The concept of Immortality - Teachings from a Crow

Immortality as a trait is only possessed by gods and spirits.
Desire to live for ever is ever ingrained in human beings since the dawn of civilization.
Alchemy is a type of chemistry studied in the middle Ages that has three main goals namely to change ordinary metals into gold, to discover a medicine to cure all diseases and to discover how to live for ever. Now a days also Anti-aging techniques and biological Immortality are key areas of research.

A poem on ' Eagle ' throws light on this subject. An eagle became sorrowful when he grew old and the season of his youth had faded away. He took another road, to another land to find some elixir rare and wonderful to ease his mortal sickness. There far off below, a flock of sheep grazing in the pasture   , suddenly looking above at the eagle startled and bleated. The fearful shepherd ran away, letting all his prey go. The eagle came to a tree. A raven had his nest. The eagle espied him as he perched upon his twig.The raven surrendered himself to the eagle.

The eagle spoke, ' Alas, what is this life to me but a bubble upon waters ? My pomp and show gone. This black raven, my father's father's chase escaped with cunningness.' " Oh filthy raven, what is the source of your great longevity? A secret is hidden here. You filthy raven is yet the same that he ever was ! My life is fading. Unfold the secret." There upon the raven invited the eagle for a feast where he could eat things sweet and rare. The raven took the eagle to a dung hill. Left over food and meat were spread there with flies hovering over them.A horrible stench spread far and wide. The spot was disgusting to the soul and heart. The eagle could not sit there at all. The raven pointed out that such dirt and decay are behind the longevity of his life where as the eagle had passed his royal life in the sky breathing freash air and with every beast obeidient to his command, and had the breast of partridge, quail, pheasant as a warm and succulent meal. That he should fall upon carrion and decay, base and learn from a raven so disgusting.
The eagle sprang into air telling the raven, " unworthy I am to share your wonderful hospitality. I welcome my fate to die in heaven's zenith,death I await, I could never live on such dirty things aspiring for longevity."
The king of birds flew, poised in the topmost skies, with freedom limitless.
                       
There is another interesting angle to the wisdom of a crow. Alexander, the Great felt that body is perishable and he should find something essence which if drunk once would make him immortal. He came across a wise sage who had neither allurement to riches nor was afraid of death. The king expressed his desire and the means to attain immortality. The sage told him about a cave where there was an eternal fountain of water. It was said that if a person drunk water from that spring, he would be free from death. Alexander reached the cave. The spring water was pure and attractive. As he bent down to drink water , he heard a voice from a crow sitting on the other side who warned him thus," Wait ! don't drink the water from it. I have drunk and I am very sad.Because of this , I have become immortal and been sitting here for centuries. I am fed up with this life and I want to die.But death does not approach. Whatever I wanted to know, learn in life I have learnt everything and now nothing remains to be known. What can I do ? To remain in this body looks a waste and there is no enjoyment.I tried to take away my life even then I have remained alive. I had a lot of birds as friends and I was their king. They all respected and loved me. All of have died but I am alive and I am fed up with this long life without any companion. So before drinking this water, think for a while whether you would like to become miserable like me without any hope."
Hearing these words of the crow , Alexander became alert and returned to his kingdom. If he had meditated over the matter properly, he would have understood the truth. He would have realized that the body made up of matter is perishable and the consciousness which impart life to the body is imperishable.To realize this, there is no need to go to a cave in search of water.the cave is your heart only which is the fountain-source of immortality.
In Ramacharitamanasa of Tulasidasa, the famous Hindi poet, Kakabhushundi , a self-realized sage tells Garuda ( Eagle,vehicle of Lord Vishnu ) that he took the form of a crow to enjoy the playful activities of child Rama. In Literature and even in the daily life of the Hindus, the bird crow is associated with Yama, the god of death. Even now food offerings are given to crows as a symbolic ones to the departed ancestors in ceremonies.It is narrated in the puranas that once when the gods were attacked by a demon,Yama assumed the form of a crow and escaped. So he conferred the boon of longevity on the crow and made the bird his vehicle.

It is daily seen and is an experienced fact that whoever is born whether man or a plant or an animal or anything is created like pot ,also dies or perishes oneday. This is the law of Nature. As a remedial measure to overcome the fear of death only, religions were propounded. All religions formulate values and ethical codes for leading a happy , peaceful life pointing out that there is immortal soul in the form of consciousness inside the body and only physical body made up of matter is perishable.Without proper understanding, man aspires for physical immortality in this life which is against the law of nature.
In Harry Potter, Voldemort's obsession with conquering death and his quest for impossible immortality make him lead a cursed life loosing all the values essential for a worthy human existence.He does not succeed in his mission and ultimately meets his own end.

Does immortality mean only to live a longer or eternal physical life? In reality, the implied meaning of immortality is something deep. Some people while living become immortal ( famous ) by their deeds and works.Many great men of yesterday are physically no more, but they are alive ( still remembered even now and in future also) for their valuable contributions to the welfare of the world.Even in Nature ,the same thing is seen. A flower blooms in the morning, spreads fragrance, helps bees in making honey, makes everyone happy and withers away.The flower may fade away but it still remains in the memory of people.So the real import is enshrined in the vedic mantras that as long as we live, we should have a healthy life with healthy organs dedicating ourselves to the welfare of humanity, leading a worthy life memorable to ourselves and to others.
Life is a blessing and a precious gift from the Almighty.Life itself is so beautiful and has so many secrets to unfold before us with its canvas of rich, vast,varied, novel and beautiful flora and fauna to learn from. When we find joy in life and Nature around us, slowly we will look for something beyond physicality. We will read sermons in stones,books in brooks, songs in springs. We will find joy and love everywhere- flora,fauna, Nature and human world.All will have a new coloring to us.The spiritual process will become a natural process of growth for us. This is the goal for which our life here is intended for.