What Happens Between Death and Reincarnation? Hindu View Explained

Short Answer

Between death and reincarnation, the subtle body (sukshma sharira) – which carries the karmic seeds, samskaras (impressions), vasanas (tendencies), and the sense of individual identity (the Jiva) – leaves the gross physical body and enters an intermediate state. The gross body is cremated or decays. The subtle body is not destroyed. It continues. According to most Hindu traditions, the Jiva remains in this intermediate state for a period (often described as up to 49 days, though this varies) before taking on a new gross body. During this time, the Jiva is drawn toward a new womb according to its karma and dominant tendencies. The Garuda Purana and other texts describe the journey of the Jiva after death, including experiences of light, darkness, and encounters with messengers of Yama (the Lord of Death). The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.3-4) gives the caterpillar analogy: just as a caterpillar, reaching the end of a blade of grass, draws itself together and then takes hold of another blade, so the Jiva, reaching the end of one life, draws itself together and takes hold of a new body. The Self (Atman) does not travel. The Self is never born. It never dies. The Self is the witness of the entire process, like the sun that witnesses the movement of its reflection in water. The wave rises. The wave falls. The ocean remains. You are the ocean.

In one line: After death, the subtle body, carrying karma, enters an intermediate state (antarloka or antarabhava) before taking on a new gross body according to its karmic tendencies.

Key points:

• At death, the subtle body (sukshma sharira) leaves the gross body; the gross body decays or is cremated
• The subtle body carries karma, samskaras (impressions), vasanas (tendencies), and the sense of “I”
• The intermediate state (antarabhava, antarloka) is the period between death and reincarnation
• The Garuda Purana describes this period as up to 49 days, with the Jiva experiencing various states based on its karma
• The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.3-4): the caterpillar analogy – the Jiva moves from one body to another
• The Self (Atman) does not travel – it is the witness, never born, never dies
• The next birth is determined by the dominant karmic tendencies at the time of death (the last thought, strongest attachment, most powerful samskara)
• Liberation (moksha) is the end of the cycle – the subtle body dissolves, and there is no intermediate state or rebirth

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Part 1: The Moment of Death – Separation of the Subtle Body from the Gross Body

At the moment of death, the gross body ceases to function. The subtle body (sukshma sharira) – which carries the karmic seeds, samskaras, vasanas, and the sense of individual identity – leaves the gross body.

What Happens at Death	Gross Body	Subtle Body	Causal Body
Physical functions (breathing, heartbeat, brain activity)	Cease	Not applicable – subtle body is not physical	Not applicable – causal body is seed state
Location	Remains – at home, hospital, or elsewhere	Leaves the gross body – begins its journey	Remains with the subtle body (as the seed)
Consciousness (Jiva)	No longer animates the gross body	The Jiva (reflection of the Self) continues in the subtle body	The causal body is the seed of ignorance
Preparation for next birth	None – the gross body is left behind	The Jiva carries all karmic seeds to the next birth	The causal body holds sanchita karma in potential

“A man lives in a house. The house is his body. The man is not the house. The house decays. The man leaves. He takes his suitcase. The suitcase contains his memories, his habits, his karma. The man is the Jiva. The house is the gross body. The suitcase is the subtle body. The man leaves the house. He does not look back. The house crumbles. The man walks. He carries his suitcase. He will find a new house. The new house is a new body. That is reincarnation. The man is not the house. The Jiva is not the body. The man is the one who carries the suitcase. The Jiva is the one who carries the karma. The light that illuminates the man is the Self. The Self never moves. The Self is the witness. Be the Self. Be free.”

The moment of death is often described as a transition. The Jiva experiences a brief state of clarity (often called the “clear light” in some traditions) before the karmic seeds begin to ripen.

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Part 2: The Intermediate State (Antarabhava) – Between Death and Rebirth

The period between death and reincarnation is called the intermediate state (antarabhava, antarloka). Different traditions describe this state differently. The Garuda Purana gives the most detailed description, describing a journey of up to 49 days.

