Destination After Death

Back To Prabhupada, Issue 71, Vol 4, 2021_,_ Interactive

"All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Dear Krishnakant _Prabhu_, We appreciate all the work done by IRM, in order to save Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON. We are interested in the following matter. Because there is so much confusion among the people, disciples of gurus outside of Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON, and therefore ignorant of the reality of their position, and in order to clarify these concepts for further general illustration, including devotees regulated and faithful to the fulfilment of Srila Prabhupada's orders, we ask well-weighted devotees of the IRM to answer the following questions: 1\. What could be the actual position (after death) of the disciples initiated by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami? 2\. Of the disciples initiated by gurus authorized by the (GBC), (the three parts of guru hoaxer)? 3\. Of the (SP) disciples re-initiated by gurus of the Gaudiya Math (Narayana Maharaja)? 4\. Of the gurus re-initiated by gurus of the Gaudiya Math (Pancha-Dravida)? 5\. What is the position of #3 and #4 who take for granted (just in case), have two gurus? Your servant," \- Mauricio Castillo, San Salvador, El Salvador

Editor replies:

In regard to the destination of an individual after death, or any issue for that matter, we are not qualified to give answers. Rather, we can only repeat what Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna state:

1) The guiding principle is that:

"Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail."
(Bg., 8.6)

2) And what one remembers at the time of death is in turn dictated by: "the cumulative effect of the thoughts and actions of one's life." Which "influences one's thoughts at the moment of death; therefore the actions of this life determine one's future state of being." (Bg., 8.6, purport)

3) Therefore, Srila Prabhupada states that in order to achieve a spiritual destination after death, we must: "remember Krsna". And to do this "one should chant the mahamantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, incessantly, following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, being more tolerant than the tree, humbler than the grass and offering all respect to others without requiring respect in return. In such a way one will be able to depart from the body successfully remembering Krsna and so attain the supreme goal. [...] If one is transcendentally absorbed in Krsna's service, then his next body will be transcendental (spiritual), not physical." (Bg., 8.5, 8.6, purport)

4) Consequently, what will matter is not only who you are initiated by, but what you do with your life after you are initiated. Thus, the reality, and not the formality, is what matters. One can take initiation from Srila Prabhupada, and still disobey him, for example. Thus, do we find, as stated above, that the person in question is more tolerant than a tree, humbler than the grass, and also offers all respect to others without requiring respect in return? Were they "transcendentally absorbed in Krsna's service", or were they absorbed in their own service and glory?

Srila Prabhupada also states in regard to accepting gurus other than himself that:

"if he is a pure devotee he can deliver others, he can become spiritual master. But unless he on that platform he should not attempt it. Then both of them will to go to hell, like blind men leading the blind"
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 14/12/72, all emphases in Interactive added)

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Please chant: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare. And be Happy!