Ghosts and Spirits Are Real!
When a man dies, he is called dead, but when he again appears in a subtle form not visible to our present vision and yet acts, such a dead body is called a ghost. Ghosts are always very bad elements, always creating a fearful situation for others.
It is practically experienced. I know that the ghost, if you go in a house ghostly haunted, if you chant Hare Krsna mantra, they’ll go away. They cannot tolerate. In my life there was several incidences like that. In my household life, I was doing business in Lucknow. So there was one house, very big house, worth thousands of rupees’ rent, but it was ghostly haunted. So nobody would take that house. I took it at two hundred rupees, (laughter) and very big house. And I was… All the servants, they complained, “Sir, there is ghost.” So I was chanting. He was living in several spots, especially on the gate side. So I could understand, but I would chant Hare Krsna, and I was saved. Everyone was saved. There was… And, say, in 1969 I was guest in the house of John Lennon in London. So there was a ghost in… It was a big plot. There was a guest house. So they complained, “Sir, here is ghost.” So I advised them to chant Hare Krsna, and the ghost went away.
Yes. This is fact. When there is Hare Krsna chanting, these ghostly, demonic living entities, they’ll not be able to stay there. They’ll go away. [750203BG.HAW]
Those who are very sinful and attached to their family, house, village or country do not receive a gross body made of material elements but remain in a subtle body, composed of mind, ego and intelligence. Those who live in such subtle bodies are called ghosts. This ghostly position is very painful because a ghost has intelligence, mind and ego and wants to enjoy material life, but because he doesn’t have a gross material body, he can only create disturbances for want of material satisfaction.
It is the duty of family members, especially the son, to offer oblations to the demigod Aryama or to Lord Visnu. From time immemorial in India the son of a dead man goes to Gaya and, at a Visnu temple there, offers oblations for the benefit of his ghostly father. It is not that everyone’s father becomes a ghost, but the oblations of pinda are offered to the lotus feet of Lord Visnu so that if a family member happens to become a ghost, he will be favored with a gross body. However, if one is habituated to taking the prasada of Lord Visnu, there is no chance of his becoming a ghost or anything lower than a human being. In Vedic civilization there is a performance called sraddha by which food is offered with faith and devotion. If one offers oblations with faith and devotion–either to the lotus feet of Lord Visnu or to His representative in Pitrloka, Aryama–one’s forefathers will attain material bodies to enjoy whatever material enjoyment is due them. In other words, they do not have to become ghosts. [SB 4.18.18]
The word eka-pada, “one-legged,” refers to ghosts, for it is said that ghosts walk on one leg. [SB 4.29.2]
Because of his desire to enjoy the material world, the living entity is dressed with the material gross and subtle bodies. Thus he is given a chance to enjoy the senses. The senses are therefore the instruments for enjoying the material world; consequently the senses have been described as friends. Sometimes, because of too much sinful activity, the living entity does not get a material gross body, but hovers on the subtle platform.
This is called ghostly life. Because of his not possessing a gross body, he creates a great deal of trouble in his subtle body. Thus the presence of a ghost is horrible for those who are living in the gross body. [SB 4.29.6]
Sometimes the living entity is forced to give up his body and enter another one according to the judgment of Yamaraja. It is difficult, however, for the conditioned soul to enter another body unless the present dead body is annihilated through cremation or some other means. The living being has attachment for the present body and does not want to enter another, and thus in the interim he remains a ghost. If a living being who has already left his body has been pious, Yamaraja, just to give him relief, will give him another body. Since the living being in the body of the King had some attachment to his body, he was hovering as a ghost, and therefore Yamaraja, as a special consideration, approached the lamenting relatives to instruct them personally. Yamaraja approached them as a child because a child is not restricted but is granted admittance anywhere, even to the palace of a king. Besides this, the child was speaking philosophy. People are very much interested in hearing philosophy when it is spoken by a child. [SB 7.2.36]
After giving up the body, one is transferred to another body, but sometimes, if one is too sinful, he is checked from transmigrating to another body, and thus he becomes a ghost. To save a diseased person from ghostly life, the funeral ceremony, or sraddha ceremony, as prescribed in authorized sastra, must be performed. Ravana was killed by Lord Ramacandra and was destined for hellish life, but by Lord Ramacandra’s advice, Vibhisana, Ravana’s brother, performed all the duties prescribed in relation to the dead. Thus Lord Ramacandra was kind to Ravana even after Ravana’s death. [SB 9.10.29]
We have heard of people’s being haunted by ghosts. Having no gross material body, a ghost seeks shelter of a gross body to stay in and haunt. The Sakatasura was a ghost who had taken shelter of the handcart and was looking for the opportunity to do mischief to Krsna. When Krsna kicked the cart with His small and very delicate legs, the ghost was immediately pushed down to the earth and his shelter dismantled, as already described. This was possible for Krsna because He has full potency. [SB 10.7.9]
If a man becomes disappointed and he cuts his own throat or hangs himself, some way or other, eats some poison, to finish, does it mean that he is finished? Na hanyate hanyamane sarire. He is rascal. He does not know. By finishing this body he is finished–no, that is not possible. The result is, because he violated the rules of nature, he becomes a ghost. That is his life. One who commits suicide, he becomes a ghost. Ghost means he does not get this material body. He remains in the subtle body, mind, intelligence. Therefore ghost can go because he is in the mind. Mind speed is very strong. If you have got this material body, you cannot go immediately hundred miles off. But if you are in the mental body, you can go immediately, thousand miles immediately, within a second. So the ghost, they can play something wonderful because… But they are not happy because they have no gross body. They want to enjoy. He’s materialist. He has committed suicide for some material want. So he is want of material…, fulfilling material desire. He could not fulfill in this body; therefore commits suicide, but the desire is there. The desire is there, and he cannot fulfill it. He becomes perplexed. Therefore the ghost create disturbance sometimes.
