Disciple:
Gurudev, we film episodes here at this crematorium every day. Many bodies are brought here daily to be cremated. Even though we say the body is perishable, we believe the soul is immortal. What exactly is this soul, and where does it go after death? Please tell us about it today.
Guru:
Look, I believe the soul is a gaseous substance. Even though we say the soul and the Supreme Soul exist within the body, no "battery" has ever been found. There is no physical power source. Then what is it that keeps a person alive? It is a truly amazing thing, extremely extraordinary. As the Bhagavad Gita says, when the body can no longer sustain it, the soul leaves the body. Only then is the body disposed of. The moment the soul leaves, the person is declared dead. So, I think this soul is some kind of gaseous substance. Scientific tests have been conducted abroad on this. It was observed that when a dying person was placed inside a sealed container, the container eventually burst at the moment of death. This suggests there is an energy, a "glow" (Tej), or a power that drives us. There is no physical battery, yet it functions. It is a marvel that a person is alive.
Guru:
However, doctors can never bring a dead person back to life. If they could, they would have achieved immortality. In search of immortality, there are places in the world, particularly in America, where hundreds of bodies are kept preserved with electricity, in the hope that they might one day wake up. If a dead body were to be revived, it would be the ultimate achievement. Through one's work, one can achieve immortality. We have seen this with figures like Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. They are the "Children of Nectar" who attained immortality through their spiritual contributions.
Guru:
I believe a certain gaseous substance operates within our bodies. Our ancient texts mention the five elements: Earth (Kshiti), Water (Ap), Fire/Energy (Tej), Air (Marut), and Ether/Sky (Vyom). The body is made of "Kshiti" or earth. "Med" also refers to earth. "Ap" is water, and "Marut" is air. The elements "Tej" and "Vyom" are particularly significant. "Vyom" represents the gaseous substance, and "Tej" is the energy within us. It is difficult to pinpoint where this "Tej" comes from; it stays in the body and keeps it warm. Thinking too deeply about this mystery could make a person lose their mind. One moment someone is talking, and the next, they are gone. There are countless such instances. When the soul—the Supreme Soul—leaves, the person is just a corpse. I believe this energy and gaseous substance are what sustain life.
Guru:
We don't simply discard bodies; we bury or cremate them because a dead body begins to decompose, causing foul odors and environmental pollution. As for the deeds of the body, the Gita says that we must face the consequences of our actions, whether we are dead or alive. The moment life departs, the person is called a "Preta" (spirit), and we perform "Preta-karma" (rituals for the spirit) here.
Guru:
If you listen to the funeral mantras, they are centered around the Moon. This is why we have rituals like "Preta-Chandra-Dakshina." We place a final morsel of food and water in the mouth of the deceased. They cannot eat it; it is a symbolic final offering. The body is burned in a massive fire, yet it does not scream, because the life force that made the body active has departed. To this day, no one has discovered exactly what the soul is or where it resides. "Vyom" is the gaseous substance. When we say "Bum Shankar," that "Bum" refers to this gaseous state. The energy, "Tej," keeps the body warm. Is it from the sun, the ultimate source? I don't fully understand it either.
Guru:
When someone dies, they become a spirit. Our scriptures mandate performing after-death rituals like "Sraddha" for the peace of the soul. We observe a period of mourning and impurity (ashauch) for 11 to 13 days, after which everything is cleaned to remove any remaining "trace" of the deceased. Scriptures also suggest bathing in the Ganges after a death to help dissolve the immediate grief. This is the tradition of the Ganges—it is "Sadyo-dukkha-vinashini," meaning it destroys recent sorrow. Just as we use the term "fresh" for meat, a recent death is "fresh grief." After cremation, we traditionally bathe in the Ganges, or a pond if the river isn't nearby. Before re-entering the house, there are rituals: lighting a fire and keeping neem leaves, lentils, and sweets. These act as "antiseptics" because a crematorium is full of germs. Even after bathing, some germs may persist, so we use these traditional methods before everyone returns to their lives.
