WHAT BECOMES OF THE SOUL AFTER DEATH 
                                               
                                               
                                             By 
                                               
                                               
                                SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA 
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                                           
                                                                    
                                                SERVE, LOVE, GIVE, 
                                                PURIFY, MEDITATE, 
                                                     REALIZE  
                         Sri Swami Sivananda          So Says       
                             Founder of         Sri Swami Sivananda
                        The Divine Life Society 
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                                               
                          A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION 
        Thirteenth Edition: 1997 
                        (8,000 Copies) 
                           
                           
                  World Wide Web (WWW) Edition: 1999 
                           
                           
                 WWW site: http://www.SivanandaDlshq.org/ 
                           
                           
                           
                           
                 This WWW reprint is for free distribution 
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                                  
                   ©  The Divine Life Trust Society
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                     ISBN 81-7052-011-8 
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                       Published By 
                    THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY 
                   P.O. SHIVANANDANAGAR—249 192 
                   Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh,  
                      Himalayas, India. 
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                     OM 
                                        
                                 DEDICATED 
                                        
                                     TO 
                                        
                  LORD YAMA, MARKANDEYA, NACHIKETAS, 
                   SAVITRI    AND    NANDI,    THE    ETERNAL 
                    ATTENDANT OF LORD SIVA, WHO HAVE 
                      ALL UNRAVELLED THE MYSTERIES  
                         OF THE LIFE BEYOND DEATH 
                                        
                                     OM 
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                        
                                             5th December, 1957
        Children of Immortality!
           There is a living, unchanging, eternal Consciousness that underlies all names and forms.
        That is God or Brahman.
           God is the end of all actions. He is the end of all Sadhanas, Yoga practices. Seek Him.
        RealiseHim.Onlythencanyoubefreeandperfect.Lookupontheworldasamirage.Leadalifeof
        selfless service, renunciation, dispassion, prayer and meditation. You will soon attain
        God-realisation.
           MayGodblessyou.OmTatSat.
                                               Thy own Atman,
                                                  Sivananda
                        PUBLISHERS’NOTE
           The problem of life beyond death has ever been a most fascinating one from time
        immemorial. Man has always been intrigued by the question, “What becomes of the Soul after
        Death?” The present volume, as the title suggests, treats in detail of the subject and furnishes an
        answer to the agelong question.
           In recent times there has been much speculation on this problem. This had led to a lot of
        research work too. The fact of continuity of consciousness after physical death has come to be
        accepted as such by most of the modern thinkers, latest of whom, the famous scientist, Dr. J.B.
        Rhine, has expressed himself in favour of such belief. Many books have been written on this
        subject,buthithertomostoftheworksdealmainlywiththeastralorotherspiritworld.Ithasmostly
        been the study of the conditions in the Pretaloka which is merely one among the numerous
        supramundane planes beyond the grave. Spiritism, seance and the testimony of recognised
        mediumshaveformostpartfeatured prominently in all such works.
           ThispresentbookbySwamiSivanandajiMaharajisadeparturefromtheusuallineinthatit
        is based, to a great extent, upon authoritative scriptural texts and upon knowledge derived through
        reasoning, deep reflection and personal meditation. It throws a flood of light upon all aspects of
        post-mortem existence not adequately dealt with in other works. The book also gives valuable
        information about the different beliefs on this subject, of the various races and religions.
           The portions giving the inner meaning and esoteric significance of the different practices
        andcustomsinconnectionwiththedeadformamostinformativeone.Theappendixandthestories
        in the end and the very interesting poems in the beginning are most thought-provoking and highly
        inspiring.
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