4. Ever since the dawn of time, man has been seeking to conquer death—his greatest works, such as the
pyramids, stand even today in mute witness to his attempts to attain life eternal. Paradoxically, ‘life’
means ‘that which lasts’—life on earth being anything but that does. It is said that even a speck of dust is
seeking Moksha- liberation from the gyres of time-space-causation. Liberation is jiva’s very birthright.
However, under the spell of Maya- illusion, jivas remain attached to Jada- the inert of this world.
We live life here in a state of blissful ‘cognitive dissonance’—too busy to even ponder why we are
here. Death alone is, then, our true link with the beyond, and it is only when a near and dear one passes
on that we pause to ponder the meaning of life. Yet, saints and seers constantly remind us that human
birth is a gift, too priceless to be squandered away in mundane quest of ‘good life’, name and fame. And
that attainment of life eternal is a real possibility for us all—at least in these times.
Death is a partial journey into the inner space of the Cosmos, which normally ends in return and
rebirth into the outer world due to the necessity of having to settle the residue karmic imprints left
behind during the previous births here. Human death can also be perceived as the least of the cosmic
dissolutions: Nitya Pralaya.
During the cyclic process of death and birth, only the lowest 2.1/2 bodies (out of the 7) are brought
into play. Death is the discarding of Dehatma- physical vest below Shiva-netra. It is reversion to the
pristine upper mental and spiritual vest within the Sutratma- soul-string (presently strung at Ashta-dal-
kanwal {8} in the astral). Since material attachments and desires acquired during earthly sojourn remain
strong, in line with the principle that ‘one goes where one’s desires lay’, a rebirth follows (hence, the
Buddhist dictum: ‘be desireless’). This is the bondage of Chaurasi- the ‘Cycle of 8.4 mill. life-forms’.
The Tibetian Buddhist Tantrists speak of the 4 ‘bardos’- transitions or gaps in-between during the life
and death cycle as delineated in their book, 'Bardo Thodol'- Book of the Dead. The Bardo manuals are
recited to the deceased in order to help the dying recognize that the blinding lights and the deities—
both peaceful and wrathful—are but a projection of their own mind, so as be liberated hereof.
The Bondage of Birth & Death
5.
6.
7.
8. The Zhitro teachings subsume the Bardo Thodol and mention Karma Lingpa, terma (hidden teachings)
and Padmasambhava and list the Six Bardo: The first bardo of This Life begins when we take birth and
endures as long as we live. The second is the bardo of dreams. The third is the bardo of concentration or
meditation. The fourth Bardo of Dying occurs at the moment of death. The fifth Bardo of Dharmata is
known as the bardo of the luminosity of the true nature. The sixth Bardo of Existence is called the bardo
of transmigration or karmic becoming.
Kyenay bardo: is the bardo of birth and life. This bardo commences from conception until the last
breath, when the mindstream withdraws from the body.
Milam bardo: is the bardo of the dream state. The Milam Bardo is a subset of the first Bardo. Dream
Yoga develops practices to integrate the dream state into Buddhist sadhana.
Samten bardo: is the bardo of meditation. This bardo is generally only experienced by meditators,
though individuals may have spontaneous experience of it. Samten Bardo is a subset of the Shinay Bardo.
Chikhai bardo: is the bardo of the moment of death. This bardo is held to commence when the outer
and inner signs presage that the onset of death is nigh, and continues through the dissolution or
transmutation of the Mahabhuta until the external and internal breath has completed.
Chönyi bardo: is the bardo of the luminosity of the true nature which commences after the final
'inner breath' (prana, vayu). It is within this Bardo that visions and auditory phenomena occur. In the
Dzogchen teachings, these are known as the spontaneously manifesting Thödgal visions. Concomitant to
these visions, there is a welling of profound peace and pristine awareness. Sentient beings who have not
practiced during their lived experience and/or who do not recognize the clear light at the moment of
death are usually deluded throughout the fifth bardo of luminosity.
Sidpa bardo: is the bardo of becoming or transmigration. This bardo endures until the inner-breath
commences in the new transmigrating form determined by the "karmic seeds" within the storehouse
consciousness.
The Tibetian Bardo Teachings
10. The Sciences of the Bonded Sutratma
“Fiat lux—Let there be light.” – Genesis 1. Thus began the Biblical creation with a ‘Big Bang’ from the
astral Christ plane or astral {8} petalled Ashta-dal kanwal chakra, the dark cataract, ‘Void’, ‘Cave’, ‘Tunnel’
or the ‘Womb of Shakti’, where the deity is Kali, Mary or Isis. This light of creation is the ‘Astral Light’ of
night, ‘Lucifer’. This region of the ‘Valley of the Shadow of Death’ – Psalm 24:3 is essentially an Asurya-
sunless region. This region contains the ‘Holy Trinity’: Father–Son–Holy Spirit, containing the {6}–{5 or
1000}–{4} petalled lotuses, comprising the fourth Quarter (Q-IV) of the astral plane. These are also
considered to be the Heaven (Swarga or Bahisht)–Middle region (Pitri Lok or Ehraf)–Hell (Naraka or
Dozakh). The corresponding Hindu deities here are: Indra-Karikeya–Yama–Vrittra-Ganesha.
Occult: It is the ‘knowledge of the hidden or the paranormal, arcane or esoteric’, the study of a
deeper spiritual reality that extends beyond pure reason and the physical sciences. It also describes the
teachings and practices of a number of magical organizations or orders such as: Gnosticism,
Hermeticism, Theosophy, Wicca, Thelema, Neo-Platonism, Kabbalah etc. Occult practices include: magic,
alchemy, ESP, astrology, spiritualism, divination etc. Electricity, magnetism, gravity, sound, light, heat,
cohesion etc. are considered to be occult deities—the 7 Elohim or Rishi-Prajapatis or ‘Rays of Sun’. The
Builders (Masons, Vishwakarma) or Maha-Chohans build the Viraat Creation after every Brahma’s night.
