Does remembering God at the time of death lead to liberation?

[Shri Bhagath asked: Padanamaskaramulu to Guruji! I read a story, which said that one should remember the Lord, like Krishna or Rāma at the time of death in order to get liberation. A preacher was traveling to Kashi with his disciples. He realized that he was about to die. He asked his discples, “Where am I now?” They replied “We are in the area of Kashi where people from the scheduled caste live”. That was the last thing he heard before he died. So, he was reborn as a scheduled caste person. But in the new birth, he remembered his previous birth. He visited the king and told his story to the king. He requested the king that while hanging sinners, prayers in the name of Lord Krishna or Rāma be recited. Since the last words heard by the sinners before their death would be about God, they would get liberation (mokṣam). Is it true one gets liberation just by listening to or remebering God’s name before death?]

Swami replied: Such statements are called arthavādās. They are certainly lies, but they serve a beneficial purpose. They are not wrong because they can be used to encourage souls to become devotees of God, at least in their old age or at least before death. It is based on the principle “Better late than never”. You should never give up any good work, thinking that it is late. Even if you reach late to class, it does not matter. You will learn at least something from the teacher, even in the last minutes of the class. Thinking that you are late, if you miss the class completely, you will lose even that little knowledge which you could have heard from the teacher. Such exaggerated statements are used to bring at least some positive results to souls. They are good and beneficial to souls, even though they are lies.

Keywords:

| Shri Datta Swami | Does remembering God at the time of death lead to liberation? | Arthavaadaas moksham Rama