According to Garuda Purana – How can you know the deeds of your previous life?

According to Garuda Purana – How can you know the deeds of your previous life?

Can we really know how and where we were born in our previous life? Can we know what deeds we did in our previous life? Were our actions good or bad? As interesting as this question sounds, it is equally deep and mysterious. The answer is yes, we can know that. It is clearly mentioned in the holy scriptures and Puranas of Hinduism that we can understand the deeds of our past life and also know where and how we were born. In today’s special discussion, we will understand this grand topic in detail and know the ways through which we can uncover the secrets of our past life. Today we will talk about the principles of reincarnation and karma as described in Hindu scriptures like the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Puranas. Also, through an interesting story, we will understand what advice Lord Vishnu gave to his beloved devotee Garuda on this subject. Next, we will discuss simple and effective ways by which you can know about your past life and improve your present life. So let us start this spiritual journey. The doctrine of reincarnation and karma in Hinduism is based on the immortality of the soul and its continuous cycle of birth and death. It is believed that the soul leaves one body and enters another body, and this process is determined by its actions. Our Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Puranas explain this principle in detail. Let us briefly look at what is written in these texts.

The Rigveda and Yajurveda mention the nature of the soul and the fruits of actions. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and Chandogya Upanishad give a clear description of karma and rebirth. It is said in these that the soul takes a new birth on the basis of its past deeds. Good deeds lead to heaven or a good life, whereas bad deeds lead to lower births or suffering. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Shri Krishna explains to Arjun that just as a man discards old clothes and wears new ones, similarly the soul leaves the old body and takes on a new body, as noted in Chapter 2, Verse 22. This is the clearest and most beautiful description of rebirth. It is also said in the Gita that the fruits of actions have to be experienced, and these fruits are influenced by the deeds of previous births. The Garuda Purana contains a detailed description of the soul’s journey after death, its karma, its fruits, and its rebirth. It states that the soul goes to heaven, hell, or attains a new birth based on its deeds. The Bhagavata Purana tells the famous story of King Bharata, who is born as a deer due to the attachments and deeds of his previous life. This story is important in explaining the theory of karma and rebirth. The Vishnu Purana and other Puranas also describe karma and rebirth. It is clear from these texts that past lives and deeds have deep significance in Hinduism. But the question is, can we really know our past life, and if so, how? For this, we have to turn to a legend of Lord Vishnu and Garuda in which Lord Vishnu revealed this secret. Once upon a time, Lord Vishnu was seated on his throne in Vaikuntha. His beloved devotee and vehicle, Garuda, stood before him. Garuda asked God very politely, O Lord, does a human being get a good or bad birth on the basis of his deeds? I understand this, but can any human being know what deeds he did in his previous life? Can he understand where and how he was born, and if so, how could he know this? Lord Vishnu smiled and said, O Garuda, you have asked a very beautiful question. This question arises in the mind of every soul who wants to know the deepest secrets of his life. I will explain this secret to you today, but first, listen to a story. Listen to this story carefully, as it will help you understand the mystery of karma, rebirth, and past lives. In ancient times, there was a king whose name was Amarsen. He was very religious and brave.

The people in his kingdom were happy, and the king always followed the path of righteousness. But one day, a thought came to the king’s mind. He vaguely remembered memories from his previous life. He started thinking, what did I do to deserve this royal life? Was I a king in my previous life too, or someone else? And if my deeds were bad, then how did I get this happiness? The king called the scholars and astrologers of his court. He asked if there was any way I could know about my past life. The scholars said, Maharaj, many methods have been described in our scriptures to know about the past life. The first method is astrology. The position of planets in your birth chart, especially Rahu, Ketu, and the ninth house, can indicate your past life deeds. The second way is deep meditation and yoga practice. Through this, you can delve into the depths of your soul and awaken the memories of your past life. The third way is the grace of a Siddha Guru who, with his spiritual power, can show you your past life. King Amarsen decided to try all these methods. First of all, he called a famous astrologer. The astrologer studied his horoscope and told him, Maharaj, in your previous life, you were an ordinary businessman. You did a lot of charity, helped the poor, and followed the path of religion. But you made a mistake. You once unknowingly cheated in your business, due to which some people got hurt. Your good deeds gave you this royal life, but because of that small mistake, you have to suffer some hardships in this life, such as problems that arise in your health from time to time. Lord Vishnu looked at Garuda smilingly and said, O Garuda, nature itself keeps an account of man’s deeds. If you want to know what your karma was like in your previous life, there are two simple and clear ways to do so. By following these paths, any person can estimate his actions. These paths not only help us understand the deeds of our past lives but also tell us how we can improve our present life. It is a mirror of life’s actions that gives us a glimpse of our past and future. The first path is a mirror of the present life. The first way is to look carefully at your present life. How much happiness and how much sadness is there in your life? How many diseases surround you? How many problems are you facing? Is your life full of troubles, or are you living in happiness and peace? It is clearly written in the scriptures and Puranas that our present life is the result of the deeds of our previous life. If your present life is full of sorrow, disease, and troubles, then it is a sign that the deeds of your previous life were probably not that auspicious. It is said in the scriptures that we have to suffer the consequences of our actions. This is the law of nature, which no one can change.

