After Death- VUSG

Class material covered in Vedanta US Study Group on Sept 10, 2018

This class was based upon Revd. Swami Abhedanandaji's 2 bengali books: "Maraner Pare" and "Mrityu Rahasya".

Loks are (for lack of better analogy) different levels of planetary existence at higher or lower dimension than the earth. In higher dimensions, experience of happiness is obviously higher and in lower dimensions experience of pain and sorrow. These loks are for exhausting of our karmaphala (result of our work, good and bad).  

In this book Maraner Pare, Swamiji states that the Jivatma (individual soul):

·        travels between the loks via vibrating Etherwaves (Vyom).

·        is waterdrop like in substance

·        has the speed of light

·        can appear on earth / travel between the loks or/ remain invisible until suitable circumstances are obtained.

·        Its desires direct the course of journey. The strongest desire usually appears right before death and thereby determines the subtle body and next birth, next course of life higher or lower (Bhagavad Gita). This rebirth cycle is unstoppable unless one knows the laws and goes beyond.

In these books, Swamiji draws inference from Katha Upanishad and Isha Upanishad. He states that Lord Yama Dharmaraja, was the first human being to die and thereby became immortal and the king of the Land of Death i.e., the presiding Deity. As SwamiD repeatedly states; Lord Yama is also addressed as Yama Dharmaraja – the dispenser of Justice based on the principles of dharma (Righteous Living).

In these books, swamiji explains that after death the jivatma (individual bound soul) according to its karma is subjected to one of the following options:

A.     If the Jivatma is self-realized then they attain Bramhattva.

B.     If the jivatma is not self-realized then there are two destinations: Either Devalok or Pitrulok.

·        To reach Devalok the Jivatma has to ride the Devayan.

·        To reach Pitrulok the Jivatma has to ride Pitruyan.  

·        Through either of these rides, the Jivatma passes through various spheres of experience dictated by its karma.

C.     Allowed residence at all Loks are temporary though the duration may be very long including Brahmaloka.

D.     That is why (temporariness) Vedanta does not attach much significance to these Loks.

E.      According to Gita, only God realized souls are freed from the cycle of Birth and Death.

F.      After the deemed stay to exhaust the Karmaphala (result of Karma) is over, the Jivatma returns back to the earth as a living being to continue its journey. This cycle continues unceasingly.

G.      If the Jivatma cannot attain the Self-realization in Brahmaloka then the next phase starts for this soul.

H.     The non-realized souls (Jivatma) from the Devalok comes back to the earth as highly evolved souls and continue their sadhana (Spiritual practice) for Self-Realization.

I.        This spiritual practice is called Devayan (way to attain Devattwa, Divinity)

PITRULOK:

·        If the jivatma is compassionate, benevolent, philanthropic and Dharmic then it is entitled to ride on Pitruyan.

·        This Pitruyan travels through the following chronologically:

-          Smoke-web à Night à Darkness for 15 days à 6 months along Dakshinayan (South) Path à Pitrulok à Chandralok

-          During Dakshinayan, the SUN is in the southern Hemisphere.

·        Here the Jivatma meets with previously departed ancestors.

·        Until the karmaphala (deemed for this lok) is exhausted they cannot take rebirth.

·        When the rebirth time arrives, this Jivatma travels in transparent, subtle body through the

-          Space à Vayu (wind) à Clouds à Rain (In Raindrops) that fall on cultivated fields à Food grains (assimilated in the human body)

-          Elsewhere I had read, that the father consumes the food and through the father the Jivatma is transferred into the mother during conception.

-          Marvellous fact is the almost impossible probability which is given a score of 100% by our Karma..! For we choose our parents according to our Karma…!!!!

-          The Jivatma now has another opportunity (through these new parents) to satisfy its unfulfilled desires.  

-          This is the time when all previous life memories are condensed/suppressed and the Jivatma starts a new life creating new karma-falas, good and bad.  

DEVALOK:

·        If the jivatma had been worshipping God with pure-hearted devotion, had been helping and serving others with no expectation or ulterior motive, had firm faith in a chosen ideal i.e., a particular form of God And were either a follower of Dwaita or Vishishta-advaita or believed in One God – they go to Swargaloka riding on the Devayan.

·        This Devayan travels through the following chronologically:

-          Light à Day à Waxing half Moon à 2 months on Uttarayan (North) Path à Devalok à Sun à Taritlok (Lighting)

-          From Taritlok a highly evolved soul comes to fetch and escort them to Brahmalok (ref Brihadaranyak Upanishad).

-          Usually the Jivatma remains in Bramhalok until the deemed period.

-          The Creator of Universe Brahma is the Lord of Bramhalok. After his tenure is over (Creation is dissolved) another brahma comes and the creation continues.

ATTENDEES: Nandini, Tara, Neelam, Bhama, Priti, Chandra

© Nandini Mitra Banerjee Sept 10, 2018