Jai Shri Krishna
The Secret of Reincarnation: How the Soul Travels Beyond One Life
The wisdom of Sanatana Dharma explains life as a continuous spiritual journey rather than a single event. The Bhagavad Gita reveals that the soul, known as the atman, is eternal. Birth and death affect only the body, not the soul. Through reincarnation, the soul moves from one body to another, carrying impressions of past actions and desires. Lord Krishna explains this divine process to guide humanity toward liberation.
The Analogy of Changing Clothes
One of the clearest explanations of reincarnation appears in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 22. Lord Krishna compares the body to worn-out clothes. Just as a person discards old garments and wears new ones, the soul leaves an exhausted body and accepts a new form.
However, the next body does not appear by chance. Its nature depends on the soul’s consciousness, habits, and accumulated karma. In spiritual terms, the “quality” of the new body reflects the inner state developed during the previous life.
Darwin’s Theory and the Vedic Perspective
Modern science speaks of evolution as a physical change of species over time. In contrast, Vedic wisdom presents a deeper truth. The scriptures state that 84 lakh species already exist from the beginning of creation.
The real evolution does not belong to the body. Instead, it belongs to the soul. The soul travels through these 84 lakh life forms:
9 lakh aquatic beings
20 lakh plants and trees
30 lakh birds and animals
4 lakh human forms
This journey continues until the soul gains spiritual awareness.
What Decides the Next Birth?
The next birth of a living being depends on three powerful factors.
First comes consciousness (chetana). Whatever dominates the mind throughout life shapes the future form.
Second are unfulfilled desires. Strong attachments carried at the time of death influence rebirth.
Third is karma, the balance of righteous (punya) and unrighteous (papa) actions.
Nature does not punish the soul. Instead, it fulfils the desires the soul has cultivated. When a person lives only for food, pleasure, or instincts, nature may grant a body suitable for those tendencies in the next life.
Human Life: The Rare Gateway to Liberation
Human birth holds a unique position in the cycle of reincarnation. Animals live under natural programming and do not create karma. Humans, however, possess intelligence, choice, and moral responsibility.
This makes human life the only doorway to liberation from samsara. Only humans can question existence, seek God, and understand suffering. This spiritual inquiry separates human life from animal life, which revolves around eating, sleeping, fear, and reproduction.
The Lesson from Kailash’s Story
A powerful story explains the danger of attachment. A man named Kailash lived deeply attached to his house and family. Even at death, his thoughts remained fixed on protecting his property.
As a result, he was born as a dog in the same house. Later, the same attachment led him to become a snake there. Ironically, the very people he believed he was protecting killed him. That moment awakened him to the emptiness of material obsession and ignited his desire for liberation.
Realising the Soul Through Divine Sound
The soul cannot be seen with physical eyes. Just as a microscope reveals invisible bacteria, spiritual realisation requires a divine tool. That tool is sound.
Chanting the holy names purifies consciousness and awakens inner vision:
“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama,
Rama Rama Hare Hare.”
Through sincere chanting and study of the Bhagavad Gita, the soul recognises its eternal identity. This realisation breaks the cycle of birth and death and leads the soul back to its divine source.
Jai Shri Krishna
Jai Shri Krishna….Watch the complete video “Geeta Jeevana Vidhanam” Bhagavad Gita playlist on YK TV Devotional here.
