Lord Krishna’s Teachings to Cope with Grief Better

Excerpts from the Bhagavad Gita that can help one accept both life and death as essential for the journey of the soul

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

All of us have experienced the loss of a loved one at some point or the other. At such times, several existential questions come to our mind —

What happens to us after life?

What is the purpose of life if we all become dust anyway?

How does one cope with the loss of a loved one?

The mantra, “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” is often chanted by Hindus at the time of death. This mantra invokes Lord Vishnu — the preserver of life according to the Holy Trinity of Hinduism — and his avatar Lord Krishna, the ultimate protector of life, or the “Absolute One”.

So, what better text than Lord Krishna’s very own Bhagavad Gita to help us comprehend mortality a little better… To help us put both life and death in perspective, and not just help us live, but also add more meaning to everything we do while alive.

Here, I choose some verses from the holy text that can comfort and uplift us at times of sorrow and grief, and help us accept better…