The Leepikas are Wise Recorders of Karma, and Devarajas or Lok Paals, the 10 Regents of Earth.
Maharajas are Guardian Angels of the Karmic records (‘Tree of Knowledge’) and Dwar- or Dik-Paals, the
Protectors of the Cardinal Directions. Deva-ganas- demi-gods such as Sadhyas, Vasus, Adityas, Apsaras,
Maruts, Vidyadharas, Kinnaras, Gandharvas- Gnomes, Kumbhandhas- Undines, Nagas- Sylphs, Yakshas-
Salamanders, Sarpas- serpents, Suparnas- birds etc. Terrestrial gods such as: Agni- fire, Soma- moon,
Prithvi- earth. Asuras are anti-gods of the nether hells, who embody destructive energies of nature, but
are yet essential for evolution.
Paganism: This is considered to express a pantheistic, polytheistic or animistic worldview. Paganism
came to be equated with a sense of feminine worship, hedonism, representing those who are sensual,
materialistic and self-indulgent religion. However, Vedic/Christian deities are identical to pagan deities.
11. The Sciences of the Bonded Sutratma
Astrology: This consists of pseudoscientific systems of divination based on the premise that there is a
relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world. Jyotisha is the
traditional Hindu system of astrology based on Rāshis– zodiacal signs, Nakṣhatras – lunar mansions,
Grahas– planets, Daśā-s– planetary periods, Gocharas– transits, Bhavans– houses, Dṛshṭis– aspects etc.,
and is one of the Vedangas. Astrology is said to enable one to know the future, to know the auspicious
and inauspicious times etc. It believes that by doing propitiation, the planetary influence can be
modified, and the intensity of bad effects can be pacified and good results follow e.g. longevity
increased, accidents avoided. It is believed that each soul is provided with a Prarabdha or fate karma,
based upon which its body is built, prior to birth. A Janma-kundali or birth or natal chart of a person can
be drawn up based on the time and location of birth, which can be used to predict one’s fate as well as
used as a guide to daily life. The chart shows the positions of the sun, moon, planets, and potentially
other celestial objects, all referred to as the native's ‘planets’.
Riddhi-Siddhis: Riddhi and Siddhi—Shubha (Auspiciousness) and Labha (Profit)—are considered to
be the wives or sons of Lord Ganesha. Considered to be 6 in number, Riddhis are good fortunes related
to prosperity, attainment, success, progress, and affluence. Siddhis are the 5, 8, 9 or 10 spiritual,
paranormal, supernatural, or otherwise magical powers, abilities, and attainments that are the products
of spiritual advancement through sādhanās such as meditation and yoga or by psychic or magical means.
These powers include powers such as clairvoyance, levitation, bilocation, becoming as small as an
atom, materialization, having access to memories from past lives.
Vastu Shastra: Another pseudoscience, this is a traditional Hindu system of architecture, which
literally translates to ‘science of architecture.’ These are texts found on the Indian subcontinent that
describe principles of design, layout, measurements, ground preparation, space arrangement and spatial
geometry. The designs are intended to integrate architecture with nature, the relative functions of
various parts of the structure, and ancient beliefs utilizing geometric patterns (yantra), symmetry
and directional alignments.
12. The Sciences of the Bonded Sutratma
Black Magic: This is the malicious, ‘left-hand’ counterpart of benevolent ‘right-hand’ White Magic.
Like its counterpart, White Magic, the origins of Black Magic can be traced to the primitive, ritualistic
worship of spirits. Black Magic traditionally refers to the use of supernatural powers or magic for evil and
selfish purposes. Unlike White Magic, which has parallels with primitive shamanistic efforts to achieve
closeness with spiritual beings, the rituals that developed into modern Black Magic are designed
to invoke those same spirits to produce beneficial outcomes for the practitioner.
The Microcosm: ‘Microcosm’ refers to the limited region in the lowest pit of the entire Macrocosm,
which is accessible to the present Kali-yugi human-being, under the bondage of Chaurasi- the cycle of
8.4 mill. Life-forms, due to the ‘Law of Karma’. This comprises not only the physical plane (demarcated by
the first 6 chakras of the Yogis—anal to the eyebrows), but also the lowest quarter (Q-IV) of the astral
plane (the region of the ‘7th chakra’) represented by the human forehead and brain. The latter comprises
the ‘Valley of the Shadow of Death’, where a jiva goes post-death.
Astral Q-IV: The knowledge pertaining to this region is provided as ‘default, free education’ to most of
the humankind. Most religions consider this to be ‘all that there is’. The deity atop this region—Kali,
Mary or Isis, the virgin, is hence, mistakenly, taken to be our Mother, and to be ‘eternity’ itself. This is the
‘Garden of Eden’, where the human prototype—Adam (or Manu) was created by the gods, along with
the ‘Earth’, as yet astral entities. Progressively, there is a ‘fall’, ending with the present gross physical.
Concluding: ‘Big Bang’ is the creation of the Jada- inert powers and matter at astral Ashta-dal-kanwal
or Mahar Lok, from which the lower triple regions (Suvah, Bhuvah & Bhu; or Heavens, Earth &
Underworld) are created. The spark of Bijli or Buraaq is the Pranic lightning of Indra or Zeus, which
provides energy to power these worlds. The various Yogas (e.g. Kundalini, Kriya, or Raja Yogas), beliefs
and practices are all based on these Shaktis or inert powers (Jada ka Chetan), abjured in ‘Surat-Shabd
Yoga’, being obstacles to higher spirituality, in which, during spiritual initiation, the very connection of
the jiva with this region (incl. Karmic records of Chitragupta- Yama’s accountant) is snapped.
14. Reliving the life: During this time when you are in your afterlife, you relive all your best and worst
moments. People have stated that they have seen their past lives flash all before their eyes in near death
or even post death experiences. They claimed to see their activities and their memories play out like a
video slideshow before their eyes.
