Conversation following Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.18, 1975

Soul transition and the death process

0:00Appearance and disappearance. There's nothing to be lamented. He has served Krishna.

0:11Even though we might not have fulfilled the whole course of the path, according to Bhagavad-gītā, you'd get another birth, either in a very rich family or in a vaiṣṇava family.

0:37Śrīmān Śyāmasundara, Jaga-Kṛṣṇa, and he just at the time of accident, if he has chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, then he has gone to Vaikuṇṭha. Then he has gone to bhakti.

1:02So this boy was very nice, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, so there is nothing to be lamenting.

Spiritual destination of the departed soul

1:11According to our vaiṣṇava-siddhānta, we hold a festival of our Krishna, nice prasādam and distribute to the devotees in memory of the deceased.

1:31So that is even an ordinary man, Krishna says, "tathā dehāntara-prāptir" no, easy. Ordinary man, there is nothing to be left. He has changed his body just like a dress. But a devotee, his case is different.

1:57If he has finished his Krishna consciousness, or at the time of being unconscious in coma, he remembered Krishna, then he has gone to Krishna.

2:10"Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti", he goes back to home, back to Godhead.

Birth in pious and wealthy families

2:18But if he has not finished or he could not remember, then there is a chance that he will not get a body, an ordinary body, like cats and dogs, you know.

2:34He will get a very nice body so that he will be able to enjoy like one enjoys in the heavenly planets. These are the statements of Bhagavad-gītā.

2:54So there is nothing to be lamented because after all, even if he has not gone to Vaikuṇṭha or Krishna, a very nice human body he is getting.

3:11To take birth in a rich man's family means generally they have got spiritual, just like in Calcutta, that Mullik family, they have got that deity. So in India still there are big rich men.

3:33They are not going to spoil their money still by going to a nightclub. So just like these Birlas. They have got, they utilize that money nicely. These Goenkas, these big, big Dalmias and so many.

3:53Those who are under Vedic culture, they have deities — Lakshmi-Narayana, Radha-Krishna. So if one gets a chance to take birth in such a family, automatically he becomes devoted.

4:14Just like our children, they automatically become devotees. Or this is śrīmatāṁ ca.

Eternal benefits of Krishna consciousness

4:23This is second class. The first class birth is to have a devotee, brāhmaṇa father. That is first class. Because immediately, directly, he gets education about Krishna consciousness.

4:43Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate. So there is no loss. Everything is gain. The ordinary man's taking birth and dying, there is loss, no gain. But a devotee's passing away, it is no loss, it is gain.

5:12He'll get a chance. It means this life where he ended, again, next life, he begins from that point. Suppose in this life he has finished 50% business of Krishna consciousness. Next life he'll begin from 51%.

5:34Not that this 50% is lost. No. That is an eternal asset. It is not lost. So for a devotee passing away, there is no question of loss. There is no question of loss. So, Krishna will take care. We celebrate Krishna's parties.

6:07Again reviving his Krishna consciousness. All go back to Him.

Constant remembrance and divine blessings

6:13And that is mostly those who are actually sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ, always thinking of Krishna, they immediately go after death.

6:33But if there was some other thing, still a nice human in Krishna consciousness from the point he has ended in this life. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti. This body has to be ended.

6:55Sometimes it is said, "Muni-putra, muni-putra, mā jīva, mā jīva." A saintly person's disciple or son, he is being blessed: "Then you don't live. You die." Why? Yeah, your position is now there.

7:18As soon as you die, you go there. Back to all that. You haven't got to take so much trouble. Muni-putra, mā jīva mā. Rāja-putra, rāja-putra, ciram jīva ciram. Rāja-putra is king, son of a king.

7:37He's being blessed that he will live forever. Because your life is so abominable, as soon as you die, you will go to hell. Better live as far as possible. Muni-putra is working very hard. So why should he work so hard?

8:01Better die and go back to Godhead. Muni-putra, muni-putra, mā jīva mā; rāja-putra, rāja-putra, ciram jīva. Sādhu jīva vā mara vā. Saintly persons, either live or die.

Contrasting lives of saints and sinners

8:25Because while he is living, devotees, he is serving Krishna. And after giving up this body, he will be engaged in that service. So his position is the same, either live or die. And the hunter. What is it called? Huh?

8:55What is the Sanskrit name? What is the Sanskrit name of hunters? Vyādha. Yes. Vyādha, jīva vā mara vā. No, mā jīva mā mara. It is said that don't die, don't live. Because both ways you are in trouble.

9:26You are living your abominable occupation: hunting, killing, killing, killing, butcher. A very horrible life. And as soon as you die, you go to hell. Here it is horrible, there also horrible. So dilemma. Mā jīva mā mara.

9:46So therefore, don't die, don't live. This is very nice.

9:55So muni-putra, those who are engaged in Krishna consciousness, they are blessed sometimes that you die so that you haven't got to work so hard to go back home and enjoy life. That's our...