What is the time taken by a soul to reach Vaikunta?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Respected Rajanjee, Namaskaaram.
I heard in a Praavachanam that when a Vishnu Bhaktha who has not comitted any sin knowingly, dies, Vishnu dhoothaas come to take the soul of this person so that the soul reaches Vaikuntam. After death, how much time is taken for this soul to reach Vaikuntam?
Kindly give any reference from our Vedaas/Upanishads on my above mentioned query. I respect your valuable opinion.”
REPLY:
The journey to Vaikunta from earth happens first inside the body thru a route called Archaradi Marg.
Soul leaves a body thru 101 Nadis present in our heart.
Nadi is a tiny structure inside our body parts.
Though there are 1000s or innumerable number of Nadis within our body, 101 Nadis are situated inside the heart.
Out of these 101 Nadis, Sukshma Nadi is the last and important one inside the heart.
When the soul goes out of the body thru the first 100 Nadis, it is assured of good status after death.
However, if the soul leaves thru the 101st Nadi called Sukshma Nadi, the soul moves towards Vaikunta Lokas.
Now its travel outside the body towards Vaikunta Lokas starts…
Generally, the soul, in its pure condition, reaches any destination within seconds because it is directly connected to the Supersoul, Krishna and hence Krishna takes that soul just within the fraction of seconds.
It includes Vaikunta Planets also.
Is it possible?
Why not?
When the rishis, kings and demons perform penances, the gods appear instantly. They do not travel miles thru their vehicles for many days or months or years to give darshan to the person who perform penance.
Similarly, a soul without gross body and without attachments can be transferred to Vaikunta planets instantly with the mercy of the Lord.
Vaikunta planets are the last destination a soul can travel in the whole creations of material as well as spiritual creations of Krishna.
The topmost planet among all the Vaikunta Planets is Goloka where Krishna is residing.
As far as material planets are concerned, Garuda Purana says two types of travel of a soul immediately after leaving the body.
(i) The soul is taken within seconds to Yama loka. This travel takes just a second. Even by thought, one can reach another planet. He should think “I should go to Kailash now”. Next moment, he will be in Kailash. This is possible only for those who have sufficiently advanced in devotional practices and have learnt eight siddhis. Instantly visiting other places is one of the 8 siddhis that can be achieved even by a man.
Similarly, the pure soul is taken to Vaikunta planets immediately after leaving the body thru Sukshma Nadi.
(ii) Another route is not an instant route. When the Yama dhuthas bring a soul to Yama loka, Yama tells them “ Ok, I have confirmed that the soul has been taken out of body. Now, leave this soul again at his house where his kiths and kins live and bring back on the 12th day from today.
(iv) Next second, the soul is left at his house where he lived. He watches his family members whether they are remembering him.
(v) After 11th day, the soul is taken to Yama loka again. But, this time the soul is not instantly taken. The soul is taken to Yama loka crossing thousands of miles.
(vi) If the person has involved in both good and bad deeds when it was in the body, it starts towards higher heavenly planets and also to hellish planets after leaving the body, to face the reactions of their good and bad deeds.
These are the details given by Garuda Purana that speaks all the details of the soul’s travel to Yamaloka.
Same applies to the soul’s travel to Vaikunta.
(vii) If the soul does not have remarkable material contamination and has surrendered to Krishna, it starts towards Vaikunta planets / Goloka after leaving the body.
(vii) The soul is taken thru Sukshma Nadi outside the body and then takes its route to Vaikunta guided by Vishnu dhoothas.
(viii) These Vishnu dhoothas travel taking this soul also in a moderate speed so that the soul views everything in the material worlds as last chance before escaping the material sky and entering into the spiritual sky. If the soul is taken to Vaikunta instantly, the person can’t have this opportunity to witness the scenes of material planets as last chance.
(ix) Millions of millions of devotees desire to go to Vaikunta planets, but all don’t succeed because a soul will have to go to other material higher or lower planets if it still has material attachments as contamination. Only a purified soul can cross the material planets and enter into spiritual sky.
(x) If a soul leaves thru the Sukshma Nadi, then, outside the body, Krishna/ Vishnu takes responsibility for the safe passage of the soul to Vaikunta.
(xi) Krishna has two choices: Whether to take a soul instantly to His planet or to thru a travel thru Pushpak Vimana.
If He decides to take the soul instantly, the soul goes to Vaikunta planets instantly within seconds.
If Krishna decides to take the soul thru travelling route, He Himself takes the responsibility for the travel of the soul from earth to Vaikunta planets.
In such case, the time taken by a soul to reach Vaikunta will be more as decided by Krishna.
So, the reply is that the soul can be brought instantly within seconds and also for a certain period of time.
If it is possible even for a man by learning ashta maha siddhis, why can’t it is possible for the lord who created everything.
The point is that the soul can travel to Vaikunta crossing lakhs of crores of miles distance thru a certain period of time in a speed as decided by Krishna based on the need for the soul to see the material scenarios before reaching Vaikunta. How earlier, ie, the speed is decided by Krishna based on the needs of every soul.
Since the soul takes one year to reach Yama loka, it will be still more for Brahma loka and Kalilasa. Since Vaikunta planets are beyond all these material planets, the normal travel for a soul may take more than one earth year to Vaikunta. However, if Krishna decides that the soul is ready to be taken immediately, He can take the soul instantly.
Hope you are clear about the time taken by a soul to reach Vaikunta.
(What happens after a soul is taken by Vishnu dhoothas? READ HERE!)