The theory that there is life after death is slowly gaining acceptance these days, after several reported and verified instances of evidence of continuity of life. Readers Digest reported a long time ago about a Brazilian mechanic, who used to claim that he was a German surgeon in his previous life. He used to perform incredible surgical feats although he never was trained for surgery in this life. Swami Satprakashananda in his book, “How is a Man Reborn”, narrates the case of one Shanti Devi (nine years old) in old Delhi, who had memories of her former life – which were found to be correct.
For most Hindus, Vedas (Upanishads) and what is said in them are sacred; they never question the veracity of the Vedic statements. If the Vedas say that a Jeeva (individual) is born several times before he gains Moksha (birthlessness), a Hindu does not generally ask for any other proof regarding the doctrine of rebirth. The fact that the Vedas have endorsed the rebirth concept is good enough for him.
Also, many people have made some personal observations in their lives. Take for instance, the case of identical twins, who are born in less than one minute of each other, through a caesarian operation on the mother. They may have identical physical features, but their minds are generally completely different and in some cases completely opposite also. The only possible explanation here is that they were carrying their minds, which were completely different, from their previous Janma (birth).
Bhagavaan Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, that the Jeeva, after death of his present body, gets into a new body. “Vaamsaamsi Jeernaani Yathaa Vihaaya Navaani Grihnaati Naroparaani Tathaa Sareeraani Vihaaya Jeerna Nanyaani Samyaati Navaani Dehi = Arjuna, just as a person casts off his old and worn out clothes and takes up (puts on) others, which are new, in the same way, the indweller of the body, casting off his old and useless bodies, takes different, new bodies”. (2.22)
Every Karma yields a result in the form of Punyam and Paapam to the person who performs it. No Karma ever gets cancelled without yielding a result – in the form of Punyam and Paapam. Since you perform innumerable Karmas in every Janma, you keep gathering Punyam and Paapam constantly in every Janma. The law of Karma says that the accumulated Punyam and Paapam standing in your account must get an opportunity to fructify in a subsequent Janma – if they have not already fructified in the current Janma. Thus, Vedaanta declares that the Punyam and Paapam in your account are responsible for your rebirth in Samsaara (world).
If this is accepted, then, we have to ask ourselves certain questions, which are relevant to the understanding, why a human being is born in a certain way in Samsaara (world). Why is a person born with a particular parentage and not another? Why at a particular place and not another? Why at a particular time and not at another? Why is a person born blind at birth or completely deaf at birth or born with some other physical or mental handicap(s)? Why are all persons not born equally with the same endowments?
Sankaraachaarya, while commenting on the Brahma Suutras (which provide clarifications on what is said in the Upanishads), said “Pratiniyata Desa, Kaala, Nimitta, Kriya, Phala Aasrayasya”. Where you are born (Desa), when you are to be born and when you have to die (Kaala), what should be your parentage in the new Janma (Nimitta), in what Ruupa (form) you are born, including your physical and mental endowments and handicaps (Kriya) and Phala (every one of the experiences that you gain from cradle to grave in the new Janma) are decided for you. You have no choice in this. Who decides all these? The Paramaatma decides. On what basis? On the basis of your own past Karmas. Everything you do - gets into the universal computer in real time and this is the data, based on which, all the relevant details about your next birth are worked out. This is all done automatically by the universal computer based on the Laws of Karma and Dharma. This is how the Paramaatma decides how and when you are born.
We commonly observe that many persons, including those subject to acutely painful and poignant situations, often lament saying, “Why should the Lord be unjust to me? Why should He punish me even though I am his devotee? Perhaps the God is partial. But why would He be partial? All persons are his children only - and that being so, why would He single me out for this kind of punishment?” God does not punish any one. It is the sins that punish people, who commit them. The Saastras say that “Puurva Janma Kritam Paapam Vyaadhi Ruupena Peeditah = the Paapam standing to the credit of a person from his earlier Janmas always result in suffering to him in the form of diseases”. Paapam may give a person certain unwanted or undesirable endowments such as deformed limbs, diseased heart, bad kidneys, and cancer tendencies. Paapam may put a person in a wild and violent or a poor and illiterate family background – which would cause him a lot of unhappiness. On the other hand, Punyam may give a person certain bodily and intellectual endowments like beauty, strength, high IQ. Punyam may also gain him comforts and worldly happiness through good education and affluent parentage. Punyam may also put him in a pious and spiritual family background.
Vedaanta says that it is very difficult to get a human birth. The Maanava Janma (human birth) is very valuable; the human being alone is endowed with Buddhi. He has the choice in action.
When you become qualified for a human birth, Hindu religious wisdom says that people come together into a family for the following reasons:
• To share experiences because they had done similar Karmas earlier
• To give happiness to all or some of the members of the family
• To give unhappiness to all or some of the members of the family
• To pay back a debt
• To receive payment for the earlier debt
• Or because of a mixture of some or all of the above reasons
• When the Vaasanas match, people generally come together into one family
The next thought is about “If you want a different result, you have to do differently too”
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