What Happens after Death? – The Sanatan Dharm Doctrine !
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- Heaven, Hell, Afterlife, God’s abode etc., are subjects that amaze all of us, and since no one comes back after death, most people have doubts and curiosity about them.
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- What happens after death? – To gain clear understanding on this subject, we need to know what are the doctrines as per hindu scriptures including Bhagvat Geeta.
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- Who gets heaven or hell after death is only for human beings and not for any other living beings (animals, birds, insects, moths, trees) Because good deeds lead to heaven and bad deeds lead to hell and since, only humans have the right and freedom to perform new deeds so this arrangement is only for human beings.
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- Other Living beings especially are enduring the fruits/results of the deeds done by them when they were in human form… that’s why they are – animals, birds, insects, moths, trees etc.
(you can understand this in depth in another article – https://bhavambhavaani.com/what-is-fate-or-destiny-prarabdh/ )
84 lakhs of Yonis (species) out of which only human Yoni is Karma Yoni, all others are Bhoga Yonis
This question arises in all of our minds at some point or another that if our destiny pre-decided and everything happens accordingly, then what’s the use of making efforts?
Some brave men do believe in fate or destiny, but still, they make efforts and work hard, and try to erase the bad /painful destiny.
Answer to this is – We are born as Human. God’s most exquisite and noble species, considered even superior to devtas (angels). One may not believe this but this is what all Hindu shastra’s (scriptures) claim! And we humans are the only living being among 8.4 Million life forms which have the freedom to do actions and deeds that can result into constructing a new fate for them, change or modify their destiny.
All the rest living beings are bhog yoni’s means, they are bound to their fate and can only experience and endure (Bhog) the results of their past human birth’s actions.
Fate or Prarabdha is formed on the basis of our deeds of previous births (in human form), and since only human beings have the right to do new deeds, They are not bound to suffer the consequences of their Prarabdha. Only Humans can influence the fate and better it by efforts. By doing good deeds, a person can reduce the consequences of his bad destiny and can take measures to attain heaven or hell.
Important to Note : This is a big difference – Out of the 8.4 Million life forms, that includes animals, birds, insects, moths, trees and plants, only the human’s can do karm (Deeds) and modify their fate .
Why Heaven, Hell and Bhagwat Dham are Needed ?
We are born as humans innumerable times and have performed innumerable good and bad deeds in all the births. These innumerable deeds are a huge deposit called accumulated karma.
To understand how huge this deposit is let’s assume we have total accumulated good and bad deeds amounting to 10 lakh crores (1 Lakh = 100,000, 1 Crore is 10 million). God, mercifully has just taken 100 good and 100 bad deeds from our accumulated karma deposit and made this body of ours. These 200 good and bad deeds are the basis of our fate, this body will have to suffer/ endure / enjoy/ experience the consequences of those 200 deeds and when its completed the lifetime gets over, means death ensues.
So in One’s lifetime only 200 deeds out of 10 Lakh Crore deeds are settled / destroyed.
These proportions as given in above example are quite realistic. One lifetime is too short to settle a miniscule, almost negligible number of deeds. And deeds are destroyed / nullified only by enduring / experiencing them. So you can now imagine – for 10 lakh crore deeds, how many human births will be required….
Now, some deeds qualify for animal births, some for insects and plants and some for Heaven and Hell, hence, we all have been born in all types of animals and insects, plants, trees innumerable number of times, we have also been to heaven and hell innumerable number of times… this is one reason for the Need of Heaven and Hell ….the huge number of un-suffered pending deeds.
One more reason that creates the need for Heaven and Hell… is to be understood by another example; Suppose a criminal has done one murder and capital punishment was the verdict. Another Criminal has done 100 murders he also got Capital punishment. Now, how can one justify this for 100 murders and 1 muder same punishment? 100 murders the criminal should be hanged or shot 100 times, he should face the fear and pain of death 100 times… so those 99 murders are taken care of in Hell.
Very Special bodies are assigned in Heaven and Hell
Our Human body has limitations, We cannot endure extremes of pleasure and pain compared to the bodies that one gets in heaven and hell.
In Heaven one gets a divine body that can experience thousands of time more intense pleasures than human body. Divine bodies do not need parents, they are free from diseases, there are no climatic extremes in heaven, its always pleasant, they don’t sweat, don’t feel thirsty or hungry…
In Hell we get Yatna deh (torture body) means a body that cannot be destroyed or killed, this body one can feel the pain same way as human body but it doesn’t get destroyed even after cutting it into many pieces endless number of times, burning it boiling it in oil etc.,
God is very compassionate, then why did he arrange for such harsh punishment, why did he create hell?
In God’s system, there is a provision to give appropriate results for all actions, as per his terms and system one can destroy both his sins and good deeds only after experiencing their respective consequences.
