Thinking of One's Wife at the Time of Death
According to the laws of karma and reincarnation, the content of a person's mind at the moment of death is the blueprint for their next physical body. Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently warns that for a man, excessive attachment to his wife can lead to a specific karmic result: taking birth as a woman. This principle illustrates the subtle and powerful nature of material affection, where the mind's absorption shapes the soul's future reality.
The Karmic Consequence
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that nature acts automatically based on one's desires and thoughts. If a man is overly addicted to his domestic life, his final thoughts will naturally drift to his beloved wife—how she will survive, who will protect her, or simply the pain of separation. This intense focus on the feminine nature causes the soul to develop a female consciousness, necessitating a female body in the next life.
- If one thinks of his wife instead of Krsna at the time of death, he will certainly not return home, back to Godhead, but will be forced to accept the body of a woman and thus begin another chapter of material existence.
- If someone is too attached to his wife, naturally he thinks of his wife at the time of death, and in his next life he takes the body of a woman.
- One overly addicted to life at home naturally thinks of his beloved wife at the end of life. Consequently, in the next life he gets the body of a woman, and he also acquires the results of his pious or impious activities.
The Example of King Purañjana
To illustrate this point, Śrīla Prabhupāda often cites the allegorical story of King Purañjana from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Purañjana was a powerful king who became deeply attached to his attractive and submissive wife. At the time of his death, instead of fixing his mind on the Supreme Lord, he was overwhelmed with anxiety about his wife's future. As a result, he was born in his next life as the beautiful princess Vaidarbhī.
- At the time of death King Puranjana was thinking of his wife, and this is called polluted consciousness.
- Since Puranjana is thinking of his wife and children and is overly engrossed in thoughts of his wife, he will accept the body of a woman.
- Although King Puranjana was overly absorbed in thoughts of his wife and thus became a woman, he took birth in the family of a king due to his previous pious activities.
The Paradox of the "Good Wife"
There is a subtle danger in having a very good wife. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that a chaste and obedient wife is generally considered a blessing, but she can also become a cause of bondage if the husband lacks spiritual knowledge. Her devotion makes the husband more attached to the home environment, increasing the likelihood that he will think of her at the moment of death.
- A chaste woman becomes a very obedient wife. This causes a husband to become attached to his wife, and consequently he thinks of his wife very much at the time of death. This is a very dangerous situation, as is evident from the life of King Puranjana.
- Agnidhra, however, his senses unsatisfied, was always thinking of his celestial wife, and therefore in his next life he was born in her celestial planet.
The Illusion of "My Family"
The root cause of such entanglement is the illusory concept of "I" and "mine" (aham mameti). Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the conditioned soul seeks security in family members—wife, children, and relatives—thinking they can provide protection. However, at the time of death, no family member can save the soul; only one's relationship with Kṛṣṇa matters.
- Everyone is thinking that "My family, my wife, my children, my nation, my community, that is everything. What is Krsna?" This is the greatest illusion imposed by maya. But nobody will able to give you protection.
- The body is finished, but we have to accept another body out of the 8,400,000 forms. In this way, our life is going on, but we are thinking in terms of wife, children, and so forth. This is all illusion.
Conclusion
The story of King Purañjana serves as a cautionary tale for all spiritual practitioners. While maintaining a family is a duty, Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that one must remain internally detached. The goal of life is to think of Kṛṣṇa at the time of death (ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ). If the mind is filled with thoughts of one's wife or material relations, the cycle of birth and death continues.
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