How can a son liberate his ancestors from birth & death?
A woman devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna Prabhu , i have a question but wish to remain anonymous . i have heard that when one surrender to Krishna his/her ancestor will be liberated . how long does one has to be into Krishna consciousness in order for the ancestor to be liberated and 7/10 generation before and after , will the generation include my parents father and mother however after them will it be my fathers family and also include my mothers family or is it both family together how does that works and once they are liberated is it still possible for them to come in your dreams ., please clear my doubt . Thank you”
REPLY:
It is said in Srimad Bhagavatham that previous and next seven generations are liberated if we successfully get liberated and go back to Krishna.
That means what?
We should go back to Krishna. This is the only condition for us to liberate our ancestors.
(What are the rituals to ensure good status of my deceased father? READ HERE!)
In fact, even before we go back to Krishna to Goloka, if we are fully materially renounced and remain in Krishna Prema, even then, they can get liberated even before we die.
But, the condition is: We should get Krishna either in this body itself or after death.
How to get Krishna in this body itself?
If we are materially detached and completely attached to Krishna, that means, we have got liberated in this body itself and we are just staying in this body till we leave.
To get Krishna, we need not go to Goloka. We can get Him even here. We can get liberated even here.
If we just get materially detached in this body itself, it is called Jeevan Mukthi. When we get Krishna in this body itself, it can be called as Jeevan Moksha.
When we go back to Krishna or when we get Krishna in this body itself, as a supplementary benefit, these ancestors are also liberated.
(After death, what is the time required to take rebirth? How to know? READ HERE!)
It does not mean that they go to Krishna. If they are also devotees, they will be allowed to go back to Krishna. If they are not the devotees, they get liberated from birth and death.
That is why, it is said that if we are fully renounced and have got Krishna in this body itself, we need not perform any rituals for our dead ancestors, because, they would have already been liberated.
You may ask: Can even unqualified ancestors be liberated? Yes. Because of the power of our Krishna Bhakti, those ancestors are purified on FAST TRACK in their present worlds, or in their next births.
So, when they complete their present birth, they get liberation.
(Should a Neophite devotee perform rituals for ancestors and family God? READ HERE!)
When we practice devotion sincerely, the consciousness and life style of the ancestors in their present births will also get some changes so that they will also follow devotion.
This is the power of getting Krishna. Like the sun purifies everything, our devotion purifies our ancestors also.
Next, dreams. Dreams is the matter of our mind and hence it is material. If Krishna is in our mind, He comes in dream. If an actor is in our mind, he comes in dream. Similarly, if you keep your ancestors in mind, they come in mind.
That’s all. Even after they get liberation, if you keep them in your memory, they can come in dream.
Hope you have understood how a son can liberate his ancestors.
(Should Krishna devotee perform rituals for deceased ancestors? Who need not do? READ HERE!)