Aspect of Intermediate State	Description	Source
Duration	Varies by tradition. Often described as up to 49 days. For highly virtuous persons, the transition may be immediate (to heavenly realms). For those with great attachment, it may be longer.	Garuda Purana, Tibetan Book of the Dead
Experiences	The Jiva experiences visions based on its karma. Good karma produces pleasant visions (light, peaceful scenes, deities). Bad karma produces terrifying visions (darkness, demons, screaming).	Garuda Purana, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
The journey to Yama’s realm	The Jiva is said to travel to the realm of Yama (the Lord of Death). Yama reviews the Jiva’s karma.	Garuda Purana, Katha Upanishad
The weighing of karma	The Jiva’s good and bad actions are weighed. This determines the next birth.	Garuda Purana
The release	The Jiva is released to take a new birth according to its karma.	Garuda Purana

“The Garuda Purana describes a journey. The Jiva leaves the body. It travels. It sees lights. It sees darkness. It is afraid. It is joyful. It meets messengers. It meets Yama. The Lord of Death reviews the Jiva’s life. The good deeds are weighed. The bad deeds are weighed. The balance determines the next birth. The Jiva is released. It is drawn to a new womb. It enters. A new life begins. That is the intermediate state. The journey lasts forty-nine days. For some, it is shorter. For some, it is longer. For the fully realized Self, there is no journey. There is no reincarnation. There is no intermediate state. The Self is free. Be the Self. Be free.”

Not all Hindu traditions accept a long intermediate state. Some traditions (especially those based on the Upanishads) emphasize that the transition can be immediate. The dominant karmic tendency at death determines the next birth without a long intermediate journey.

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Part 3: The Caterpillar Analogy – The Jiva Moving from Body to Body

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.3-4) uses the analogy of a caterpillar moving from one blade of grass to another. This analogy describes the transition between bodies without necessarily specifying a long intermediate state.

Element of Analogy	What It Represents	Explanation
The caterpillar	The Jiva (individual soul) – the subtle body carrying karma	The caterpillar is not the blade. It moves. It continues.
The end of the first blade of grass	Death – the end of one lifetime	The caterpillar reaches the end of the blade. It cannot remain. It must move.
The caterpillar drawing itself together	The withdrawal of the subtle body from the gross body	The caterpillar releases its grip. It prepares to move.
The caterpillar taking hold of a new blade	Conception – the subtle body entering a new gross body	The caterpillar grips a new blade. It continues its journey.
The caterpillar not being the blade	The Jiva is not the body	The caterpillar is not the grass. The Jiva is not the body.
The journey between blades	The intermediate state (if any)	The caterpillar is in the air between blades. The duration is brief.

“The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.3-4) says: ‘As a caterpillar, having reached the end of a blade of grass, draws itself together and then takes hold of another blade, so the Jiva, having reached the end of one life, draws itself together and takes hold of a new body.’ The caterpillar does not die. The caterpillar moves. The caterpillar is not the blade. The caterpillar uses the blade. The caterpillar leaves the blade. The caterpillar finds a new blade. The Jiva is not the body. The Jiva uses the body. The Jiva leaves the body. The Jiva finds a new body. The caterpillar may be in the air for a moment. The Jiva may be in the intermediate state for a period. The duration is not important. The truth is the same. The Jiva continues. The Jiva carries its karma. The Jiva finds a new body. That is reincarnation. That is the law.”

The caterpillar analogy emphasizes continuity. It does not focus on the duration of the journey. The important point is that the Jiva continues.

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Part 4: The Dreams of the Deceased – Experiences in the Intermediate State

The Garuda Purana and other texts describe the intermediate state as a series of dream-like experiences. The Jiva experiences visions that are projections of its own karma.

Type of Karma	Experiences in the Intermediate State	Next Birth
Very good karma (sattvic)	The Jiva experiences light, peace, beautiful scenes, deities, heavenly music. It feels joy. There is no fear.	Birth in heavenly realms (svarga) or a high human birth conducive to liberation
Mixed karma (rajasic)	The Jiva experiences both pleasant and unpleasant visions. It may feel confusion. It is drawn to various possibilities.	Human birth with mixed circumstances – both happiness and suffering
Bad karma (tamasic)	The Jiva experiences darkness, terrifying creatures, screaming, fire, hellish realms. It feels great fear.	Birth in lower realms (animal, hell, hungry ghost) or a difficult human birth
Very bad karma (extreme tamas)	The Jiva experiences intense suffering in hellish realms (naraka). The suffering is a consequence of past cruelty.	Hellish birth (naraka) – temporary, not eternal; when karma is exhausted, the Jiva is reborn again

