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Vol. XXVI, 2003
SPACE - TRAVEL OF THE SOUL
57
while Apāna is the result of earth. Vyāna is situated in the centre i.e. heart. Udāna is the reverse process of Prāna while Samāna is situated at nevel region where Prāna and Apāna meet to gether. Here Samāna helps the Vaiśvānara to consume the food i.e. Anna. So Annāda the eater, the eater of the food who lives in the body up to the period of life where he gets food. So food is known as Brahma and Prāna. On expiry of food the soul, vai vānara leaves the body immediately. This can be realized from the example of the Dīpaka which shines up to the expiry of air or ghee. Like wise vaiśvānara stops life line on expiry of consuming of food, solid or liquid and Soul leaves the pancabhastatmaka body. Then he starts his space travel, untill and unless he is not bound by vāsanas. From the nether surroundings of earth he moves upwards so he is called Preta in this state.
In this state the form of Soul is Taijasa, the form of elements of sun, moon and accumulated vidyut according chhāndogya upanised (Prapathaka-4) Vidyut leads the soul to the middle region and soma-(moon) diverts him to the luner region. ,
Prājña Atmā is directly concerned with the Sun-beam. He is known as Kretrajña, connected with Cidātmā. So Kausītaki Upanisad calls Prājñatmā, the Brahma situated in Jyoti Agni, Vāyu, Sürya, Candra, vak and senses. All are the forms of Prājña Atatmā. His seven differenct states are Jāgrata, Svapna, Susupti, Moha, Mūrchā, Mityu and Mukti. Some enumerate ten stages of Atmā namely Jägrata Svapna, Susupti, Moha, Mūrchā, Janma, Mrtyu, Saguna mukti and Nirguna mukti.
Now let us understand the space travel of the soul after death Soul moves on either paths of pits of Deva, known as krsna and śukla according to shrimad Bhagavad Gita or as Dhūmādi and Arcirādi according to the Upanisads Generally Ātmā moves to the astral path or mortal path known as Aknanda gati or Khanda gati. First is beyond space and time (dik and kāla) while later is within the limit of space and time. Former is śākha while later is yougika. Later one is further divided in five namly. (1) Samsāri (2) Atimukta (3) Atimộtyu (4) Pañcatva and (5) Brāhmi known as Daivi, Maitri, Nārakeyi, agati and Samadvaya respectively.
Here in this paper the motion of the soul known as ksetrajña, Mahān and Bhūtmā is discussed. In sāmsāriki gati the soul moves among all the 84 catagaries of the beings possessing physical bodies i.e. yoni on account of the bondage of the actions good or bad performed during the whole life. It is also called samparāya
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