What After Death?

What after Death?

     When a man departs from this world, he reaches the air. The air opens there for him as wide as the hole of a chariot wheel. Through this opening he ascends and reaches the sun. The sun opens there for him as wide as the hole of a lambara. By this opening he ascends and reaches the moon. The moon opens there for him as wide as the hole of a drum. By this opening he ascends and reaches a World free from grief and cold. There he dwells for endless years. [Yajur Veda, Brih. Upa. V, X--The Path of the Departing Soul, 1]

Yajnavalkya continued: Now, when that self becomes weak and unconscious, as it were, the organs gather around it. Having wholly seized these particles of light, the self comes to the heart. When the presiding deity of the eye turns back from all sides, the dying man fails to notice colour. The eye becomes united with the subtle body; then people say: 'He does not see.' The nose becomes united with the subtle body; then they say: 'He does not smell.' The tongue becomes united with the subtle body; then they say: 'He does not taste.' The vocal organ becomes united with the subtle body; then they say: 'He does not speak.' The ear becomes united with the subtle body; then they say: 'He does not hear.' The mind becomes united with the subtle body; then they say: 'He does not think.' The skin becomes united with the subtle body; then they say: 'He does not touch.' The intellect becomes united with the subtle body; then they say: 'He does not know.' The upper end of the heart lights up and by that light the self departs, either through the eye or through the head or through any other part (aperture) of the body. And when the Self departs, the vital breath follows and when the vital breath departs, all the organs follow. Then the self becomes endowed with a particular consciousness and passes on to the body to be attained by that consciousness. Knowledge, work and past experience follow the self. And just as a leech moving on a blade of grass reaches its end, takes hold of another and draws itself together towards it, so does the self, after throwing off this body, that is to say, after making it unconscious, take hold of another support and draw itself together towards it. And just as a goldsmith takes a small quantity of gold and fashions out of it another-a newer and better-form, so does the self, after throwing off this body, that is to say, after making it unconscious, fashion another-a newer and better-form, suited to the Manes, or the gandharvas, or the gods, or Viraj, or Hiranyagarbha, or other beings. [Yajur Veda, Brih. Upa. IV, IV-Death and the Hereafter, 1-4].

When he departs from the body if he is a mere ritualist and ignorant of Brahman he then goes upward by these rays toward the worlds which he has gained by his meritorious work. Or if he is a knower of the doctrines of the akasa in the lotus of the heart, he then meditates on Om and thus secures entrance into Brahma loka. Or if he is ignorant he attains lower bodies. The knower attains the solar orb as quickly as one directs one's mind from one object to another. This indeed is the door to the World of Brahman for those who know; for the ignorant it is closed. On this there is the following verse: There are one hundred and one arteries of the heart, one of which pierces the crown of the head. Going upward by it, a man at death attains immortality. Other arteries, going in different directions, only serve as channels for his departing from the body, yea, only serve as channels for his departing from the body. [Sama Veda, Chan. Upa. VIII, VI - The Course after Death for the Illumined, 5-6]

'Unknowable and constant, It should be realized in one form only. The Self is free from taint, beyond the akasa, birthless, infinite and unchanging.' 'The intelligent seeker of Brahman, learning about the Self alone, should practice wisdom (Prajna). Let him not think of too many words, for that is exhausting to the organ of speech.' That great, unborn Self, which is identified with the intellect (Vijnyanamaya) and which dwells in the midst of the organs, lies in the akasa within the heart. It is the controller of all, the lord of all, the ruler of all. It does not become greater through good deeds or smaller through evil deeds. It is the lord of all, the ruler of all beings, the protector of all beings. It is the dam that serves as the boundary to keep the different worlds apart. The brahmins seek to realize It through the study of the Vedas, through sacrifices, through gifts and through austerity which does not lead to annihilation. Knowing It alone one becomes a sage (muni). Wishing for this World (i.e. the Self) alone, monks renounce their homes. The knowers of Brahman of olden times, it is said, did not wish for offspring because they thought: 'What shall we do with offspring-we who have attained this Self, this World?' They gave up, it is said, their desire for sons, for wealth and for the worlds and led the life of religious mendicants. That which is the desire for sons is the desire for wealth and that which is the desire for wealth is the desire for the worlds; for both these, indeed, are but desires. 'This Self is That which has been described as Not this, not this. It is imperceptible, for It is not perceived; undecaying, for It never decays; unattached, for It is never attached; unfettered, for It never feels pain and never suffers injury. 'Him who knows this these two thoughts do not overcome: For this I did an evil deed and for this I did a good deed. He overcomes both. Things done or not done do not afflict him. 'This has been expressed by the following Rig verse: 'This is the eternal glory of Brahman: It neither increases nor decreases through work. Therefore, one should know the nature of That alone. Knowing It one is not touched by evil action.' Therefore, he who knows It as such becomes self-controlled, calm, withdrawn into himself, patient and collected; he sees the Self in his own self (body); he sees all as the Self. Evil does not overcome him, but he overcomes all evil. Evil does not afflict him, but he consumes all evil. He becomes sinless, taint-less, free from doubts and a true Brahmana (knower of Brahman). This is the World of Brahman, O Emperor and you have attained It. Thus said Yajnavalkya. Janaka said: 'Venerable Sir, I give you the empire of Videha and myself, too, with it, to wait upon you That great, unborn Self is the eater of food and the giver of wealth. He who knows this obtains wealth. That great, unborn Self is undecaying, immortal, undying, fearless; It is Brahman (infinite). Brahman is indeed fearless. He who knows It as such becomes the fearless Brahman. [Yajur Veda, Brih. Upa. IV, IV-Death and the Hereafter, 20-25].