The Light: People always report seeing a light when they die. The light appears off in the distance, and
you will slowly be pulled towards it, almost as if you are being pulled by a magnet. The light is always
accompanied by a sense of love and peace. This is your transition phase back to your home in the spirit
world.
You Can See Your Body: Many people have this "out of body experience" and see their lifeless body
beneath them when they are technically dead. That means they are an incorporeal spirit floating above
their body. They can see everything that is going on in the room and who is in it. Any attempt to restore
connectivity between the consciousness and physical body fails, leaving the person frantic for several
moments.
Dead relatives: During your afterlife, you get to see all your dead relatives in a large number. Many
people who have died and then came back to life have claimed that they have seen their dead relatives
around them. Perceptibly, they have seen them greeting each other and enjoying a large party during
their afterlife.
Hear and see everyone: You can see and hear everyone. A number of people have narrated about
their ability to see a lot of people in their room with them where they were lying unconscious. Their
attempt to interact with them went in vain as their body is lifeless but their consciousness or their spirit
remains awake throughout the session.
What Happens When You Die?
15. Calmness: Most of the dead people that have been brought back to life after death stated that they
felt an overpowering sense of peace and calmness when they were unconscious. It is so irresistible and
loving that the conscious soul doesn’t know how to state in simple words about the calming experience
they had. According to them, it is a sense of tranquility that none could ever experience before dying.
Angels: An ample of people has asserted that they have seen at least one Angel or Holy Spirit looking
at them. They seemed to take care of them during their end time. They were supposed to help them to
come out of their pain in death’s grasp. Some even say that they are being succored by the spirit through
the afterlife before they were sent back to their original body.
You still feel like yourself: Even though you don’t have your body anymore, you still feel like an
individual. Actually, you feel more like yourself than you did when you were alive. There’s so much
influence from others while you’re on earth that in a way you don’t get to be you.
Life review: People report seeing their entire life as a sort of movie film in front of their eyes or on the
pages of a book. You may have to see some things that make you feel ashamed and like you failed, but
this is not a time of judgment. This is a time of review, and discussion about what needs to be improved
upon as a soul. After you see your whole life, you may come to an agreement with your guides to come
back to Earth to work on things after a certain period of time in the spirit world.
On a lighter side!: During this life, we may never truly know what happens once we pass away.
Perhaps there will be a bright light and many loved ones... or maybe we will just feel happy, loved and
warm. But one thing is certain... if a person passed away and felt like they were in heaven, only to be
expelled and brought back? Well, that would feel like hell.
What Happens When You Die?
16. No two near-death experiences are identical, but within a group of experiences a pattern becomes
evident. The pattern includes one or more of these things:
Feeling that the "self" has left the body and is hovering overhead: The person may later be able to
describe who was where and what happened, sometimes in detail.
Moving through a dark space or tunnel: Experiencing intensely powerful emotions, ranging from bliss
to terror.
Encountering a light: This light is usually described as golden or white, and as being magnetic and
loving; occasionally it is perceived as a reflection of the fires of hell.
Receiving some variant of the message, "It is not yet your time”: Meeting others; may be deceased
loved ones, recognized from life or not; sacred beings; unidentified entities and/or ‘Beings of Light’;
sometimes symbols from one’s own or other religious traditions.
A life-review: Seeing and re-experiencing major and trivial events of one’s life, sometimes from the
perspective of the other people involved, and coming to some conclusion about the adequacy of that life
and what changes are needed. Having a sense of understanding everything, of knowing how the universe
works.
Reaching a boundary: A cliff, fence, water, some kind of barrier that may not be crossed if one is to
return to life. In some cases, entering a city or library. Rarely, receiving previously unknown information
about one’s life—i.e. adoption or hidden parentage, deceased siblings.
Decision to return: This may be voluntary or involuntary. If voluntary, usually associated with
unfinished responsibilities. Returning to the body. Most near-death experiences are pleasant, but others
are deeply frightening.
Near-Death Experience (NDE)
17. This outline of the experience between lives is based on extensive research of those who have NDE or
OOB experiences, under hypnotic states under which, clients are known to never lie and only to describe
what they are actually seeing. Regardless of whatever religious or cultural background they come from,
clients have reported such similar experiences.
1. Death and departure: Most clients recall looking down at their body and seeing people mourning over
their death. Some people reported staying around their loved ones until after their funeral. During this
time clients could feel a pull towards a light, and described a tunnel of sorts to get there.
2. Gateway to the spirit world: Clients report moving through the tunnel and reaching the light at the
end. Location of the tunnel varies, as some say it appears right above their bodies, and others say they
have to travel above the Earth to reach it. After reaching the end of the tunnel, they almost always
describe in varying ways beautiful visions, music and scenery.
3. Homecoming: Here we are greeted by souls who are close to us. They appear as luminous beings who
sometimes project faces of people who are still ‘alive’ in a physicality. The soul begins to remember more
about the afterlife and also their previous lives, feeling more at ease with the process.
4. Orientation: During the orientation stage, a soul will shed any regret/doubt/sadness/traumatic
memories from its previous life by going through what clients describe as a ‘shower of light’. This renews
the soul’s vibrancy and restores it to its original vibration.
5. Transition: Here we see a mega-hub of souls at the same stage, all moving through beautiful tunnels
of light to their destination. This moment is exciting because there is no darkness, just pure light, and we
are also on our way to meet up with our soul family. These are souls that we keep reincarnating with
over and over again, playing various roles with each other such as partners, brothers/sisters, parents,
children, etc.
Experiences Between Lives
18. 6. Placement: This stage is almost like a school where larger groups of soul families (up to thousands)
who incarnate around each other in cycles learn about their previous experiences. Here clients report
projecting into specific scenes from their previous life and into other people’s minds to gain a full
understanding of the larger picture. Here we feel what others felt to learn how we hurt people in certain
situations.
