Elevation at Death

There are different kinds of transcendentalists who are called yogis--hathayogis,
jnana-yogis, dhyana-yogis, and bhakti-yogis--and all of them are eligible
to be transferred to the spiritual world. The word yoga means "to link up," and
the yoga systems are meant to enable us to link with the transcendental world.
As mentioned in the previous chapter, originally we are all connected to the
Supreme Lord, but now we have been affected by material contamination. The
process is that we have to return to the spiritual world, and that process of
linking up is called yoga. Another meaning of the word yoga is "plus." At the
present moment we are minus God, or minus the Supreme.

When we add Krsna--or God--to our lives, this human form of life becomes perfect.
At the time of death we have to finish that process of perfection. During our
lifetime we have to practice the method of approaching that perfection so that
at the time of death, when we have to give up this material body, that
perfection can be realized.
"One who, at the time of death, fixes his life air between the eyebrows and
in full devotion engages himself in remembering the Supreme Lord, will certainly
attain to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Bg. 8.10)
Just as a student studies a subject for four or five years and then takes his
examination and receives a degree, similarly, with the subject of life, if we
practice during our lives for the examination at the time of death, and if we
pass the examination, we are transferred to the spiritual world. Our whole life
is examined at the time of death.

Throughway to Happiness

Every one of us is searching after happiness, but we do not know what real
happiness is. We see so much advertised about happiness, but practically
speaking we see so few happy people. This is because so few people know that the
platform of real happiness is beyond temporary things. It is this real happiness
that is described in Bhagavad-gita by Lord Krsna to Arjuna.
Happiness is generally perceived through our senses A stone, for instance,
has no senses and cannot perceive happiness and distress. Developed
consciousness can perceive happiness and distress more intensely than
undeveloped consciousness. Trees have consciousness, but it is not developed.
Trees may stand for a long time in all kinds of weather, but they have no way of
perceiving miseries. If a human being were asked to stand like a tree for only
three days or even less, he would not be able to tolerate it. The conclusion is
that every living being feels happiness or distress according to the degree of
development of his consciousness.
The happiness that we are experiencing in the material world is not real
happiness. If one asks a tree, "Are you feeling happy?" the tree, if it could,
might say,"Yes, I am happy, standing here all year. I'm enjoying the wind and
snowfall very much, etc." This may be enjoyed by the tree, but for the human
being it is a very low standard of enjoyment. There are different kinds and
grades of living entities, and their conceptions and perceptions of happiness
are also of all different types and grades. Although one animal may see that
another animal is being slaughtered, he will go right on chewing grass, for he
has no knowledge to understand that he may be next. He is thinking that he is
happy, but at the next moment he may be slaughtered.
In this way there are different degrees of happiness. Yet of all of them,
what is the highest happiness? Sri Krsna tells Arjuna :-
"In that joyous state (samadhi), one is situated in boundless transcendental
happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus,
one never departs from the truth." (Bg. 6.21)