"Om namo bhagavate vasudevayah"
 
The present life of a living being is just one among many. A soul passes through countless bodies, taking birth again and again. As discussed in an earlier post, every soul is a part of the Supreme Soul, the Supreme Purusha—Bhagavan Shri Krishna.

This brings up a natural question:
If the Purusha (Ātma), which originates from the Supreme Purusha and is destined to reunite with Him, then why does it get caught in the cycle of birth and death?
The answer lies in attachment—to the body and the material world. The soul, deluded by material pleasures, begins to identify with the body and forgets its true spiritual nature. It starts believing that this material world is its home. As a result, it becomes bound to the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

This process is explained by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. As the soul (Purusha) dwells in the body, it comes into contact with the three Gunas—the fundamental qualities of material nature. These interactions cause the soul to forget its divine origin.

Lord Krishna clearly states this in the following shloka

puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān
kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu
Living in material nature, the Purusha (individual consciousness) enjoys the modes born of Prakriti (matter). His connection with material nature becomes the cause of birth, and he is born in good and evil wombs.
-- Ch. 13, Shloka 22

This shloka conveys the following truths:
1. The Purusha enjoys the modes of nature (Gunas) born of Prakriti.
2. The Purusha becomes bound by its association with these Gunas.

While living in this physical world—particularly in the human form—a soul begins to enjoy material pleasures. This enjoyment creates a strong attachment to the material world, causing the living being to forget its true identity and spiritual nature.

Although other life forms, such as animals, also interact with material nature, their actions are primarily driven by basic survival instincts. They lack the higher intelligence required to reflect upon the self or consciousness. Therefore, this discussion primarily applies to human beings.
Driven by attachment to material pleasures, humans develop numerous desires—for wealth, power, relationships, comfort, and more. While some of these desires are fulfilled within a lifetime, many remain unfulfilled. To realize these lingering desires, the soul assumes another body. If reborn again as a human and still unenlightened, even more desires arise, perpetuating the cycle.

Thus, the soul becomes trapped in an endless loop of birth and rebirth, driven by ever-multiplying desires.

Why does this happen differently for different people?
The variation arises due to the differing proportions of the three Gunas (modes of material nature) present in each individual. These Gunas shape one’s desires, tendencies, and ultimately, the form of their next birth.

The Three Gunas:
1. Sattva – Mode of Goodness
2. Rajas – Mode of Passion
3. Tamas – Mode of Ignorance

The type of birth a soul takes depends on its alignment with these Gunas. It can be summarized as follows:
1. Attachment to Sattva Guna (Mode of Goodness):
A soul dominated by Sattva Guna is likely to be born in higher realms such as Deva Loka (heavenly planets), Pitri Loka (ancestral realms), or as an elevated and virtuous human being.

2. Attachment to Rajas Guna (Mode of Passion):
A soul influenced by Rajas Guna generally takes birth as a human. The nature of that human life—whether fortunate or challenging—depends on the karma performed.

3. Attachment to Tamas Guna (Mode of Ignorance):
A soul dominated by Tamas Guna is born in lower human forms or even in other species.

As long as the soul remains entangled in the material world through attachment to these Gunas, it continues to take birth again and again in the cycle of samsāra (birth and death).
When the soul realizes that the material world is not its true home—and when it becomes free from desires—it has no reason to return. At that point, it attains liberation (moksha).
There is yet another cause of rebirth: negative karma or sinful actions. Such actions create consequences that the soul must endure in future lives. However, this subject falls under the broader discussion of karma, which will be addressed separately.

There is yet another cause of rebirth: negative karma or sinful actions. Such actions create consequences that the soul must endure in future lives. However, this subject falls under the broader discussion of karma, which will be addressed separately.

"Shri Hari Om Tat Sat"