7. Life selection: We move to a large sphere of light where we then choose our next life path and are
able to see multiple paths and are able to temporarily project into these lives to feel which one would be
most appropriate. We also have the ability to fast forward through the timelines to see critical events
that will happen. Some souls will choose greater challenges to experience such as a disability or
premature death.
8. Choosing a new body: This process is a part of the previous life selection stage, but has a separate
categorization because it focuses on the physical appearance that we will possess in the next life. This
choice vastly affects our experience, so it usually takes much thought as to what it will be. If you were
obese in one life, chances are you will choose to be skinny the next, etc.
9. Preparation and embarkation: After choosing our life path, next we meet up with our soul group, the
people who will play roles in the next life, to do extensive planning and to create synchronicities and
cues that will guide us throughout our life. After the synchronicities are decided, we once again meet
with a counsel to go over our goals and plans for the next life.
10. Rebirth: Clients report travelling back to Earth through the same tunnel they left in, entering the
mother’s womb. Until the age of 5, the soul is able to leave the baby’s body to travel and meet up with
other souls if it wishes, but will snap back to the body if the baby is in any turmoil. During the first few
years the soul will work to integrate its energy with the brain.
Experiences Between Lives
21. The Grief Cycle
In refusing to face death, we close off a part of life. In Western thinking, the answer to the problem of
death is to try to postpone its arrival as long as possible, whereas, in ancient and non-western cultures,
there is the recognition of the utmost importance of dying as an integral aspect of life. In these cultures,
the theme of death has had a deep influence on religion, ritual, life, mythology and philosophy. Dying is
sometimes seen as a step up in the spiritual hierarchy, a promotion into the world of revered ancestors,
powerful spirits or as an upward transition from the complicated earthly life fraught with suffering and
problems.
Without a coping mechanism a person’s life could spin out of control and come to a disastrous end.
The coping mechanism is called the ‘Grief Cycle’. It is normally accepted that there are 5 stages that
individuals experience as they walk through their personal tragedies.
1. Denial: “No way!” “It is not cancer, I am just losing weight”. A clear sign of denial is when a grieving
person continues to have conversations with a loved one that has died. Nothing is thrown out and the
house is kept in the same condition as if there has been no death.
2. Anger: Once the denial begins to wear off then irrational anger begins to settle in. It could be anger
towards loved ones, strangers, the one who is dying, and it could even be against objects. The expression
is simply a way to cope through this stage of irrational anger.
3. Bargaining: Many times this may include trying to make a deal with God. “If you get me through this I
will …”. Or it may be “take me and not my child”.
4. Depression: The expression of depression can have many different faces. It could range from, “Why
didn’t I spend more time with …”. It could include, “How will I ever afford a nice funeral?” to “What am I
going to do now that I am alone?”
5. Acceptance: Not everyone arrives at this stage. It is when the reality of the loss is accepted and one’s
sanity and daily life is not lost. Changed but not a total loss.
22. The painful experience of discarding the physical body at death has been described in Shrimad
Bhagwad as being akin to being bitten simultaneously by a lakh of scorpions, which is why the dictum
that we should learn to die even while living. It is a paradox of Spirituality that the so-called ‘life’ is death;
and death life—for one finds life eternal only by simulating death through meditation.
Akaal Mrityu- untimely death occurs during certain sudden death by accidents, wars, murders,
suicides etc. due to some bad karma in previous lives, when the Pranas- vital energies still remain. The
soul remains caged in the Etheric Double body and with its mental apparatus in-tact, undergoes
torments until it overcomes its attachments to the physical world. Since life was given on the basis of a
fixed number of breaths, the being has yet to exhaust remaining Pranas. Such beings are at times take an
immediate rebirth from their previous Etheric body itself. Children dying young do not have a purgatorial
existence and are often reborn with their old mind in-tact and can thus retain previous birth memories.
But for one accustomed to 'dying before death' i.e. rising above body-consciousness, dying is a routine
affair. The disciples of a perfect Master die invariably a peaceful death, shorn of earthly worries and leave
with good cheer. Their string of Nirat- the invisible string controlling the soul has been taken over by the
Satguru from Yamaraj- Angel of Death during the spiritual initiation; instead of Yama-doots- Yama’s
assistants, they are received at death by the Satguru himself in his radiant form. Death carries a sting no
longer, but is now an Urs- divine wedding celebration of soul with Over-soul in the form of the perfect
Master or Murshid. The tables have been turned, at long last, upon the ‘last enemy’—death!
The Satguru takes the initiate to Sahasrara {14} lotus in the astral plane, or beyond depending on his
spiritual advancement. He himself decides his fate, giving him further human birth in case attachments
remain or taking him onward toward Sach Khand in stages in his own company, while completing the
requisite meditations in the inner planes. The middle path of Sushumna is reserved for the journey.
Those who meditate regularly are aware of the day and time of their impending departure well in
advance and are well practiced in Kundalini release and voluntarily leaving body-consciousness.
The Process of Death
23. The Tanmatras or subtle elements form the base for the moving Pranas or vital forces and the sense-
organs. They remain quite inoperative for accompanying the departing soul at the time of death. Prana is
manifestation of Prakritis. Subtle Prana is vital force; gross Prana or Vayu- wind is breath. Prana moves
the Indriyas or senses. It generates thoughts, moves the body and causes locomotion. It digests the food,
circulates the blood, excretes urine and faeces, causes respiration. It is thru Prana one sees, hears, feels,
tastes and thinks. The sum total of all Pranas is Hiranyagarbha or Lord Brahma.
In a normal person’s death, the Pranas or vital forces are drawn upwards from the feet and hands, and
simultaneously, the spiritual currents also withdraw towards the heart, then throat and then to the Third
eye, from where the soul withdraws from the body. The breathing from the mouth begins as the death
process begins to proceed. He becomes a cadaver when the eyes turn upwards and then come down,
and the Pranas exit in the form of breath.
