Question: Recently I have started questioning the value of human life, and life after the soul leaves physical body. Could you shed some light on these two related topics?
Answer by Romapada Swami: The human form of life is a compared to a boat with which one can cross the ocean of material existence. To achieve human form of life is very rare opportunity, because out of so many species of life (there are 8.4M species of life), the human form provides by design an opportunity to again remember God and reestablish our lost relationship with Him. This lost relationship which the conditioned soul has forgotten can only be revived through the process of loving devotional service – Bhakti Yoga – unto Him.
This process of devotional service begins with chanting of the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra which is given by the Lord Himself as the Yuga Dharma for this age of Kali.
The soul transmigrates from one form of life to another due to past activities and desires. The many varieties of bodies are created by the Supreme to facilitate the variegated, independent desires of the conditioned soul to enjoy separate from Him.
The human form of life is the most crucial juncture in this long cycle, where we are given the opportunity to either conduct our lives in such a way as to get out of this cycle altogether, or get another material body in any of the higher or lower species, based on the nature of desires one cultivates in this life and in turn thinks of at the point of death. The more deeply a human being’s consciousness and activities are engrossed in passion and ignorance, the lower the life form one will attain in the hierarchy of species. The cycle of gradual evolution of species from that downward movement, or attainment of a lower species of life, resumes. The nature of transmigration in these species, expressed in a very simple manner, is that that they evolve through progressively higher forms until they once again reach the human form of life.
To understand this important topic more deeply, please carefully read the references cited below.
SB Links:
BG Links:
