Suicide
In one of your books, you say that if someone commits suicide then all his frustrations, disappointments of this life carry over to the next, which in turn, will make the next life miserable as well. Is that true? My cousin who was suffering from depression ended his life recently; I always feel that he will be unhappy in his next life as well. Will God or the universe not understand his condition and empathise with him or will they also judge him.
Answer : First, I would like to know where you found such statements from me, since they sound very foreign to what I think and believe. But let me address your question without the story you present, which sounds like a very punishing outcome when someone takes their own life. The essence of your question comes down to two things, karma and evolution.
No one knows with certainty what happens after death, and I would advise you to let go of the gloomy scenario you are clinging to. However, there are certain understandings in the vedic tradition that can be seriously considered. Karma is one. The doctrine of karma says that the universe is morally balanced. Good and bad actions, therefore, have inescapable consequences. However, this is far from saying that suicides are doomed to misery.
Even if you strictly apply the belief that bad actions lead to payback, it cannot be said when the payback will occur, under what circumstances, how long it will take, etc. All of these calculations are made on a vastly complex level that takes every lifetime and every relationship into account. It may be, for example, that your cousin’s suicide paid a karmic debt and, therefore, ends a cycle of suffering. Let me repeat: No one can know. Therefore, it’s not reasonable to try and figure out any individual karma, no matter how severe or drastic it seems to be.
Evolution is the principle of progress or improvement, which is also believed to exist in the universe. If you apply evolution to a suicide’s situation, it would imply that events going forward will be better. The person will learn how to think or act in a less self-destructive way. But as with karma, you and I cannot test a universal law. To do that requires a universal mind. All we can do is to shape our lives according to the values we deeply hold. This is true of your cousin and as you deal with your own grief, release your cousin to his own future, adding your love and blessings.
Om Namah Shivay
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