DOES DEATH DO US APART? ETHICAL AND METAPHYSICAL INSIGHTS FROM THE BHAGAVAD GITA, APOLOGY AND PHAEDO.

Abstract

This paper examines death and its connotations in Indian philosophy, with an emphasis on the Bhagavad-Gītā, alongside Platonic early dialogues, Apology and Phaedo. Employing a hermeneutic and comparative philosophical methodology, the study delves into the metaphysical and ethical dimensions of death in these traditions. The Bhagavad-Gītā presents it as a mere transition in the eternal journey of the ātman (soul), advocating for niṣkāma karma (desireless action) and unwavering adherence to dharma (duty) as means to attain liberation (mokṣa). In contrast, Plato, through Socratic dialogues, interprets death as a passage to ultimate truth, proposing that a life of philosophical inquiry leads to the soul’s release from the corporeal prison. By exploring how these texts conceptualize the soul’s immortality, the nature of human existence and the ethical responses to mortality, this paper aims to reveal both convergences and divergences in how Eastern and Western traditions counsel us to face death with wisdom, courage, and equanimity. The study also evaluates the broader implications of these philosophies on contemporary discussions around death, dying, and the meaning of life.