The Most Wonderful Thing in this World

If you had 24 hours to  live, what would you do?

Yamaraja once asked Maharaja Yudhistira, “What is the most wonderful thing within this world?” Maharaja Yudhishtira replied (Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.116):

"Hundreds and thousands of living entities meet death at every moment, but a foolish living being nonetheless thinks himself deathless and does not prepare for death. This is the most wonderful thing in this world."

The truth is, we don't know when our time will be. We don't like to think about it and we don't see the urgency to do anything about it. An intelligent person will always prepare for the future. Waiting till we are old to take spiritual life seriously can be regretful as old age is not guaranteed. The only thing that is guaranteed in life is that one day we will leave this body. Imagine how much more difficult spiritual life will be in old age, both mentally and physically? Those that do meet old age will have habits that are already deep routed and harder to change. Therefore while a person is young, fit and active is the ideal time to be practising spiritual life.

So like a pension fund, savings made now will benefit a person at the point of retirement, likewise any spiritual activity done now will accumulate to something that will benefit them in their next life. Putting effort into something that is only temporary is wasteful, however engaging that same energy in devotional service and offering all endeavours to the Supreme Lord Krishna will reap eternal benefit that will carry over to your next life, like a spiritual bank balance. So why not prepare now, start now and secure your future interests. 

There is no time like the present.