Venerable (pujyaniya) Raghavacharya Swami Ji in one of his discourses has given a very good example to explain that, even in the creation of hell, God’s infinite grace/mercy is hidden.
Children in winters often are reluctant to take bath, so mother’s sometimes ignore for 2-3 days due to love and affection for the child, but then if child continues to deny, she forcefully bathes him/her. This may appear to be harsh superficially but it displays Mother’s compassion / affection for the child, else bad hygiene can cause disease in the child.
Similarly, when God sees that the accumulation of sins of a person is so much that it is not possible for him to do penance or suffer the consequences, then he purifies him by making him suffer the consequences of his sins in hell.
If someone has committed sins then what are the ways to avoid hell?
In Shrimad Bhagwat Purana, after hearing the description of hells from Shukdev Ji, King Parikshit got scared and when he asked Shukdev Ji the way to escape, then he said.
केचित्केवलया भक्त्या वासुदेवपरायणा: ।
अघं धुन्वन्ति कार्त्स्न्येन नीहारमिव भास्कर: ॥6.1.15 ॥
Only by worshipping God, all the sins of many births can be destroyed, this is the specialty of devotion. No matter how many grave sins a person has committed, if he resolves once that he will not commit any sin now, and pray to God that O Lord please forgive my sins. God is so merciful that he forgives all his sins at that very moment. The devotion done in one life destroys the sins of many lives.
By devotion to God, the sins of a man’s many births are destroyed
At the end of the Gita, God Shri Krishna has said:
सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज |
अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुच: || 18.66||
God’s word is that leave all your pre-conceived notions and come to me completely surrender to me, do not worry, I will free you from all sins, but the condition is that you should never commit sin again.
Let us briefly know what evidence is there on this subject in the scriptures
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः।
कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्।।16.21।।
In the Bhagavad Gita, God has called lust, anger and greed as the root cause of all evils and the gateway to hell. These lead to the downfall of the soul. Hence, he advised to abandon these faults considering them to be the ones which lead a man to degradation.
करम प्रधान बिस्व करि राखा। जो जस करइ सो तस फलु चाखा॥ (मानस २ । २१८ ।२)
Man has to suffer the consequences of his own karma (deeds). In this world, deeds are the most important thing. The happiness and sorrows we experience in life are the result of our own previous deeds (not necessarily present birth deeds).
After death the body is left here, then who bears the consequences of actions in heaven or hell?
After death the soul gets a different body based on his karma. As mentioned above, those who have done good and virtuous deeds get a divine body, through which the pleasures of the best worlds like heaven are enjoyed and those who have more sinful deeds get a torture body through which the tortures of hell are endured.
Devyoni Divine Body: The body is not obtained by the union of parents. The entire body is formed in a few moments; there is no childhood or old age in a Dev body, One always remains young, does not have any disease, does not sweat, the body smells divine and has immense strength.
Hell Body (torture Body): Their entire body is formed within a few hours. Their mouth is small and stomach is large. They get a torture body without the union of parents, Which is only for suffering and enduring the punishments. They always have to suffer pain, they have to bear severe cold, heat, foul smell etc. and they do not get peace even for a moment for centuries.
Only human beings are taken to Yamaloka after death, not any other creature
केवलं तु मनुष्याणां मृत्युकाल उपस्थिते ।। २ ।।
याम्यैर्नरैर्मनुष्याणां तच्छरीरं भृगूत्तम। नीयते याम्यमार्गेण नान्येषां प्राणिनां द्विज।। Vishnu Dharmottar Puran 2/ 113 / 2-3 , Agni Puran 366 /35
It is noteworthy fact that only human beings acquire an ‘Ativaahik’ subtle (extrasensory) body after death. These bodies are taken to Yamraj through the Yam path by Yam-purushas. No other creatures / beings are taken there, because they immediately get birth in another non-human being.
तेन भुङ्क्ते स कृच्छ्राणि पापकर्ता नरो भृशम्। सुखानि धार्मिको हृष्ट इह नीतो यमक्षये ।। Brahm Puran 214 । 31 ।
A person who commits sins through this subtle body reaches Yam puri while suffering the tortures of the Yamya path, while devotees go to Dharmaraj happily and enjoying pleasures on the way.
Even virtuous souls, after death, go to Yam-loka and are honored in the court of Dharmraj (Yamraj).
मनुष्याः प्रतिपद्यन्ते स्वर्गं नरकमेव वा । नैवान्ये प्राणिनः केचित् सर्वं ते फलभोगिनः। ।
शुभानामशुभानां वा कर्मणां भृगुनन्दन। सञ्चयः क्रियते लोके मनुष्यैरेव केवलम्।।
तस्मान् मनुष्यस्तु मृतो यमलोकं प्रपद्यते । नान्यः प्राणी महाभाग फलयोनौ व्यवस्थितः।।Vishnu Dharmottar Puran 2/113 / 4-6
Only humans have to bear the results of good and bad consequences of their good and bad deeds in this world and the other world. Only humans go to heaven or hell as a result of their good or bad deeds, not other living beings.
