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The major religions of the
world subscribe to the view that one who is subservient to God and
temperate in behavior may go to heaven after death and one who goes
astray and leads the life of a rebellious is destined for hell. In
paradise one can get, in abundance, the company of the women of superb
beauty, very delicious food, aromatic breeze, melodious music and a
plenty of winsome sights. Thus everything is available there for fully
satisfying the needs of all the five senses. In hell, one is tortured in
the mode of third degree methods of police or like the heinous acts of
terrorists, robbers and smugglers who cross all the limits of mental and
physical torment.
The
pleasures of paradise are obtained by lustful
rulers on the earth itself
and terrorists in the name of religion or cult are converting some
places of the world into hell. Those who present a horrible scenario of
hell only for making people to be subservient to God, indirectly tell
that God is a terrorist. Virtually, there seems to be no necessity to
connect God with the pleasures of paradise or torture of hell.
There are two views among Hindus. Some say that this
earth is heaven,
this earth is hell. In other words there is no world
like heaven or hell. The capabilities of our sense-organs are limited.
We cannot escape from bad effects of sensual pleasures. So attainment of
sensual pleasures should not be our goal. Those who think that
there are heaven and hell somewhere else in the universe believe that
good and pious work leads us to heaven after death. In the same way bad
deeds throw the spirit into hell after death. If we concede to this view
those who were engaged in good deeds should be in heaven and those who
perpetrated crimes should be in hell. Whether it is pleasure or pain
both of them can be felt through the body only. So the population of
paradise must be too much. The number of celestial dames or apsaras
(अप्सराऍ) is limited. How many men could enjoy with
them? Virtually this earth can give us the pleasure of paradise.
Conditions of hell can also be created by the wicked. It is for us to
make the earth a beautiful place. For this we need the spirit of
collective responsibility and collective effort. Dharma can bring us
together.
Hinduism
believes in transmigration of souls and rebirth. Those who did good deeds
but could not get the fruits of action in their lifetime might be born
again for fulfillment of insatiate desires. And those who were engaged
in evil deeds would be forced to take rebirth for suffering and
punishment. But if a man absolves himself from action, aspires for
higher goal than worldly enjoyment or has only one desire that is the
desire of self-realization and merger with Ultimate Reality then he
would be free from the cycle of rebirth and other bondages. Thus the
ultimate goal of Hinduism is not merely to make man a perfect human
being on earth or happy citizen of heaven. Its fourth and ultimate goal
is Moksha (मोक्ष)
— oneness with Supreme Reality.
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