God comes as death

God comes as death

Krishna ultimately presents Himself to the atheist as death. The God comes before the atheists as death and takes away everything. So that is the atheist class realization of God. You will see God at that time of death; after seeing, you will be finished, no more understanding. Then you will be taken away, everything, all possession, all scientific knowledge, bank balance, skyscraper, everything will be taken away, then you will understand what is God. So why don't you try to understand before that moment comes? Live so very nicely, chant Hare Krishna and see Radha-Krishna Deity, and eat nicely, live nicely. "No, that is not possible. We shall see at the time of death when everything will be finished."In Bhagavad-gita the Lord clearly says, "I am all-devouring death." [Bg. 10.34] No one can say, "I do not fear death."

However, one who seeks shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be saved from death. One may argue, "You devotees are dying, and the non-devotees are also dying, so what is the difference?" There is a difference.

A cat catches her kitten in its mouth, and it also catches the mouse in its mouth. Superficially we may see that the cat has caught both the mouse and the kitten in the same way. But there are differences of catching. The kitten is feeling pleasure: "Oh, my mother is carrying me." And the mouse is feeling death: "Oh, now I'm going to die." This is the difference. So, although both devotees and non-devotees die, there is a difference of feeling at the time of death—just like the kitten and the mouse. When a devotee gives up his body, he is ready to go back home, back to Godhead.

Ref: Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.21, Los Angeles, December 1, 1973 authored by Srila Prabhupada (Founder - Acharya, ISKCON)