Question to Radhanath Swami: Due to my sinful activities in this life, if I am reborn as a unicellular organism, will my activities as a human being in this birth be considered in my next birth?
Radhanath Swami: Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, “In this endeavor (of spirituality) there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” (Bhagavad-Gita 2.40)
Those who follow this path of dharma, whatever their past may have been, they are freed from the greatest dangers. The Vedas are filled with recommendations to perform prayascitta, pious activities, by which one can atone for the sinful activities of the past. When Maharaja Pariksit, a king who lived five thousand years ago, heard about the various hellish conditions in which people suffer, and the various ways of atonement for these sins, he said that even if one atones for the sins, he is bound to sin again as long as the inclinations to engage in these sinful activities exist. But when we engage in the nine processes of devotional service to the Lord, not only do we cleanse all our sins of the past, but we purify ourselves of even the inclination for sinful activities. And we awaken a desire to show compassion and love to other living beings in our hearts.
Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” (Bhagavad-Gita 18.66) If one chants the name of the Lord even once, it is guaranteed that he/she will not be a unicellular organism in the next life. But why should we even take a next life? If we just follow the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, we can be freed from birth and death forever and can go back home, back to godhead. And if we don’t perfect our life in that way, whatever spiritual progress we make is never lost. We will begin from the point where we left off in this life.