Only humans accumulate good or bad deeds, that is, only humans accumulate the sins and virtues of their good and bad deeds. Hence, only humans go to Yamaloka to endure the fruits of their deeds.
No other living beings go to Heaven and Hell, because, they are in plant, animal or insect body now as a consequence of their deeds done in the past human births.
ये नियोगांश्च शास्त्रोक्तान् धर्माधर्मविमिश्रितान्। पालयन्तीह ये वैश्य! न ते यान्ति यमालयम् ।। Padm Puran 3/ 31 / 36 /
It is not mandatory for all human beings to go to Yamaloka after death. Only sinful souls are taken there. The courtiers of Lord Vishnu himself come and take the virtuous souls with them and on the way, they are honored by Dharmaraj in his court, fromm there they go to heaven or Vaikuntha (God’s Abode)
आत्मज्ञः शौचवान् दान्तस्तपस्वी विजितेन्द्रियः ।
धर्मकृद् वेदविद्यावित् सात्त्विको देवयोनिताम् ।। Yagvalkya smruti 3/13/7
After death, good men go to heaven according to their deeds. Sage Yajnavalkya has said that one who is knowledgeable, follows Shauchachaar (the rules of Spiritual hygiene) has sensual self-control.
An ascetic, Jitendriya, one who performs dharmic activities, knowledgeable in Vedas and a person with sattvik tendencies attains heaven and God’s abode.
परद्रव्येष्वभिध्यानं मनसाऽनिष्टचिन्तनम्। वितथाभिनिवेशश्च त्रिविधं कर्म मानसम् ।।५ पारुष्यमनृतं चैव पैशुन्यं चापि सर्वशः । असंबद्धप्रलापश्च वाङ्मयं स्याच्चतुर्विधम्।।६II
अदत्तानामुपादानं हिंसा चैवाविधानतः। परदारोपसेवा च शारीरं त्रिविधं स्मृतम्।। -Manu smriti 12/4-7, 12 /5-7 नारद उ० ४३/६१-६३; द्र० अनु० पर्व १३/१-६; स्कन्द १/२/४१/१६-२१;
There is a doubt in the minds of atheists and sinners about the consequences of sinful deeds that a person has to suffer in the next life. Therefore, to clarifytheir doubts, enough light has been thrown on the subject of karmavipaak in religious scriptures.
Man’s sinful acts are divided into three categories – mental, verbal and physical.
Mental sins- include the desire to obtain someone else’s wealth, wishing harm to others, and Vithathabhinibhesa (unnecessary curiosity or insistence about something), these three are mental sins.
Verbal Sins -Speaking harsh words, speaking lies, backbiting and speaking irrelevant and unrelated things – these are the four types of verbal (vachik) sins.
Physical Sins -Theft or forceful abduction of wealth, violence, and adultery are the three physical sins.
Mental, verbal and physical sins and their consequences
शरीरजैः कर्मदोषैर्याति स्थावरतां नरः । वाचिकैः पक्षिमृगतां मानसैरन्त्यजातिताम्। मनु १२/६
अन्त्य-पक्षि-स्थावरतां मनोवाक्कायकर्मजैः । दोषैः प्रयाति जीवोऽयं भवं योनिशतेषु च।।
Yagvalkya-smruti 3/131
Consequence of Physical sins – After suffering hell, the soul takes births in the plant/creeper forms, the immobile living beings. Verbal sins, make the soul animal or a bird, mental sins lead the soul into taking births as dirty insects in dirty surroundings .
More details on this subject can be seen in Yagyavalkya Smriti 6/134-136 and Puranas. The consequences of different type of sins leading to which yoni (type of living being birth).
This subject has been highlighted in detail in Manusmriti 12.36-74, Yajnavalkyasmriti 3.132-140, Markandeyapuran 15.1-36, Brahmapuran 217.32-112, Skandapuran 1.2.51.4-32, Padmapuran and Shatatap Smriti 1-5 chapters etc.
Do good deeds, be righteous, avoid sinful acts, make both your present life and life after death meaningful
Those who are virtuous souls attain divine worlds according to their good deeds. Those people who are sinful, unrighteous, immoral, ruthless, cruel and evil, they definitely suffer the bad consequences of their misdeeds , when they are alive and after death on the way to Yamaloka, later, they are tortured in hell and subsequently are born in various types of disgusting life forms.
A virtuous man who does good deeds remains happy and famous in this world due to the effect of his righteous conduct and he also remains happy in the next life. Sinful and unrighteous people who commit misdeeds remain condemned and unhappy in this world and after death as well, they suffer even greater tortures during the journey to Yamaloka, Thereafter, after undergoing severe tortures in various hells, one is reborn again and again in various dirty filthy life forms.