Celestial abodes and their implications

Kripaluji Maharaj states that there is no happiness in this world – make this decision firm by reflecting on it again and again. How did the worldly attachments you have originate?  Through repeated thinking. How does animosity increase in the world? Through repeated thinking. There is only one remedy.  When you repeatedly think that there is happiness in something, you will develop attachment to that thing. To whatever extent your decision becomes firm that there is no happiness in this world, to that extent you will develop a desire for God. Then, thinking this to be your greatest fortune, you will happily follow the advice of your Spiritual Master. You will do devotion. Then you will achieve your ultimate aim.

In any case, your aim won’t be attained through karm-dharm. You will only receive the celestial abode, which is just material happiness. Krishn said to Uddhao, “I am attainable only through bhakti, and not by any other path.” That means God is not attainable through karm and gyan. 

Thus far I explained to you that every soul of the world wants only happiness. Because the definition of God in the Ved is that He is happiness. The whole universe emerges from Him, is established in Him and merges back into Him.  Taittariya Upnishad, 3/6.  Then the Ved says that He is happiness and only after attaining Him can one be happy. In other words, there is no happiness in the material world. This is also from Taittariya Upnishad, 2/7.   Again it was asked of Krishn, “Please tell what is the path to attain You.” So, Krishn said, “Karm, gyan and bhakti. These are the three paths.” Then Krishn also said, “I am  attainable only through bhakti.”

Now let’s first think about karm. What is this karm? I explained to you in brief that the prescribed actions of varnashram dharm are called ‘karm’. Following the rules given for the orders of brahman, kshatriya, vaishya, shudra, and the stages of brahmcharya, grihasth, vanprasth, and sanyas is called varnashram dharm. All the "do’s and don’ts" for varanashram dharm are stated in Shruti and Smriti; following them 100% is called following dharm.

It is impossible to know what is dharm. To actually do it is an even more far-fetched idea. Great yogis and munis don’t understand the secrets of dharm. Celestial gods don’t understand. What could an ordinary human understand? Try to understand the main points.

For example, performing a yagya (Vedic ritual)is dharm.  (To perform a yagya, six rules have to be observed, only then it will be a proper yagya. First, desh: where the yagya should take place.  It can't be done everywhere! The Ved has rules and regulations for this. Desh means place. Kaal: What time the yagya should be done, at which astrologically auspicious time. It can't be done at all times. Dravya: Was the money used to perform the yagya earned according to varnashram dharm or not?  Karta: The performer of the yagya should have 12 qualities.  Mantra: The yagya is done with Vedic verses. In the Ved, there are words, the words have letters, and the letters have specific intonations. If there is an error in the intonation of even one letter, the yagya will be fruitless and, apart from this, it will have a negative outcome. The sponsor of the yagya will be harmed. Vidhi is the procedure.

If these six are done correctly, then it is ‘dharm’, ‘yagya’ or ‘karm’. What will the positive outcome be?  Attainment of the celestial abodes. What are the celestial abodes?  The abodes of satvik (pious) happiness. The three qualities of maya are satvik (pious), rajas (selfish) and tamas (evil). All three are binding. The celestial abode relates to satvik, this earth relates to rajas and the hellish abodes relate to tamas. Those who perform pious, good actions, meaning they follow dharm correctly, enter the celestial abodes. But, this is not the right approach. From this, neither maya will be eliminated nor will Divine happiness be attained. Both won’t happen. We have to attain these two, don’t we? By eliminating maya, our sufferings will end. From God realization we will attain Divine Bliss. Both problems won’t be solved through karm. The Mundak Upnishad, 1/2/7, says this.

Performing the 18 kinds of yagya can’t make you happy or free you from suffering.  Mundak Upanishad, 1/2/8.  Those who perform them are foolish.  For example, a blind person says, “Oh, I can’t see!  I'm blind. Can someone hold my hand and take me to the satsang hall?” Another blind person heard this and thought, “He is blind. He can’t see that I'm also blind.” The second blind person fooled the first one and said, “Oh, blind person!  Come here!  Hold my hand.”

Similarly, we wanted freedom from maya. But celestial karmas said, “Come on! I will get you happiness.” And then they left us in the celestial abodes. You expended so much effort to get them!  To do dharm you have to work very hard.  It is impossible in the age of kali. You have to follow all the rules of yagya, then perform it in thick smoke and then receive the celestial abode as a result.

The Ved further says that a person is a total fool who works so hard to follow dharm and receives the celestial abodes temporarily. The celestial abodes also have the same lust, anger, greed, and attachment, just like in this world. The difference is only in outward appearance. A nice fragrance emanates from a celestial body. Their feet don’t touch the ground. They don’t blink their eyes, they don’t sweat. They don’t feel hungry or thirsty. But they all have mental desires.  Suffering is also there. Then there are higher and higher celestial abodes: bhuv, mah, jan, tap, satya, etc.  Seeing the luxuries of a higher celestial being, one feels unhappy, just as a person who rides a bicycle feels bad when he sees a car.  So all these kinds of feelings are also there.

Scriptures say he is the greatest fool who desires the celestial abodes or tries to attain them. In our India, 90% of the people write about their deceased relative, “Our respected father has left for the heavenly abode.” In other words, “Our respected father, who went to heaven, was a complete fool.” The Ved says he is the greatest fool. It isn’t compulsory that after coming back from the celestial abodes you will become a human.  The Ved says you are given a lower birth in a species like a dog, cat or donkey after enjoying celestial luxuries. (Mundak Unishad 1/2/10)

Those who went to the celestial abodes, enjoyed celestial happiness, and came back to this earth, said, “Oh! Don’t go there! It is great foolishness!” The Gita also says this.  The happiness you enjoy is limited, mayic, just like earthly happiness, Gita, 9/21.  Then you come back on this earth. The Bhagwatam, 11/14/11, says the same thing. Celestial attainments have a beginning and an end. In other words, one day you attain them and one day they are taken away, and the result is sorrow. When you are there, it is a mixture of happiness and sorrow coupled with ignorance. It is imperfect happiness. Sorrow is also there.