Easy Journey to Other Planets

acts for the purpose. The Bhagavad�gfta confirms this statement in the following words:

Thatuponwhichapersonmeditatesatthetimeof death, quitting his body absorbed in the thought thereof, thatparticularthingheattainsafterdeath.

Maharaja Bharata, despite a life of severe penances, thought of a stag at the time of his death and thus became a stag after death. However, he did retain a clear consciousness of his past life and realized his mistake. It is important to realize that one's thoughts at the time ofdeath are influenced by the actual deeds which one performs during his l(fe.

In the Srfmad-Bhagavatam (Third Canto, Chapter Thirty-two), the process of entering the moon is described as follows:

Materialistic-mindedmen,whohavenoinformation of the kingdom of God, are alwaysmad after material acquisition of wealth, fame and adoration. Suchmenareinterestedintheprogressivew;;"alof their particular family unit for their own selfsatisfactionandsoarealsointerestedintheprogress ofsocialandnationalwelfare.Thesemenattaintheir desired objects by material activities. They are mechanically engaged intheritualistictrrschargeof prescribed duties and are consequently inclined to satisfythePitas, orbygoneforefathers,andcontrolling demigods by performance of sacrifices as prescribed by the revealed scriptures. Addicted to suchactsofsacrificesandceremonialobservances, suchsouls enterinto the moonafter death. When one is thus promoted to the moon, he receives the capacity to enjoy the drinking of soma-rasa, a celestial beverage. The moon is a place where the demigod Candra is the predominating deity. The atmosphere and amenities of life there are far more comfortable and advantageous than those here on earth. After reaching the moon, if a soul does not utilize the opportunity for promotion to better planets, he is degraded and forced to return to earth or a similar planet. However, materialistic persons, although they may attain to the topmost planetary system, are certainly annihilated at the time of the cosmic manifestation's dissolution.

As far as the planetary system of the spiritual sky is concerned, there are unlimited Vaikut.J.tha planets in the para-vyoma. The VaikuQ.�has are spiritual planets which are manifestations of the internal potency of the Lord, and the ratio of these planets to the material planets (external energy) in the material sky is three to one. So the poor materialist is busy making political adjustments on a planet which is most insignificant in God's creation. To say nothing of this planet earth, the whole universe with innumerable planets throughout the galaxies is comparable to a grain of mustard seed in a bag full of mustard seeds. But the poor materialist makes plans to live comfortably here and thus wastes his valuable human energy in something which is doomed to frustration. Instead of wasting his time with business speculations, he might have sought the life of plain living and high spiritual thinking and thus saved himself from perpetual materialistic unrest.