" Heaven & Hell" concepts are very important in Western religions. But they are NOT important in eastern religions.

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Once in NY Times square, a preacher told me

" Ed, being a Hindu, You will go to hell" ....

I answered:

" Dear Sir, why should I go to a Christian hell, when we Hindus have seven hells to go to."

Poor preacher was speechless. Poor preacher does not know the fact that Hindu Puranas talk about SEVEN HELLS.....hahahaha

Hindus have SEVEN HEAVENS , SEVEN HELLS and SEVEN EARTHS......

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Swami Vivekananda wrote :

"In India, the idea of the goal (salvation) is this: There are heavens, there are hells, there are earths, but they are not permanent. If I am sent to hell, it is not permanent. The same struggle goes on and on whatever I am. How to go beyond all this struggle is the problem ........ The Indian idea is not to go to Heaven. Get out of this earth, get out of hell, and get out of heaven! What is the goal? It is freedom! You must be free" (Complete Works 6:57)

1 In Rig Veda, heaven is the place Devandra lives and Hell is the place where Yama lives.

2 Only thing I infer from reading Vedas & Upanishads, is that heaven [ SWARGA ] and hell [ NARAGA ] are NOT permanent places where the soul rests but “way stations” for short sojourn.

3 After that immortal soul comes back to earth to continue life. Immortal soul [Atman ] governed by GUNAS take birth in appropriate bodies. After exhausting karmas immortal soul [Atman] merges with God.

4 So at the end every one of us, even the worst among us will merge with God. That is the beauty of the Hindu salvation or Hindu Self-Realization. By complete change of consciousness from material to spiritual, a man, irrespective one is Hindu or not will finally attain salvation. Nobody is denied salvation in Hinduism.

5 Even Lord Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita, that "heaven" and "hell" are not permanent places where soul stays, but only temporary stations where soul rests.

6 Man’s problem is his ignorance of his true nature that he is the immortal soul due to MAYA [illusion] and until and unless he realizes that he is the immortal soul – ATMAN within and not the perishable body, he will continuously undergo going to heaven & hell.

7 Adi Sankara stated, even celestial beings crave to have a human body since only being a human one can attain self-realization. Dealing with karmas can be done only through a human body.

8. Conclusion: A human being should not waste time thinking about heaven and hell. He or she should concentrate on "Spiritual Maturity".

9 Do everything in your power to elevate yourself spiritually. It does not matter what religion or culture you follow.

As long as you open up to truth and follow one of the four methods taught by Hindu scriptures, Jnana Yoga; Karma Yoga; Raja Yoga or Bhakti Yoga, you will attain self-realization.