Few days back, there was an article in the Times Of India about the acceptance of a petition in the supreme court. The petition was on behalf of Ms Aruna shanbaug, filed by a friend, requesting the court to allow Ms Shanbaug to end her life peacefully. Ms Shanbaug is in Coma for the last thirty six years. Her family has deserted her and she is being cared for by the nurses of KEM hospital Mumbai, where she was a staff nurse herself.
Death, the inevitable, is a subject on which my mind spends considerable time (and ends up with nothing worthwhile to show for it) and euthanasia or ‘mercy killing’ figures prominently. I have many suggestions to offer to the Hon Supreme court if it decides to give a verdict in favour of euthanasia and seeks my help to thrash out details! I am happy to note that our supreme court which had brushed aside many petitions earlier has decided to consider the matter.
I do not have enough knowledge or capability to think about all the intricacies - legal, social, emotional, practical - that are involved in the process of mercy killing and take a stand. I should leave it to the more knowledgeable amongst us to decide about it. But, if nobody can make up their minds and if all of us are asked to vote yes or no, (using our guts, keeping the brain aside) my vote would be a YES in capitals.
Till date, I have been lucky enough neither having to face a sudden death at close quarters nor to be in a situation where I am required to pray for death. We have no control over the first part but are trying to achieve some control over the second.
Sri DVG who has thought about almost every aspect of life and has put his wisdom in very appealing verses for our benefit, has the following to say about death.
ಒಂದಗುಳು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿರದು, ಒಂದಗುಳು ಕೊರೆಯಿರದು
ತಿಂದು ನಿನ್ನನ್ನಋಣ ತೀರುತಲೆ ಪಯಣ.
ಒಂದುಚಣ ಹಿಂದಿರದು, ಕಾದಿರದು ಮುಂದಕುಂ
ಸಂದಲೆಕ್ಕವದೆಲ್ಲ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ.
Not a grain more nor a grain less,
Eat your due and depart.
Not a second before, nor a second later,
It is all an account already settled.
Can we amend Mankutimma?
2 comments:
I am looking forward to see what the courts decide. The friends of Ms Shanbaug are to be congratulated for two things - for showing what medicine is all about - compassion above everything else, and for raising the issue of end of life. Most of the laws pertaining to this issue remain unchanged from the pre independence days. These laws were created for a time when people could not be kept alive on life support. Wonderful, thoughtful piece as usual, Raghu, I could not think of you as doing anything other than support the concept of allowing some one to end their lives with dignity and in peace. However, the term euthanasia is used these days more for 'actively' assisting or allowing some to end their lives - in effect to commit suicide - a very different issue altogether.
1. Suma follows your blog so religiously that she can miss an episode of 'Baalika Vadhu' but not Dr Raghu's views on life. She wanted me to read this post specifically - weaving an 'appreciation' for me (this is a hi-fi topic he is discussing. It is of 'your' IQ (?) type)- and I was not disappointed.
2. One side of argument is - don't take away what you can't give. Since we humans cannot give life, we cannot take away, too. Only god is authorised person with probably 'yama'(ha ?) as his authorised partner.
3. On the other side, if I earn my money, I have the right to spend it too -the way I want. As long as the spending does not hurt others, or this money could have been used elsewhere for a better reason. Same with life ?
4. I can never question the genius (Dr DVG). I agree with the poet (ondu agalu akki to be replaced by one drop of glucose ?) doctors should disengage all life saving equipment around Ms Shanbaugh and let her die at peace. There is no logical end in sight even she is allowed to live for few years more. The logical end is to bring the tormentor to the books.
5. Only saints choose their timing of death - be it Bhishmacharya or Raghavendra Swamigalu walking into brindavana.
6. I support your decision - Ms Shanbaugh.
Srinath
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