We all pondered quite often, about the quintessential question, ‘Why are we born?’ or ‘What is meant by afterlife?’ or ‘What is the purpose of life?’ We may have our standpoint about this, but it may not necessarily be from a spiritual perspective.

Purpose of life: In the essence of life is to overcome karma (Prarabdha and Sanchitha) and attain God-realization.

What happens after death? Or what happens after we die? Or what happens to us in our afterlife? Or where do we go? Or Is there a single or different subtle regions in the Universe?

Immediately after death, we all go through an interim, subtle region in the Universe known as the Region of the Dead. Here, our subtle-body gets accustomed to its new state without a gross body.

The innumerable recorded and researched cases of past life experiences point to life after death, in all the recorded incidence of reincarnations. It was, found that there was a variable time lag between the death of a person and his next rebirth. So, where do we go after death till our next reincarnation or rebirth? Is it a single plane of existence. Are there different planes of existence? If so, what are the factors that decide where we go after death?

Following are the four basic bodies:

• Physical
• Mental
• Causal or intellectual
• Subtle ego
  • The Physical body remains on the earth
  • The Vital energy or Prana Shakthi returns back to universe
  • The subtle body returns back to subtle plane based on spiritual levels.

When a person dies, the physical body ceases to exist. However, the rest of his existence or consciousness continues. The permanence of the person minus the physical body is known as the subtle body (linga-deha), and it comprises of the mental, causal (intellect) and supra causal (subtle ego) bodies. This subtle body then goes to one of the 13 subtle planes of existence other than the Earth plane.

Seven of them are positive planes of existence, and seven are negative planes of existence. The seven negative planes of existence are commonly known as Hell (Patal). There are numerous sub-planes within these planes of existence.

At the time of death, as the physical body, becomes inactive the vital energy used for the functioning of the physical body, is liberated into the Universe. This vital energy at the time of death propels the subtle body away from the Earth region. Just as the weight of a projectile decides, how far a rocket would propel. Similarly, the weight, of the subtle body decides which plane of existence it goes to in the subtle planes of existence in life after death.

The ‘weight’ of the subtle body is primarily a function – the amount of the subtle basic (Tama) component in our being. The Earth plane of existence is important. It is the only plane of existence, where we can make rapid spiritual growth and settle our give-and-take account in the shortest period. The main reason for this is that with the help of the physical body, we can do many things to enhance our spiritual growth and spiritual level and also reduce the basic subtle (Tama) component.

The above facts about the various planes of existence give us a fair idea of the possible consequences in our life after the death of how we live our lives. Only with a spiritual practice or with extreme meritorious deeds can one go to the higher planes of existence. There are also better chances of reincarnation on Earth plane of existence. Based on circumstances conducive to spiritual practice. In such a way that one moves further up in the subtle planes of existence in the Universe.

Liberation from the cycle of birth and death: Getting liberated means that our Karma has become zero or has significantly reduced, and we are not, compelled to take, birth again.

“All human beings have eternal life. No matter how strongly intellectuals may reject the idea, our souls are eternal; we are beings living in an eternal chain that consists of past, present and future.”

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