(Image Courtesy Mahanidhiswami)

What Unfolds In Our Next Life Is Determined By Our Deeds And Thoughts In This Life

यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्तिं चैव योगिन: |
प्रयाता यान्ति तं कालं वक्ष्यामि भरतर्षभ || 8.23||

yatra kāle tvanāvṛittim āvṛittiṁ chaiva yoginaḥ
prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ vakṣhyāmi bharatarṣhabha|| 8.23||

Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 8- Ver. 23:

I will now convey to you, O greatest of the Bharatas, the several routes of departing from this world, one of which leads to liberation and the other to rebirth.

Explanation

There are two paths, according to Shree Krishna: the path of light and the path of darkness. Although these statements appear mysterious, they serve as a powerful analogy for spiritual truths by contrasting light with darkness. Where light represents wisdom and darkness represents ignorance.

The unalloyed devotees of the Supreme Lord, who are completely surrendered souls, are unconcerned about when or how they leave their bodies. They leave everything indivine hands and return to Godhead with ease and joy. Those who are not unmitigated devotees and rely on spiritual realisation methods such as karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, hatha-yoga, and so on, must leave the body at a proper time in order to know whether or not they will return to the realm of birth and death.

Verse & what we can learn

After death, the jeeva’s journey varies from person to person. It is totally determined by two factors: how we acted and how we thought. To put it another way, what we do and think in this life determines what happens in the next. People who conduct good deeds in their life fall into the first type. People who are fully dedicated to Ishvara, in addition to performing good deeds, fall into the second category. After death, each category takes a different course.
To acquire knowledge and to implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.

There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There are also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.

In the Next verse, Shri Krishna explains Arjuna about the most suitable time to leave the body and not return.

Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…