What after Death?

There are many interesting accounts of death and after- both Western and Eastern. However, when we go to our spiritual texts like Kathopanishat,Ishvasya upanishat, Atmopanishat, Bhavanopanishat and mahanarayana upanishat things are very clear. There is no need to look to West for this; moreover, the Western texts are all based on psychological studies like life-regression analysis. Psychological studies do not even touch outer layers of the vast ocean of subconscious mind. 

  In the Indian context, there are no words like God, Soul, Self, Super or Higher Self, self, heaven or hell. All these are English version of what is much deeper, vast and unfathomable brahmn, paramatman, Atman, jivatman (embodied soul), etc. The Atman and the Self are not the same. Similarly, God is not paramatman. (remember there are no capital letters, comma or full stops, vowels like a e i o u in our scriptures in samskruta bhasha). So we have to be very careful while studying and understanding scriptures, specially dealing with the Adhyatma. More often, the Western scholars may be well versed in Samskruta bhasha but may not have the intuitional knowledge obtained fro yoga- samprajnya samadhi by deep contemplation (dhyana and dharana). It is better to take them with a little bit of reservation (pinch of salt, as they say?)

  Now coming to this aspects of 'After Death' or the 'Near Death' experience, let us consider the jivatman. As already stated repeatedly, the Atman weaves around itself a cocoon like physical body consisting of 5 koshas, trigunas (raja, tamas and sattva) and antahkarana (manas, chitta, buddhi and ahankara), and then the bundle of nerves and neurons from head to toes, connecting the brain via the spinal cord and the central nervous system. 

  The prana, Life-force is a fine invisible thread of energy (chaitanya) connected to the antahkarana (subtle heart) adjacent to the physical blood pumping one. There is also a finer invisible cavity of the heart called hri daya- the seat of Sri Hari (Home of Hari) and Lakshmi (hrit-kamala). This is like parvati creating a clay idol and breathed life-force into it and called Ganapati. So also the Lord created an image of a micron size and when it was not functioning, He only entered it (as Chaitanya, prana shakti or Life-force) . tad srushtva tadevanupravishat |

  So who lives and who dies? The supreme Lord enters the earth as stellar dust particle, atman or jiva kana, particle of energy, photon and creates a body of the five elements and experiences the creation He created. He uses us as a taxi cab and goes round doing what He wishes and leave us on the wayside and departs. We made of earth, dust go unto dust. Where is the question of all these life and death? Sri Krishna, an avatara of Vishnu says, "nobody is born or die". "No one can kill or be killed". see nainam chindanti shastrani nainam dahati pavakah... etc.The Atman is indestructible. So there is no question of death to one is not born at all! Science also says the same thing: "Energy is neither created nor destroyed". Further, science states everything is vibration of this energy; electron move en masse at the speed of Light. Every cell in our body acts like an electron and the Atman is the nucleus (neutrinos). Thus, the latest version of both science and spirituality about the jivatman and the physical body called the humans Manava sharira) is just a vibrant mechanism with buddhi, manas, chitta and ahankara. All these merge in brahmn every day in deep sleep (die) sushupti state. They come back after sleep in ignorance not knowing where it had gone during the deep sleep. The same is true even if one closes his eyes and sits in dhyana, dharana and samadhi; but, the jiva enjoys total awareness and pure consciousness and clearly sees its state in all states of- wakeful (jagrata), dream (svapna) and deep sleep (sushupti). This is  'Enlightenment' and one need not bother about life or death thereafter.

  When we say 'death' here, it is an indication of moving into a different state of existence since there is no end to the vibration of energy (electrons). The only state of equilibrium comes when the electrons are merged in nucleus, This is also a state of Pralaya when all activity stops.

  A sage established in his self is of such a state where there is no vibration of mind, chitta creating desires, attachments, running after sensuous things and looking for satiation of the insatiable. There is no desire to do anything or go and reach anywhere (brahmn), too. Such a yogi is jivanmukta, free now and here (sadyomukta) He never dies. He knows that he is not even born. Birth and death are mere words for those ignorantly think he is a body and that grows and dies.

  The moment i realise that I am the immortal Atman supported by a higher force paramatman and surrender myself to the Force that runs the affairs of the world, I am released from all my mental afflictions. 

   This is one of the best versions we have from the scriptures (Bhagavad-Gita). There are other versions too. that tells us about our existence in ignorance and existence in pure consciousness and knowledge. If we look back how our great grandparents lived and died, and contemplate on the nature of existence, it is not difficult to trace our own foot steps. "I only appear and re-appear in different forms and there is none else, but myself." 

  Sage Ramana Maharishi and Stephen Hawking tried this experience. Ramana Maharshi experienced the stopping heart beat for a few minutes and experienced death. Recently, Stephen Hawking tried to stop his breathing! There are many whom i know who have tried to experience death and who have returned after being almost dead (my friend), or really dead for about half hour (my grandmother)! Both have told their experience. I do know about these and have contemplated enough and found the truth. The Truth is simple. "I simply do not exist". If at all i exist it is for others who see me and capture my form in their mind (on the mind screen) and their buddhi instructs them about my existence ( name and form and function/ ID  / in ignorance). In reality, "I always exist" (as a picture/form on the mind screen as memory till erased). I exist as desire, as a dream, as an object of possession and something but not the real Me. The real I and Me are Lakshmi according to Lakshmi Tantra of pancharatra agama shastra, or 'Shiva' of Kashmir Shaivism. Shiva only becomes jiva and acquires all mala, stains due to desire, attachment and gunas and svabhava. But when He realizes this, He takes to yoga and reverts to His true Self. This i-ness inall is Rudra according to Rk Veda ('Rudra Shatiya' in Mandala VII).

   Who am I to take birth or die and cast away my physical body?

 This entire world is Me and my Self. If i open my eyes the world of objects begin and the moment i close my eyes, the world ends. Moreover, it is i who create my parents; had i not been born, where is the question anybody saying I am the mother or father of so and so? This is a miracle played, maya of the Divine Mother Lakshmi (see Lakshmi Tantra).  French philosopher Descartes said 'ergo sum..." (I am, so is the world). Here in Vedanta, and Pancharatra, "I create the world and I am the world) This is the triputi- Shiva-jiva- jagat; jiva-yoga shiva. Everything depends on my desire. "Desire is brahmn". so'aham asmi. aham brahmasmi.