“A man dreams. He dreams of a beautiful garden. He is happy. He does not want to wake. Another man dreams of a burning fire. He is terrified. He wants to wake but cannot. The intermediate state is like a dream. The dreams are not random. They are the fruits of karma. The man who was kind dreams of light. The man who was cruel dreams of darkness. The man who was compassionate dreams of peace. The man who was hateful dreams of demons. The Jiva does not choose the dream. The dream chooses the Jiva. The dream is the projection of past actions. The Jiva experiences the dream. The dream ends. The Jiva wakes into a new body. That new body is the continuation of the dream. The dream is the intermediate state. The waking is the next birth. Be mindful of your dreams. They are the fruits of your actions.”

The intermediate state is not a place of punishment or reward. It is a natural consequence of karma. The experiences are projections of the Jiva’s own mind.

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Part 5: The Review of Karma – Yama and the Weighing of Actions

In many Hindu traditions, the Jiva travels to the realm of Yama (the Lord of Death) after death. Yama reviews the Jiva’s karma and determines the next birth.

Element	Description	Source
Yama	The Lord of Death, son of the sun god Surya. Not a “devil” but a righteous judge. He is a devotee of the Lord and a great sage himself.	Katha Upanishad, Garuda Purana
Chitragupta	The recorder of karma. He keeps a record of every action of every Jiva.	Garuda Purana
The weighing of karma	The Jiva’s good and bad actions are weighed on a scale. The balance determines the next birth.	Garuda Purana
The judgment	Yama pronounces the result. He is compassionate and just. He is not cruel.	Garuda Purana
The release	The Jiva is released to take a new birth according to its karma.	Garuda Purana

“The Garuda Purana describes the court of Yama. The Jiva stands before the Lord of Death. Chitragupta reads the record. Every action is recorded. Every thought is noted. Every word is remembered. The scale is brought. The good deeds are placed on one side. The bad deeds are placed on the other. The scale tips. The balance is the karma. Yama speaks. He does not punish. He does not reward. He declares the law. ‘This is the fruit of your actions. You will be born accordingly.’ The Jiva bows. The Jiva leaves. The Jiva goes to its new birth. Yama is not cruel. Yama is the Lord of Justice. He is the servant of the law. He does not create karma. He reveals it. The Jiva created its own karma. The Jiva experiences its own fruit. That is the law. That is justice.”

The story of Yama is symbolic. It represents the impersonal law of karma. The “judgment” is the natural ripening of seeds.

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Part 6: The Jivanmukta – No Intermediate State, No Rebirth

For the liberated being (jivanmukta), there is no intermediate state and no reincarnation. At death, the subtle body and causal body dissolve. The Self alone remains.

State	At Death	Intermediate State	Rebirth
Ordinary person (bound)	Subtle body leaves the gross body	Experiences intermediate state according to karma	Takes a new body according to karma
Jivanmukta (liberated while living)	Subtle body dissolves; no new karma; prarabdha is exhausted	No intermediate state	No rebirth

“The wave realizes it is the ocean. The wave does not die. The wave was never separate. The wave knows: ‘I am the ocean. The rising and falling are appearances. I am not the rising. I am not the falling. I am the ocean.’ The wave does not need to travel. The wave does not need an intermediate state. The wave does not need a new body. The wave is free. The jivanmukta is like that wave. The jivanmukta knows: ‘I am the Self. I was never born. I will never die. The body is an appearance. The mind is an appearance. Karma is an appearance. I am the Self.’ The jivanmukta’s body dies. The subtle body dissolves. There is no intermediate state. There is no rebirth. The Self alone is. Be the Self. Be free.”

The jivanmukta is not reborn. At death, the subtle body dissolves. There is no need for an intermediate state because there is no next birth.

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Part 7: The Self as Witness – Never Born, Never Dies, Never Travels

The ultimate teaching is that the Self (Atman) never travels. It is never born. It never dies. The Jiva (the reflection of the Self in the subtle body) appears to travel. The Self is the witness.

