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[ 47 ]. Karma of the present life; for an eternal effect is inconsistent with the finite cause..
. Ancient Indian thinkers pointed out that both heavenly life and hell-life being limited have decidedly an end. They cannot continue for ever. Enjoyment of suffering may be very much prolonged but not everlasting. The idea is that when the merit or the demerit of a person is exhausted through enjoyment or suffering in heaven or hell; the continuance in those regions becomes an impossibility..
What is technically known as Seșa Karma or residual karma begins to function after the lapse of heavenly or hell life and as a result of this Karma the person comes back in human life on earth. It is the centre of the entire Karmic world. All movements due to Karma start originally from human life on earth. Seşa Karma automatically takes the soul back to earth consciousness. Seșa Karmi is something like the water or urine sticking to a bottle after it is emptied. When Punya and Pāpa ( Merit and Demerit ) are both exhausted, the enjoyment and suffering further life in heaven and hell being impossible, the soul through Šeşa Karma or residual Karma comes back to earth. This has already been referred to in foregone pages. One is therefore likely disposed to think that transmigration is an old concept known to the ancient religious scriptures. This is known to the ancient Nyāya Sūtras as Pretyabhāva etc.
Āpastamba in his Smộtil has made it clear that people of different Varpas and Aśramas who are devoted to their duties according to Varua and Aśrama enjoy the fruit of Karmas in Paraloka and for the remainder of this Karman are reborn in bodies appropriate to them regarding country, caste, family,
1. "वर्ण आश्रमाश्च स्वकर्मनिष्ठाः प्रेत्य कर्मफलमनुभूय ततः शेषेण विशिष्टदेशजाति
कुलरूपायुः श्रुतवत्तवित्तसुखमेधसो जन्म प्रतिपद्यन्ते"Unoted by Swămt Balarāma, the commentator, in his book". Patanjala Darsana PrakasII. 13.