dressed with the Five Ks. Reading Gurbani at the deathbed isn’t just a ritual. It’s a source of solace for the living — a way to shift the mind from grief to spiritual reflection, as guided by the Guru. This by itself create a peaceful aura.
The Ardas, a collective prayer, is offered to thank the Almighty for the life granted and to humbly accept His will. The body is then cremated, signifying the return of the physical form to the elements, while the soul continues its journey.
Some scholars argue that the body, once life has departed, requires no rituals at all — that any preparation, dressing or ceremonial act is fruitless, a waste of time, effort and resources. From a purely physical perspective, they are correct: the deceased no longer perceives, feels or benefits from what is done to the lifeless form. In this view, elaborate rites serve no direct purpose for the one who has passed on.
Yet, there is another dimension — one that these arguments often overlook. The moment of death is not only about the one who has departed; it is equally, if not more, about those left behind. The family, friends and community are faced with a profound absence, an emotional wound that demands compassion, care and a respectful process of closure. The rituals, however varied in form across cultures, are a means of expressing gratitude for the life lived, honouring the Creator’s intricate gift of the human body, and providing comfort to grieving hearts.
A body, even when lifeless, is not an object to be discarded casually. It is the vessel that carried the soul through its journey on earth — a vessel that grew miraculously from the union of two cells, sustained breath by breath, heartbeat by heartbeat, for decades. To handle it with care, to bathe and dress it respectfully, to surround it with prayers and kind remembrance, is to acknowledge the sanctity of life itself.
For the living, these acts are not empty gestures. They are a language of love, a way of saying thank you and farewell in the same breath. They turn the pain of parting into a moment of dignity, uniting grief with gratitude. And while they may make no difference to the departed, they can make all the difference to the hearts that remain, helping them take the first step from sorrow towards peace.
Though customs differ in detail, their purpose is the same — to return the body to the elements with dignity to comfort the living, and to mark the passing meaningful. They remind us that while death is inevitable, the way we say our last goodbye is a reflection of our culture, our values, and the reverence we hold for the Creator’s gift.
In the end, I would like to say, it is not the grandeur of the ritual that matters, but the sincerity of the heart that performs it. Every final act of care — whether it is a prayer whispered, a shawl placed gently, a hand held in silence, or garland and wreath brought — is a reminder that the body before us once carried laughter, dreams, struggles, and love with dignity. We do not perform these rites because the departed can see them; we perform them because we can feel them.
The Creator’s gift returns to the elements, but the way we choose to let it go speaks volumes about who we are as people, as a culture and as a community. The last goodbye is not only a farewell to the departed — it is a reaffirmation of the respect, compassion and gratitude that make us human and remind us always that we shall be where we belong to in element and in divinity, disappeared into the thin air forever.
The Bible, too, spells out in Genesis 3:19, When God invokes this sentence on Adam and Eve “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
Dr Balwant Singh Bains is a Malaysia-based kirtan enthusiast and a practicing physiotherapist with a chain of physiotherapy clinics.
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There is no second coming (Asia Samachar, 15 July 2023)
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