Just as a farmer gets the same fruit as the seed he sows, if he sows good seeds, he will get a good harvest, but if he sows bad seeds, the crop will also be bad. Similarly, our actions are the seeds, and our life is its harvest. If you are suffering today, it may be the result of your deeds from your previous life. For example, if a person falls ill frequently, is struggling with financial problems, or is facing repeated failures in relationships, then it is possible that he might have done some such deeds in his previous life, the consequences of which he is now facing. The scriptures say that as you sow, so shall you reap. This rule is unchangeable, but this does not mean that we should become discouraged. The present life gives us an opportunity to improve our actions and make the future better. The second path is the analysis of present actions. The second path is even more interesting and profound. Lord Vishnu said to Garuda, O Garuda, if you want to understand the deeds of your previous life, then look at the deeds of your present life. It sounds simple, but its meaning is very deep. Our present actions may be a reflection of our past life actions. If we analyze the actions we are doing in our present life, we can understand what our tendencies and habits are. For example, if you intentionally do something wrong in your conscious state, like cheating someone, hurting someone, snatching someone’s money, harassing a weak person, or abusing someone, all these things show that there is something lacking in your nature. If you are conscious and understand everything yet you still do wrong things, then think about what you might have done when you were in your previous life and you do not remember that life. Our soul is on a journey that has been going on for many lifetimes. Our tendencies and habits follow us in every birth. If you are angry, greedy, or have a habit of hurting others in this life, then it is possible that you may have shown similar tendencies in your previous life also. This second path helps us understand what the nature of our soul is. If you improve your present actions, not only will your present life be better, but your next life can also be happy. The pot of deeds, the account of happiness and sorrow, and life can be understood through the metaphor of a pot. Our good deeds are stored in one pot and bad deeds in another pot. As long as the pot of good deeds remains full, our life remains happy, but as soon as this pot becomes empty, the pot of bad deeds starts becoming effective. Nature is very patient. She waits for the fruits of your good deeds to end, and then the reckoning of bad deeds begins. Suppose a person lives a happy life for seventy years. He has no illness, no financial problems, and no sorrow in his relationships.

He thinks his life is great. But suppose that at the age of seventy, his pot of good deeds becomes empty. Now, if he enters his seventy-first year, then the results of his bad deeds may start coming. But what if he dies at the age of seventy? Did he escape the consequences of his bad deeds? No. The law of nature is not like this. In his next life, he will suffer the consequences of those bad deeds. Sometimes people say, I am still a child, why are there so many problems with me? The answer to this is that these problems may be the result of your deeds in your previous life. Nature never discriminates. She only keeps an account of your actions. The difference between a child suffering from hunger under a flyover and another child born in a rich family is the result of their actions. God does not discriminate. It is our actions that give us happiness or sorrow. Correction of deeds is the key to a better future. It is important to understand that the law of karma is not meant to discourage us, but to motivate us. If you do good deeds in your present life, like helping others, speaking the truth, and showing kindness and compassion, then you can make your future better. It is said in the scriptures that good deeds definitely yield results. If you do good deeds today, your next life will be happy. For example, if you feed a hungry person, console a sad person, or help a weak person, these actions fill your pot of good deeds. The more this pot fills, the more your life will be filled with happiness and peace. On the contrary, if you hurt others, cheat others, or get caught in anger and greed, then you are filling the pot of your bad deeds, the consequences of which you will have to suffer in the future. The law of nature is very clear. You will get what you sow. This rule neither discriminates nor gives special exemption to anyone, whether you are rich, poor, big, or small. Nature gives you results based on your actions. It is said in the scriptures that you only have the right to do your work and never to its fruits, but this does not mean that you will not get the result. You will definitely get the result, and it will be according to your deeds. Hence, we should make our deeds great. Every day is a new opportunity to make our life better.

If you improve your present karmas, you can not only make this life happy but also make your next life wonderful. Finally, Lord Vishnu said to Garuda, O Garuda, karma is man’s true companion. It never betrays, nor does it ever leave. Man should make his actions pure and glorious so that his life is filled with happiness and peace. Our life is a journey in which every action is a step. If we take steps in the right direction, our destination will be happy. But if we follow the wrong path, we may have to suffer pain and suffering. Therefore, improve your actions, do good to others, and live in harmony with the laws of nature. This is the true secret of life. The king was surprised to hear this. He then took refuge in a yogi and started deep meditation. After several months of meditation, the king started seeing some scenes from his previous life. He saw that he lived as a merchant in a small village, distributed food to the poor, and built temples, but once unknowingly made a wrong deal due to which some people suffered losses. This memory helped the king understand the reason for the sufferings in his present life. Finally, the king took refuge in a Siddha Guru. With his spiritual power, the Guru gave the king a complete vision of his previous life. The king saw that the record of his deeds was kept in Yamaloka and the pot of his good deeds was still full, due to which he got this royal life. But the Guru also warned, O King, now you have to concentrate on your present actions. If you still follow the path of righteousness, your next life will be even better, but if you fall into ego or greed, you may have to suffer in your next life. Lord Vishnu said to Garuda, O Garuda, understand from the story of King Amarsen that it is possible to know the past life, but more important than that is to purify your present actions. A person can know about his past life through astrology, meditation, and the grace of a Siddha Guru, but true knowledge is that you can judge your past actions by looking at your present life.