Aspect	Jiva (Individual Soul)	Self (Atman)
Travels after death?	Yes – the subtle body travels to the intermediate state and then to a new birth	No – the Self is everywhere. It does not move.
Experiences the intermediate state?	Yes – the Jiva experiences dreams based on karma	No – the Self is the witness of the Jiva’s experiences
Is born?	Appears to be born (reincarnates)	Never born
Dies?	Appears to die (the body dies)	Never dies
Carries karma?	Yes	No

“The sun shines. The sun is reflected in a pot of water. The water is carried from one room to another. The reflection seems to move. The sun does not move. The Jiva is like the reflection. The Self is like the sun. The Jiva travels. The Jiva experiences the intermediate state. The Jiva is reborn. The Self does not travel. The Self is the witness. The Self sees the reflection moving. The Self is not the reflection. You are not the reflection. You are the Self. The wave rises. The wave falls. The ocean remains. You are the ocean. You do not travel. You are everywhere. You are the witness. Be the witness. Be free.”

This is the highest teaching. The cycle of birth, death, intermediate state, and rebirth is an appearance in the Self. The Self is untouched.

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Part 8: Common Questions

1. Does the soul travel after death?

The Jiva (the reflection of the Self in the subtle body) travels. The Self (Atman) does not travel. The Jiva experiences the intermediate state. The Self is the witness.

2. How long does the intermediate state last?

Different traditions give different answers. The Garuda Purana describes a period of up to 49 days. Other texts suggest the transition can be immediate. The duration depends on the karma and attachments of the Jiva.

3. Can the living help the deceased during the intermediate state?

Yes. Many Hindu traditions prescribe rituals (shraddha) to help the deceased. Offerings of food and water, recitation of scriptures, and prayers can help the Jiva during the intermediate state. The Garuda Purana describes these practices.

4. Does everyone experience the same intermediate state?

No. The experiences in the intermediate state are projections of the Jiva’s own karma. Good karma produces pleasant experiences. Bad karma produces terrifying experiences.

5. Can the Jiva be liberated during the intermediate state?

Some traditions (especially Tibetan Buddhism) teach that liberation is possible during the intermediate state if the Jiva recognizes the nature of the visions. In Advaita Vedanta, liberation is only possible while alive (jivanmukti). After death, it is too late.

6. What happens to the causal body during the intermediate state?

The causal body (karana sharira) remains as the seed of the subtle body. Both continue together. The causal body is the deepest level of the Jiva’s identity.

7. Does the Self witness the intermediate state?

Yes. The Self is the witness of all experiences – including the experiences of the Jiva during the intermediate state. The Self is never affected by what it witnesses.

8. Which of Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s books should I read to understand what happens between death and reincarnation?

Start with How to Attain Moksha in Hinduism for the three bodies (gross, subtle, causal) and the process of reincarnation. Read Awakening Through Vedanta for the philosophical foundation of the subtle body. Read The Hidden Secrets of Immortality (Katha Upanishad) for the dialogue between Nachiketa and Yama, the Lord of Death. Read Divine Truth Unveiled (Mandukya Upanishad with Gaudapada’s Karika) for the analysis of the three states and the causal body. For the detailed descriptions of the intermediate state, the Garuda Purana is a traditional source. Dr. Solanki’s works focus on Advaita Vedanta, which emphasizes immediate transition based on karma.

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Summary

Between death and reincarnation, the subtle body (sukshma sharira) – which carries the karmic seeds, samskaras (impressions), vasanas (tendencies), and the sense of individual identity (the Jiva) – leaves the gross physical body and enters an intermediate state. The gross body decays or is cremated. The subtle body is not destroyed. It continues. According to most Hindu traditions, the Jiva remains in this intermediate state (antarabhava, antarloka) for a period, often described as up to 49 days in the Garuda Purana. During this time, the Jiva experiences dream-like visions based on its karma – light and peace for good karma, darkness and terror for bad karma. The Jiva travels to the realm of Yama (the Lord of Death), where Chitragupta records the deeds and Yama pronounces the fruit of karma. The Jiva then takes on a new gross body according to its dominant karmic tendencies. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.3-4) gives the caterpillar analogy: just as a caterpillar, reaching the end of a blade of grass, draws itself together and then takes hold of another blade, so the Jiva moves from one body to another, carrying its karma. The Self (Atman) does not travel. The Self is never born. It never dies. The Self is the witness of the entire process, like the sun that witnesses the movement of its reflection in water. The Jivanmukta (liberated while living) experiences no intermediate state and no rebirth. At death, the subtle body dissolves. The Self alone remains. The wave rises. The wave falls. The ocean remains. You are the ocean. Be the ocean. Be free.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.