At the time of death, breathing becomes difficult while the Prana departs, and the jiva goes out
making creaking noises as it is afflicted by pain as the vital parts are being slashed. Helpless state of mind
and loss of memory is caused due to this excruciating pain. Garuda and Atma Puranas say, the pangs of
death are tantamount to being stung by 72,000 scorpions.
The departure of the soul is immediately followed by the departure of the Prana. When a man is
about to die, the various organs withdraw themselves into their original sources, and no longer help the
functioning of the organs. Every organ becomes united with the subtle body (Etheric Double). He loses
his understanding, memory and waking consciousness. The external world becomes void for him.
Udana Vayu draws out the subtle body from the gross body at the time of death. It is the vehicle of
transport for all Pranas. Its abode is the throat and it helps deglutition or swallowing of food. When the
subtle body rises up, the self-luminous Atman also seems to go with it. When the jiva departs, the chief
Prana departs after him, and when the Prana thus departs, all the other Pranas depart after it. They
cannot stay without the basis or substratum or support of the elements.
The Exiting of Pranas
24. The soul which passes out of the body after death is termed ‘Preta’, one that is bound on its onward
march to the Beyond. The soul in its disembodied form hovers about its original and familiar places for
ten days. It is in the form of a ghost during these ten days. On the eleventh day, it starts on its journey to
the judgement seat of Lord Yama, the God of death which takes one full year from the time of death to
reach. The path is beset with obstacles, distress and difficulties. The wicked person suffers more.
The passage of the self from the body varies according to the good actions done by the jiva and the
knowledge gained by him. If he has a good store of virtuous deeds and knowledge that would take him
to the Sun, the self leaves the body through the eye. It leaves through the head if he is entitled to the
world of Hiranya-garbha. It leaves through other passages according to its past work and knowledge.
Chitragupta, the recorder of Karmas, the Accountant-General in the Kingdom of Lord Yama, informs
the soul of his good and bad actions during his earthly life after the end of one full year. The soul leaves
off its Pretatva or the garb of a traveller and is raised to the status of a Pitri or Ancestor.
Desire is the root-cause of transmigration. A person attains whatever he thinks of at the moment of
death. Everybody has at the moment a consciousness which consists of impressions in the form of
particular modification of the mind and goes to the body related to that consciousness. Virtuous persons
doing Simran (Japa) and meditation will remember God’s Name at death-point by sheer force of habit.
The phenomenon of Near-Death Experience (NDE) is only a partial 'death' experience, since the NDEr
scarcely crosses the threshold of the physical plane and enters the astral plane (as does a truly dead
person, whose 'Silver Cord' connecting the first two bodies has snapped fully), but is provided a mere
glimpse of the inner worlds. NDErs vividly describe experience of Pranamayi kosha, the ‘ghost’ body in
which the NDEr can see his gross body from above. Even this invisible physical body needs to ‘die’ (i.e.
the ‘second death’ needs to occur) in order for the soul to proceed to full death at Shiva-netra. Last
moment injections, shocks or drugs, as also deep worldly attachments can prevent an early release from
this state of limbo—which is why it is common to light a lamp, so as to guide the soul to the light beyond.
The Journey beyond Death
25. It is only those
exiting through the
10th door, opened
by the grace of a
perfect Master, who
are liberated or at
worst, get another
human rebirth.
The rest DO NOT.
Depending on which
orifice jiva leaves by,
the class of rebirth
khani is determined:
for instance, Guda
door takes one to
Narak; Urinary to
fish khani; Eyes to
birds khani; Ears to
bhoot khani.
26. There are two paths by which the jivas go: Devayana and Pitriyana—above and below astral Ashta-
dal-kanwal chakra:
-- The Path of Light (Devayana): The Uttara Marga- Northern path is the path by which the Yogins go to
Brahman. This path leads to salvation in Brahmaa Loka (Satyam). Having reached the path of the gods he
comes to the world of Agni, to the world of Vayu, to the world of Varuna, to the world of Indra, to the
world of Prajapati, to the world of Brahman. They go to light, from light to day, from day to the waxing
half of the moon, from the waxing half of the moon to the six months when the Sun goes to the North,
from those six months to the year, from the year to the Aditya. When the person goes away from this
world he comes to Vayu. Then Vayu makes room for him like the hole of a wheel and through it he
mounts higher till he comes to Aditya. From the moon to the lightning there is a person, not a man
(Amanava Purusha), who leads him to Brahman. The bright path is the path, to the Devas, Devayana, of
the devotees; the bright path is open to the devotees.
-- The Path of Darkness (Pitriyana): The path of ancestors leads to rebirth. Those who do sacrifices to
gods and other charitable works with expectation of fruits go to the Chandra Loka through this path and
come back to this world when their fruits of Karmas are exhausted. There are smoke and dark-coloured
objects throughout the course. There is no illumination when one passes along this path. It is reached by
Avidya or ignorance. Hence it is called the path of darkness or smoke. The dark path is to the Pitris or
forefathers—Pitriyana or the Karmins who do sacrifices or charitable acts with expectation of fruits.
The Yogi who knows that the path of Devayana or the path of light leads to Moksha (Karma Mukti)
and the path of darkness to Samsara or the world of births and deaths, is no longer deluded. The bright
path is open to the devotees and the dark path to the Karmins. Samsara is eternal and so the paths also
are eternal. The Pranas of Jivana-muktas who have attained knowledge of the Self do not depart. They
are absorbed in Brahman. The Jivana-muktas who attain Kaivalya-Moksha or immediate salvation have
no place to go to or return from. They become one with the All-pervading Brahman.
The Pathways after Death
27. The brain, though a physical entity,
essentially represents the unseen
lowest quarter of the astral region
above the physical, where jivas go in-
between lives—only to return once
again. This is the pyramid shaped (Mt.
