In the previous episode, we had witnessed the continuation of the discussion between King Yayaati and Sage Ashtaka wherein, the discussion veered into how an “Atman” can survive without a “Deham” and what happens to the “Atman” during the transition between two different “Dehams”. We’ve witnessed the important answer out of this discussion that the “Atman” keeps wandering here and there till the time that Bhagawan has stipulated for it to enter into a different “Deham”. That “Deham” can be the one that is suited to ascend to the “Svarga Lokha” or “Naraka Lokha” or it can also be the one with which we would be born in the “Manushya Lokha” as a plant or an animal or a human being (if we’re lucky and fortunate enough). Hence, till this time arrives, the “Atman” would be wandering around without a “Deham”. This is what we see in the case of people encountering “Akaala-Maranam” (Means, unfortunate and untimely death). The stipulated lifespan of that person would have been a certain number of years, but because of whatsoever reason, that person would have passed away much earlier than that stipulated time given by Bhagawan. In that case, that person’s “Atman” would be wandering around without a “Deham”. This is why we say that there would be hundreds and thousands of wandering “Atmans” around us at any given point of time. We might not be able to see them with our naked eyes, but they do exist.
Having said thus, if our “Atman” has encountered the time of separation from our present “Deham”, as per Bhagawan’s account, the “Atman” would know where to go next. The “Atman” would first decide where to go after leaving this “Deham” and only then would start. Now how does this happen? We can imagine an earthworm moving from one leaf of a plant to the other. Does it jump entirely from one leaf to the other? It doesn’t! It first keeps its first four legs into the next leaf and slowly crawls with that support into the new leaf. However, the remaining four legs would be in the previous leaf only. Thus, slowly the crawl happens and gradually all the eight legs of the earthworm would move into the next leaf, isn’t it? Similarly, our Atman first decides which is the next “Deham” that it has to assume, and slowly makes the transition. It does not happen immediately and abruptly. Hence, this is how the “Atman” travels.
However, having said thus, if our “Atman” has to travel towards the “Svarga Lokha” or the “Naraka Lokha” or even “Vaikunta” for that instance, does the “Atman” travel all alone? The answer is “No” again! For this also, the “Atman would require a “Deham”. This is what we call “Sookshma Deham”. What we constitute now at present is the “Sthoola Deham” and once the “Atman” gets off from this “Deham”, it would be washed and burnt away. However, if our “Atman” has to embark a travel towards any of the “Lokhas”, we need another “Deham” called “Sookshma Deham”. Once we reach the respective “Lokhas” where we’ve reach, we would get another “Deham” there. This “Deham” that we would get would be of immense strength than what we have today! I assume that all of us know the reason for this! 🙂 The simple reason is, for instance if we’ve to reach the “Naraka Lokha”, with the amount of “Paapa-Karma” that we’ve performed, we’ve to withstand the amount of beatings and drubbings we would receive there, isn’t it? For that, the present “Deham” would not even withstand one beating! 🙂 Hence, we would be provided with another “Deham”, exclusively made for getting all the beatings in the “Naraka Lokha”! Thus, once the beatings are over, that “Deham” would be removed from our “Atman” and if we’ve to come back again to the “Manushya Lokha”, we would have to assume another “Deham” that is apt for this “Lokha”! The cycle continues on and on thus!
Thus, we can see here that there are different “Dehams” that our “Atman” assumes at different times. One “Deham” (Sthoola Deham”) when we are alive in this “Manushya Lokha”, the second “Deham” (“Sookshma Deham”) when we travel from here to the “Svarga / Naraka Lokhas”, and the third “Deham” would be the “Deham” that would be given to us in those respective “Lokhas” wherever we set foot upon! Hearing all of this, Sage Ashtaka asks King Yayaati another question here – “Oh King Yayaati! Now that you’re falling down from the “Svarga Lokha”, are you falling down with the same “Deham” that you had there? What is going to happen to this “Deham” when you set foot here?” King Yayaati answers thus, “Oh Sage! Yes! I’m now falling down with the “Deham” that I had in the “Svarga Lokha”. Now when I set foot here, this “Deham” would completely disappear, and I would be born as a child in this “Manushya Lokha”! That would be a different “Deham” altogether! When I fall completely on to this “Manushya Lokha”, I’ve to cross five different stages before I enter into my mother’s womb as a child!”
Upon hearing this, Sage Ashtaka asks King Yayaati thus, “Oh Yayaati! What are those five stages that you need to cross?” This is a very important question that Sage Ashtaka is asking here! King Yayaati is going to give a very interesting reply that all of us should understand. So for today, let us understand until this point and we shall also wait along with Sage Ashtaka till the next episode to find out the answer for this important question! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 