What happens After Death

 

Efficacy of Bhakti-yoga

 

Lingasharira

The  Mārwāri  devotees  from  Burrabazar  entered  the  room  and  saluted  the  Master.  

He began to praise them. 

MASTER (to the devotees):"Ah! They are real devotees of God. They visit temples, sing hymns to God, and eat prasad. And the gentleman whom they have made their priest this year is learned in the Bhagavata." 

MĀRWĀRI DEVOTEE: "Who is this 'I' that says, 'O Lord, I am Thy servant?' " 

MASTER: "This is the lingasarira, or embodied soul. It consists of manas, buddhi, chitta, and Ahamkāra." 

DEVOTEE: "Who is the embodied soul?"

MASTER: "It is the Ātman bound by the eight fetters. And what is the chitta? It is the 'I-consciousness' that says, 'Aha!'"  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 583 (02 October 1884)

Ajnana

 

Pure Mind

 

Planes of Mind

Man, looking outward, sees the gross; at that time his mind dwells in the annamayakosha, the gross body. Next is the subtle body. Functioning through the subtle body, the mind dwells in the manomayakosha and the vijnanamayakosha. Next is the causal body. Functioning through the causal body the mind enjoys bliss; it dwells in the Ānandamaykosha. This corresponds to the semi-conscious state experienced by Chaitanya. Last of all, the mind loses itself in the Great Cause. It disappears. It merges in the Great Cause. What one experiences after that cannot be described in words. In his inmost state of consciousness, Chaitanya enjoyed this experience. 

Do you know what this state is like? Dayananda described it by saying, 'Come into the inner apartments and shut the door. Anyone and everyone cannot enter that part of the house.   

I used to meditate on the flame of a light. I thought of the red part as gross, the white part inside the red as subtle, and the stick-like black part, which is the innermost of all, as the causal.  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 604 (11 October 1884)

Pure Heart