Meru) sunless region of bondage, where
the entities taking birth in the physical
plane under Chaurasi- cycle of 8.4 mill.
life-forms during Kali-yuga, are
governed from birth to death, as well
that of the Unconscious mind or Antah-
karan- inner apparatus. The ‘Trinity’
here contains mental heaven—in-
between—hell regions, while the
‘Turiya’ or the fourth region (Ashta-
dal-kanwal, Garden of Eden, Christ
plane) beyond is considered (falsely) to
be Eternity itself, and its deity—Kali,
Durga, Mary or Isis (falsely) taken to be
the mother of jivas. Those reaching
here through various Kundalini Kriyas
at best achieve Riddhi-Siddhis-
supernatural powers and a temporary
respite from rebirth lasting merely
until the end of the current Age.
The ‘Valley of the
Shadow of Death’
28.
29. Those who perform good Karmas become serviceable companions to the gods. They enjoy
themselves in the Chandra Loka (Swarga) and return to the earth at the end of their store of merit. The
souls that descend from heaven have a remnant of Karma which determines their birth. The souls return
to the earth by the force of some un-enjoyed remnants of Karma.
Hells are places of torture for the evil-doers. The temporary abodes are Raurava, Maharaurava, Vahni,
Vaitarani and Kumbhika. The two ‘eternal’ hells are Tamisra (darkness) and Andha-tamisra (blinding
darkness). Yama is the chief ruler in those seven hells also and Chitragupta the superintendent. The
sinners go to Naraka Loka or the world of punishment and after having experienced the results of their
evil deeds, come down to the earth. Those who do not go by means of Vidya along the path of Devayana
to Brahmaa Loka or by means of Karma along the path of Pitriyana to Chandra Loka are born often in
low bodies and die often. They become those small creatures, flies, worms, etc.
[Jivas without a Satguru go alone and are entrusted to Kaal and Yama. They are judged without
prejudice according to their Karmas. They are sent to heavens or hells accordingly for a fixed period of
time to settle these. The jivas exiting the hells enter the life-forms of vegetation, then crawler-creepers,
then birds, then beasts and finally human-beings.
[Jivas having a Satguru who have not put in sufficient effort in meditation are received by the Satguru,
leaving aside attachment of the world. Their Karmas are settled by the Satguru Himself and are given
another birth, not below the human life-form, if necessary. Those altogether without attachment are not
reborn. The seed of Naam never goes unfructified.
[Jivas of the Saints, who have sincerely followed their teachings, but are yet to be perfected, know the
time of their departure in advance and leave the body like a worn-out garment. They continue their
progress in the inner planes.
[The perfected beings directly return to the Lord joyously.
The Pathways after Death
32. The astral world is the world of spirits of disembodied souls—souls having cast off the physical body
and yet enfolded in the subtle and mental coverings. It is called ‘Pitri Lok,’ the place of the manes of the
souls of the departed ancestors. Here the souls are imprisoned in the 7-shelled encasement of the astral
world, drawing subtle material from each of the sub-planes existing therein. Here they work out the
causes which they set going on the earth-plane, by undergoing certain purificatory processes so as to
make them worthy of the Land of the Shining Ones after the dross is burnt off.
‘Kama Lok’ is a lower sub-plane in the astral world. It is a ‘place of desires’ and is said to contain seven
sub-divisions in it, each peopled by persons of varying natures and temperaments. Life in Kama Lok is
said to be more active, forms more plastic and the spirit-matter more highly charged and more subtle,
and intangible and imperceptible though transparent or translucent. The thought-forms here appear and
disappear with kaleidoscopic rapidity because of the great velocity of the vibrations generated by
sensations, feelings and emotions.
‘Deva Lok’ is the abode of the Devas or the shining ones—people highly enlightened in their time and
greatly advanced in their researches, in the mental world. Here are located the Swargas and Vaikunths of
the Hindus, the Sukh-vati of the Buddhists the heavens of the Zoroastrians and Christians, the Arsha, of
the less materialised Muslims and the Supernal Paradises or Pleasure-grounds of the later Jews. Here lies
the Garden of Eden from where man was expelled and excluded by God for his first disobedience of His
commandments.
Everything thought of, every aspiration worked, frustrated, struggles and defeats, sorrows and errors
during life on earth now find fruition in one of the 7 sub-planes or heavens in the ‘Land of Midnight Sun’
where self-consciousness awakening, makes one fully conscious of his non-self surroundings. The past,
the present and the future now present to him an integrated view of life, like an open book, with nothing
to hide and withhold. Here he develops for himself an all-seeing eye and becomes a perfect seer so far as
his individuality is concerned, in the true sense of the word.
Heavens & Hells
33. The scum of the society, the vilest of the vile, the murderers and marauders ruffians and profligates
and persons with bestial tastes and brutish appetites who, while living on earth, shaped for themselves
beastial astral bodies, now appear, after death, in savage forms in their natural likenesses and native
hideousnesses, in the lowest strata of the infernal region, roaming about, roaring, raving and raging,
fiercely and furiously, Pret-like wandering in search of means for the gratification of their insatiate
desires.
To the next sub-plane go such souls as quit their bodies with some deep anxiety weighing heavily on
them or such who had implacable appetites or desires for self-enjoyment and gratification.
Then there are two sub-planes for those who are educated and thoughtful people chiefly occupied
with worldly affairs during their lifetime on earth. Their attention is directed more onwards than
backwards because they belong to the progressive types.
From the fifth sub-plane onwards the environ changes considerably, becoming astral in the true sense
of the word i.e., truly starry, studded as it is with stars, and the surroundings are cheerfully inspiring.
These three sub-planes are euphemistically termed heavens—heavens of a lower type, sometime spoken
of, as by the later Jews, as infernal heavens, being situated in the infernal world as distinguished from
supernal heavens.
The religious and the philosophic busy-bodies find their way to the materialised heavens in the fifth
region which they desired and coveted while on earth: like the Happy Hunting Grounds, the Valhalla (the
final resting place of the illustrious dead and the—heroes slain in battles), the joy-filled Bahisht or
paradise of the Muslims, the golden Jewelled-Gated New Jerusalem or the Lyceum-filled Heaven.
