If a devotee falls down, from which stage devotion will restart in next birth?
A Girl devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare krishna sir… Your posts are really helpful…. Could u please tell me when someone has begun following krishna consciousness and has advanced few steps towards god…. Aftr his death when he will be reborn.. Will he have the love for krishna still in his mind…. Will he b at the same stage of progress as he was before death or he will have to start all over again…. Will he remember his love for krishna aftr next birth?? Jai shri krishna”
REPLY:
Though you chant just one round, that too, only once in life, this is recorded and carried by the subtle body along with athma when the body leaves and you will start chanting definitely in your next birth.
If you read the following conversation between Arjuna and Krishna in Bhagavad Gita, you can get clear reply from Krishna Himself for your query if a devotee falls down, from which stage devotion will restart in next birth:
Ch-6, Text-37:
Arjuna said: O Krsna, what is the destination of the unsuccessful transcendentalist, who in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization with faith but who later desists due to worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?
(What is the Prayascitta for fallen devotees who fall down from devotion? READ HERE!)
Ch-6, Text 38 & 39:
O mighty-armed Krsna, does not such a man, who is bewildered from the path of transcendence, fall away from both spiritual and material success and perish like a riven cloud, with no position in any sphere? This is my doubt, O Krsna, and I ask You to dispel it completely. But for You, no one is to be found who can destroy this doubt.
NOW BHAGAWAN REPLIES IN THE NEXT SLOKA:
Ch-6, Text-40:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Son of Prtha, a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.
Ch-6, Text-41:
The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.
(I fear for fall down from devotion and waste of life. What to do? READ HERE!)
Ch-6, text-42:
Or [if unsuccessful after long practice of yoga] he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Certainly, such a birth is rare in this world.
Ch-6, Text – 43:
On taking such a birth, he revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he again tries to make FURTHER PROGRESS in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru.
(Note the terms FURTHER PROGRESS that confirms that the progress will be from the same point/ stage we fell down in our previous birth.)
Ch-6, Text-44:
By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles — even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures.
(Note the term automatically. That devotee need not take any serious efforts to become a devotee. He will take up devotion automatically if he falls down in this birth unfortunately)
Ch-6, Text-45:
And when the yogi engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contamination, then ultimately, achieving perfection after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal.
(Here, note the terms after many, many births of practice that shows we can not magically go to Krishna. It may require many births to get purified.)
(How One falls due to attachments as said by Krishna? READ HERE!)
CONCLUSION:
What else I can say further? Krishna Himself has clearly explained in the Chapter-6.
Even in Ch-2, Text-40, Lord says that even a small effort in this birth in Krishna consciousness will save us from the dangers!
So, take sincere efforts to progress in Krishna Consciousness in this birth. In case there is break or fall down in the middle, you can continue from where you stopped, in the next birth automatically and COMFORTABLY BECAUSE YOUR NEXT BIRTH WILL BE VERY SUITABLE FOR FOLLOWING DEVOTION WITHOUT HURDLES.
Every small effort counts and continues through births. So, be relieved and start serious practice.
Hope you are clear, if a devotee falls down, from which stage devotion will restart in next birth.
(Why next birth in Brahmana family, not vaishnava family if we fall down? READ HERE!)