Guru:
There is a saying: "My heart (bones) will be cooled only after I die." Here, we literally cool the bones. After cremation, the remains are collected in a box, and water is poured over them. This ritual of cooling the bones mirrors the deep-seated desire for peace after death. The soul is said to remain in the house for ten days after death. It is believed to be in significant pain during this time. This energy or gaseous substance doesn't just vanish; it stays in the home. On the tenth day, we offer "Ghat Pindi" (ritual offerings) and "Neer-Kheer" (water and milk) for the soul.
Disciple:
So, it stays confined there?
Guru:
Yes. It is said that the soul experiences pain because it sees its family but cannot interact with them. It might want water or tea, but no one offers it because they cannot see it. After the ten-day rituals and offerings, the soul finally leaves the house. These gaseous substances and energies are what constitute the soul and the Supreme Soul.
Disciple:
Gurudev, does the soul leave as soon as the body is burned?
Guru:
No, it leaves at the moment of death.
Disciple:
Where does it go finally? Is the journey the same for everyone?
Guru:
Generally, the scriptures say the soul journeys to "Chandraloka" (the lunar realm), also known as "Pretapuri." Some souls go to the netherworld (Patal), and some go upward. Before death, people often see frightening things, like the messengers of death (Yamadoots) standing by the door. They can sense that someone has come to take them. This often happens a few days before they pass away. The soul remains near the house for a while and must be ceremonially cast out through rituals. If not, it can cause trouble in the home. It is first led to the riverbank for "pindadaan" (offerings) and then to the lunar realm. Our scriptures are very compassionate; during "pindadaan," two offerings are made. One is for the deceased, and the other, the "Agni-dagdha pinda," is for any insects or small creatures that were accidentally burned along with the body during cremation. Regarding the netherworld, science has recorded strange sounds from deep within the earth during drilling projects.
Disciple:
I heard they heard sounds of screaming from the deepest holes.
Guru:
Yes, that is why many of those projects were stopped. They recorded sounds that resembled people being whipped or tortured. This is believed to be the judgment of one's deeds in hell. After a period of judgment—exactly ten months and ten days—the soul returns from the lunar realm or the netherworld to enter a new womb. The quality of the new life depends on past deeds. It is the same soul moving through different cycles. It is a profound mystery that I am still trying to solve through reading and contemplation.
Disciple:
Is this the same as the concept of Heaven and Hell?
Guru:
I believe so. Scientists have recorded those sounds of torture from deep underground, which led them to abandon their work out of fear. And regarding the moon, while some talk about aliens, it is traditionally seen as the abode of spirits. How the soul travels between these realms is still a missing link.
Disciple:
You once mentioned that if one performs rituals at a holy place like Gaya, they might not be reborn as a human.
Guru:
That is true. Many souls do not wish to return to this world. This world is seen as a form of hell where there is no true happiness or love left. Because of the prevalence of sin, many souls seek to escape this cycle.
Disciple:
Some people are born with memories of their past lives. They are called "Jatismar." How is that possible?
Guru:
It is an exception. However, I have noticed that such children usually forget their past lives by the age of twelve. This is because "ripus" (worldly passions and urges) emerge at that age, which erases those old memories. This is a certain fact. Where the soul goes and how it returns is a mystery mentioned in the Gita. The soul is eternal; it neither decays nor dies. But where it stays in between is the question. Is it the energy or the gaseous substance that remains? These thoughts could drive someone mad.
Guru:
The body stays warm for about four hours after death. Doctors often wait four hours before certifying a death because there is a slight chance the life force—the gaseous substance or "Tej"—could return. Even with all their dissections, doctors cannot find the "battery" that runs the human body. Death is the ultimate mystery. Touching it means touching the divine. Birth and death are in God's hands. While humans have interfered with birth through medicine, they cannot stop death. Science can destroy creation, but it cannot save anyone from death. We must maintain a balance. If we interfere too much with the natural order of life and death, it may lead to total destruction.
Spiritual Insight
The soul is an eternal gaseous substance—"Tej" and "Vyom"—that cannot be located, captured, or revived by any physical means. At death, it journeys to Chandraloka (lunar realm) or Patal (netherworld) for judgment lasting ten months and ten days, then returns for rebirth according to past deeds. The rituals performed for ten days after death ease the spirit's transition. This cycle remains a divine mystery that science observes but cannot fully comprehend.