The souls of the more advanced type like artists find a place in the sixth sub-division. The seventh or
the highest sub-division is entirely for the materialistically-oriented intellectuals like politicians and
administrators and men of science who were pronouncedly materialistic on earth and wedded to the
ways of the world in acquiring knowledge.
The Hells (Dr. Annie Besant)
34.
35. In the heaven-world, the lowest part is assigned to the least developed souls with sincere and
unselfish love for their families and friends, an admiration for nobler, purer and better persons than
themselves. The measure of their meed is accordingly narrow and shallow, the cup of their receptivity
being small; but still bubbling over to the brim with joy, purity and harmony; and they are reborn after a
while on this plane with improved powers and faculties.
Next, come in men and women of religious faith with hearts and minds turned towards God—the
personal God of their own choice, with any name and any form they had faith in, and to them the
Nameless and the Formless appears in the said likeness in which they lovingly worshipped Him,
overwhelming them with devotional ecstasy according to their mental and emotional capacity. The
Divine veils Himself in the form familiar to His devotee.
To the third plane, come devoted and earnest souls who see and serve God in man and worship Him
in His manifested creation. At this place they are perfected into great philanthropists of times yet
unborn, and endowed with a rich power of unselfish love for mankind.
The souls of Master-minds in fine arts, like music, sculpture and painting; the researchers and
discoverers of the laws of nature; eager and reverent students delving into the depths of knowledge, get
an opportunity in the 4th sub-plane for developing into perfect Teachers of mankind in the ages to come;
and when they do come, they serve as torch-bearers and leave their footprints on the sands of time.
Next, there are three lofty regions of formless heavens. A large number of souls simply reach the
lowest reaches, have but a brief stay, and a flash of insight, according to their sowing and then they come
back to the earth-plane with a dip into the great unknown. But souls with deep thinking and noble living
correctly and immediately perceive truths, see the fundamental causes and the under lying unities and
learn of the changeless working of the divine law in all harmony in the midst of the most incongruous
effects as appear to untrained eye—and where, “though all things differ, all agree.”
Heavens (Dr. Annie Besant)
36. More advanced souls with memory perfect and unbroken, find their way to the sixth sub-plane and
after garnering the riches of the divine mind (Brahmand), return as great pioneers of mankind to justify
the ways of God to man and to glorify God. The ‘mighty dead’ of ages gone by here get a taste of the
‘glorious living,’ seeing and witnessing as they do, the working of the Will of Brahman in its fullness with
no link missing in the chain of causation.
In the loftiest sub-plane come the souls of the Masters of Brahma Vidya and their initiates
(Brahmacharis) for none but an initiate can find the ‘strait gate’ and the ‘narrow path that leadeth unto
life’ and so the chosen few enter into the land and life of Brahman, They enjoy their self-consciousness
to the highest point but are not yet endowed with cosmic consciousness.
Death is only a change that gives the soul a partial liberation, releasing him from the heaviest of his
chains. It is but a birth into a wider life—a return after brief exile on earth to the soul’s true Home (Home
of the universal mind), passing from a prison into the freedom of the upper air. Death is the greatest of
earth’s illusions; there is no death, but only changes in life conditions. Life is continuous, unbroken,
unbreakable; unborn eternal, ancient, constant, it perishes not with the perishing of the bodies that
clothe it.
The run of mankind after death finds no rest in the three worlds: the physical, the astral and the
mental. The souls freed from the physical vesture are carried on, up and down, in the giant Brahmanic
wheel of life by the momentum of their own thoughts, words and deeds. It is all a play of the individual
mind with its vast field of ramifications spreading out from the lowest, the physical, to the mental worlds
wherein one builds his own tabernacles in the hereafter, for a temporary stay, long or short, according to
one’s needs for learning the lessons of Brahman; as he advances on the path towards Perfection, and
each soul gathers as rich a harvest as he can: before exhausting the causes set in motion through the
external stimuli from powers that be in his surroundings in the various planes in the three worlds thus
described.
Heavens (contd.)
38. How life is created inside womb
1. Sperm in the Fallopian Tube
2. Will they have a date?
3. Two sperms are contacting with the
egg cell.
4. A sperm gets to the egg.
5. The egg gets fertilized and a new life
begins.
6. 8 days: The human embryo is attached
to a wall of the uterus.
7. The brain starts to develop in the
human embryo.
8. 24 days: No skeleton yet. only a heart
that starts beating on the 18th day.
9. At 4 weeks.
10. 5 weeks: The face with holes for eyes,
nostrils and mouth.
10.
9.
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
39. How life is created inside womb
11. 40 days: Embryonic cells from the
placenta.
12. 8 weeks: Rapidly-growing embryo is
well protected in the foetal sac.
13. 10 weeks: The eyelids are semi-shut.
14. 16 weeks: Foetus uses hands to
explore own body and surroundings.
15. A network of blood vessels is visible .
16. 18 weeks: Foetus can now perceive
sounds from the outside world.
17. 24 weeks: Lungs are developing
"branches" of the respiratory ‘tree.’
18. 26 weeks: Eyes start to open. With
increased brain activity, will respond to
noises.
19. 6 months: Getting ready to leave the
uterus, turns upside down.
20. 26 weeks: will see the world in 4
weeks.
11.
12.
13. 14.
17.
16.
15.
18. 19.
20.
40. ‘Mrityu kanwal’: Astral Shad-dal chakra- {6}-petalled lotus comprises the Six Powers:
Janma : Combines the male-female (sperm-egg) elements.
Asti : Makes the various sensory organs.
Parinam : Makes a thin film around the embryo.
Vriddhi : Enhances the embryo by wind or energy.
Ksheena : Divides the body into its various parts.
Mritu : Ejects the infant from the womb at the time of birth.
