What Happens After Death - The Garuda Purana

The last instance we delved into the Garud Puran was approximately two years ago, and I believe many new viewers may not have had the chance to explore that episode. To provide some context, let's initiate this discussion with a brief recap of the Garud Puran. Additionally, we'll delve into the Journey of the Soul, encompassing the phases from the point of death to after death, extending up to the point of rebirth.

The Garud Puran essentially comprises a set of regulations and descriptions delineating the occurrences at the juncture of death and beyond. At the point of death, the experience is described as intensely painful, involving physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual anguish. The pinnacle of this suffering lies in the detachment and attachment dynamics, as the soul undergoes extraction from the human body, leading to profound pain. This agony is considered the most severe pain a human spirit can endure, instigating a natural fear of death embedded in biological creatures due to recollections from past lives.

Following the demise, the Garud Puran outlines the journey of the soul, involving encounters with a form of God aligning with one's vision of the divine. This entity, often akin to one's own gurus, serves as a guide to the subsequent phase. The nature of this phase is contingent upon an individual's karmas, and those with a history of negative actions in the earthly realm are purportedly subjected to intense suffering. Souls are described as traversing rivers of boiling oil, facing predators consuming fragments of their soul's flesh, and enduring tribulations mirroring the suffering inflicted during their earthly existence. This ordeal is perceived as a mechanism for learning, punishment, and culminates in a comprehensive review of one's life.

The description of these post-mortem experiences may appear morbid, and I welcome any corrections to enhance accuracy. The parallel drawn to a criminal's interrogation, denial of identity, acceptance, and subsequent reformation and transformation mirrors the process described in the planetary system, where 14 realms are classified based on consciousness. Earth, referred to as Bhuloka, occupies a middle position, and the ascent or descent to other realms depends on accumulated piety or sins.

The lower realms, known as Naraka, comprise hellish planets with distinct forms of punishment overseen by Yamaraja. The severity of these punishments aims to etch the trauma into the soul's memory for subsequent lives. The question arises: what degree of wrongdoing leads to such punitive destinations? Krishna's analogy likens living life to being a law-abiding citizen without constantly dwelling on the intricate details of legal codes. There is an acceptance that minor transgressions are inherent in daily life, and the emphasis lies in living within the prescribed boundaries.

This concept aligns with the Vedic idea of Panchayagya, acknowledging the inadvertent commission of crimes as an inherent aspect of existence. The essence is to recognize one's limitations and live within the bounds of restraint, fostering a law-abiding citizenship in the universal order. The constraints imposed by traditions are likened to the restrictions of a runway, facilitating the gathering of spiritual speed for ascension to higher destinations at the moment of death.

The discussion extends to the seven heavenly planets, each governed by specific principles of piety leading to an existence of subtle bodies, elongated lifespans, and blissful experiences. While individuals may gradually progress through these realms based on their karmic balance, the emphasis is on spiritual knowledge and awakening, which, according to the Bhagavatam, can be more effectively attained within the 80 to 100 years lifespan on Bharat Bhumi, Earth.

This encapsulates the intricate narrative of the Garud Puran and the Journey of the Soul, providing a comprehensive perspective on life, death, and the transcendence of consciousness across various realms.