God formed the man from the dust and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (soul) and man became a living being. (Geneses:2:7 ). Beyond our body and mind we are souls, godly in spirit — part of God but not God.
Originally, the soul is a picture of purity, peace, love and truth. But on its journey, it is exposed to conditioning and beliefs of family, friends and strangers. Thus it gets tarnished, and becomes a victim with selfish desires, sensual pleasures, and materialistic pursuits, as it goes on playing its various roles. Just like the water in the cloud is pure but when it falls on the ground as rain, it mixes with mud and gathers impurities. The soul is in the same situation as that of the rain.
The body is the outer cover of the inner person (soul). The soul is the human being (you); but the body is not you. The body is only a vehicle. Body, mind and emotions are to be controlled or they go astray like a car moving on the road without brakes.
Hindu philosophy believes in the theory of rebirth. It tells us that we have to take many births, and continue to purify ourselves for all our sins by rebirth and gradually, move towards becoming one with the Supreme Being. When a person dies it goes to another new body; getting the form according to one’s accumulated deeds — imprints of imperfections, desires; its collective existence of various lives on this earth. Christians do not believe in reincarnation. The Bible says, “It is appointed for men once to die, and after this comes judgment.” (Heb. 9:27). And again, “Today you will be with me in paradise (Lk. 23:43). So we see that a thief without reincarnation finally reaches heaven.
It is believed that in afterlife, if one follows the commandments of one’s faith, one is rewarded with a place in heaven; if not to hell — “In my Father’s house are many mansions. … I go to prepare a place for you.” (Jn:14:2) “Enter in at the narrow gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction (Hell), and many there be who go in that way; Because narrow is the gate and hard is the way, which leadeth unto life (Heaven), and few there be that find it” (Mt.7:13).
All Souls’ Day, is celebrated on November 2; the faithful on earth visit cemeteries and decorate the graves of loved ones. It is understood that souls in purgatory cannot immediately attain Heaven but they can be helped by people on earth, to do their purification with prayer, alms, fasting, and sacrifices to help to clean the souls in purgatory to go to heaven. Requiem masses are also held for their purification.
Like Christians, Hindus also remember the dead. They observe Pitrupaksha for 15 days every year. During that period, it is said that the departed souls are permitted to visit the earth. So, they perform ‘shraddhs’ or observe death anniversaries or ‘thithi’ of their departed souls.
This article will be incomplete if a mention is not made to people across the world who believe that there is no afterlife, for example, Stephen Hawking, the wheelchair – bound cosmologist, didn’t believe in the afterlife or heaven, but that we have this one life. “To appreciate the grand design of the universe”.