‘Antah-karan’: Astral Chatur-dal chakra- {4}-petalled lotus comprises the Four-fold Mind:
Manas : Cognition
Chitta : Feelings
Buddhi : Intellect
Ahankar : Ego
The human body comprises of: 5 Tattwas (Earth, Water, Fire, Air & Ether), 3 Gunas (Sato, Rajo &
Tamo) & Maya. The soul comes to reside after about 5 months 10 days of conception in it at the ‘10th
Door of the Physical plane or Third or Single eye between and behind the eyebrows, where the soul
is knotted-up with Tattwas & Gunas.
The stream of Spirit remains in {2}-petalled Ajna chakra during Wakefulness state. During
Dream state, it descends to the {16}-petalled Kantha or throat chakra, and during Deep-sleep
state, to the {12}-petalled Hridya or heart chakra. It ascends to Sahasrara or Jyoti in the Subtle plane
during meditation, known as Turiya- ‘fourth’ state. When it reaches Trikuti in the Causal plane,
it is known as state beyond Turiya.
41. The Sukshma sharira or subtle body within the physical body does not perish when the physical body
perishes. It moves to heaven to enjoy the fruits of its good actions done here. It perishes only when the
soul attains the final emancipation. The Samskaras- impressions, Vasanas- tendencies/desires are carried
in the subtle body. Therefore, Samsara- phenomenal existence is without beginning and an end. There is
no Samsara for a Jivan-mukta- liberated sage, who is resting in his own Sat-Chit-Ananda Swarupa.
After death this physical body composed of 5 elements is cast off like a slough or the coil of a snake.
The Linga Sharira or inner astral body, which consists of 19 Tattwas, viz., 5 Karma Indriyas, 5 Jnana
Indriyas, 5 Pranas, and Antah-karan (Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahankara) goes to heaven, comes back
to the physical plane, puts on another physical body and reincarnates. Linga sharira that contains the
impressions of all past Karmas. This body remains till one gets knowledge and realization of the Self, and
consequent emancipation. Then, it disintegrates and the components get involved in the ocean of
Tanmatras.
When the jiva along with Pranas, the mind and the senses leaves his former body, he obtains a new
body. He takes with himself Avidya- nescience, virtues and vicious actions and the impressions left by his
previous births. The soul goes from the body accompanied by the mind, Prana, senses, and Sukshma
bhutas or subtle elements, which are the seeds of the new body. The jiva gets his future birth according
to his past work, knowledge and so forth. He goes from one body to another, only for the unfoldment of
the vital force. It is by this vital force, that he fulfils his object viz., the enjoyment of the fruits of his work.
From the first moment at our birth until the last breath at death, as are for all things material on
earth, there are six changes represented by the {6} petalled astral lotus (Water element, The ‘Water of
Life’): Janma- birth, Vriddhi- growth, Asti- maintenance, Kshaya- disease, Jara- old age and Mrityu-
death. The {4} petalled lotus (Earth element, The ‘Bread of Life’) represents the Antah-karan- inner
mental apparatus comprising: Manas- cognition, Buddhi- intellect, Chitta- feelings and Ahankara- ego.
The human Adam or Manu is made of the clay formed by mixing this water and earth.
Reincarnation
42. The vital seed thrown by the father into the womb of the mother is mixed with blood and enveloped
in the outer skin of the embryo. The jiva becomes ‘Kalal’ in one day. On the expiration of 5 nights, he
becomes a budbud (bubble). At the end of 7 nights, he attains the condition of a lump of flesh (Maansa-
peshi). At the end of a fortnight this becomes filled with blood, and after 25 nights, it sprouts forth.
At the end of one month are produced in it the neck, the head, the shoulder, the spine and the belly.
Each of these five organs is produced one after the other. In 2 months are produced in due order, and
not otherwise, the hands, the feet, the sides, the hips, the thighs and knees. In 3 months are produced
gradually the joints of the body. All the fingers are produced gradually in 4 months. The nose, the ears
and the eyes and the rows of the teeth, the nails, the secret organs are also produced in 5 months.
After the 6th month are produced the holes in the ears, the anus, the organs of generation- male and
female, and the navel. In the 7th month are produced hair on the body as well as on the head. In the 8th
month, all organs of the body become divided. In the 5th or 7th month, the embodied being becomes
possessed of intelligence on all sides. Through a small hole in the navel cord the creature derives its
sustenance in the womb from the essence of what the mother eats.
Remembering all his former births and his former actions, burning in the fire of the digestive organs,
he thinks, “Having suffered misery of diverse kinds through my own Karma, when shall I get out of this
womb which is like unto hell, henceforth, I will worship no one else but God.” Thinking thus, the jiva,
pained by the pressure of the mother’s organs, comes out with great trouble, like a sinner from hell.
There is a bridge called ‘Al Sirat’ by Mohammed, which is on the road to heaven. This bridge is thrown
over the abyss of hell. This bridge is finer than hair and sharper than the edge of a sword. Those
Mohammedans, who have done good deeds, will easily cross this bridge and Mohammed will lead them.
The evil-doers will miss their footing and fall down headlong into the hell, which is gaping beneath them.
The Jews speak of the bridge of hell which is not broader than a thread. The Hindus speak of ‘Vaitarni.’
The Zoroastrians teach that all men will have to pass over the bridge called ‘Pul Chinavat’ on the last day.
The Process of Rebirth
43. Rebirth as Realm Colour Emotion
1. Devas-
Heavenly gods
Swah White Pride
2. Kimpurushas-
Demi-gods
(Titans)
Pitri Lok or
Bhuvah {6}
Red Envy
3. Pretas-
'Hungry Ghosts'
Preta Lok {4} Yellow Greed
4. Manushyas-
Human-beings
Bhu- Upper
{2}
Blue Lust
5. Tiryanchas or
Pashus- Animals
Bhu- Lower
{10}
Green Ignorance
6. Naarakis or
Pishachas-
Hell-beings
Pataals Smoky Anger
