Knowledge Bank

Why did Ganga leave Shantanu?

At the time of marriage, Ganga had made Shantanu promise her that he would never question or challenge her. Ganga went on drowning seven children who were born to them one after another. When she was about to drown the eighth child, Shnatanu stopped her. Ganga left because Shantanu broke his promise. Those children were Vasus who were cursed to take birth on earth. She was only giving them relief from the curse.

Only Humans Attain the Afterlife

Through this body, the soul experiences happiness and sorrow as a result of its virtuous and sinful deeds. With this same body, sinners endure suffering on the path to Yama’s abode, while the righteous proceed joyfully to Dharmaraj. Notably, only humans acquire a subtle, transitional body after death, which Yama’s attendants carry to Yama's domain. Other creatures, like animals and birds, do not possess such a body. They are directly reborn into another form of life. These beings wander in a gaseous form after death before entering the womb for rebirth into a specific life form. Only humans experience the fruits of their good and bad deeds in both this world and the afterlife.