You mention ghosts. So far I have experience, the best way to remove them is to chant Hare Krishna very loudly and have jubilant kirtana until they leave. In England, on Mr. John Lennon’s house where I was staying in 1969, there was one ghost. But as soon as the devotees began chanting very loudly, he went away immediately. [71-12-03]
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
About the Author
HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founded the Hare Krishna Movement in 1966 in New York. In only 11 years he spread the movement all over the world. He wrote more than 80 books including Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Isopanisad. Prabhupada's books constitute a complete library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature and culture.
Related Posts
Who is Krishna? →
Following the Path of the Gopis →
Srila Prabhupada Addresses The World Health Organization →
Sometimes it’s said that a person who commits suicide or some other untimely death must remain a ghost til their karmicly appointed death(karmicly were meant to die at 80 but commits suicide at 30, must remain ghost 50 years).Is this confirmed in sastra? Because it seems like Srila Prabhupada said that ghosts are basically stuck for a very long time.Also does sastra say one goes to hell for suicide?
One who is extremely attached to the material world, to his material body, he remains as a ghost. The exact details are not important. The principle is it is possible for a spirit soul in his subtle body of mind, intelligence and false ego, can remain in the material world. And he is the same person as when his gross body died, has the same identity, feelings, etc, but has very little ability to interact with the material world because he has no material body.
So ghosts tend to be very frustrated and angry and try to take over the bodies of others, and they can do it particularly with people who are intoxicated and in unclean situations, etc.
We don’t care very much about the very intricate details of the ghosts, just that they are real, and we don’t want to get stuck in that position.
If I chant the Maha Mantra, will the ghost go away to haunt another place or will he/she take benefit from hearing and be freed of his ghostly existence?
Maha mantra will benefit all who hear it, including the ghost.
If you kill yourself in Krsna Consciousness then you are not committing suicide at all. And no, I am not an idiot. I have read Bhagavad Gita. Everything that you do, you do it with Bhagavan in mind!
Your body does not belong to you, it belongs to Krishna. And Krishna’s things have to be used in the service of Krishna. Otherwise it is criminal. So Krishna has given your material body and Krishna wants you to use it to serve Him. Krishna has a plan for you, He has service that He wants you to do with the body He has given you. So it is sinful, criminal to kill your body because it is not yours, it belongs to Krishna. So if you kill your body you are NOT in Krishna consciousness and you will go to Hell for that sinful action. If you were in Krishna consciousness you would use the body Krishna gave you for serving Krishna.
I am wondering- if non-devotees are reincarnated- then how can they become ghosts that wander around bothering people? If they take another body, then how can there be ghosts? It seems quite contradictory.
The ghosts are those non-devotees who are very attached to their material bodies and to the material world and who refuse to leave. So they hang around after leaving their bodies as ghosts. They remain in the same place as where they died, around their old body, or their old house, etc, and cause trouble. So they are not reincarnated as long as they remain ghosts, but when they cease being ghosts then they are reincarnated.
Hare Krishna prabhuji,
I had a doubt. What will happen if a person suicides remembering Krishna. Will he become a ghost or will attain Krishna.
Hare Krishna
It is sinful to kill the material body and if you do it you will have to suffer for that sin.
Krishna has given us the material body to use in His service. We have to use our material bodies to serve Krishna.
The bodies do not belong to us, they belong to Krishna, we are obliged to use Krishna’s bodies in Krishna’s service. So if we kill Krishna’s body instead then that is sinful and we will have to suffer for that.
Krishna does not want us to kill our material body, so if we do it, that is disobeying Krishna. So you can not expect anything good to come of it.
Hare Krishna
This was quite interesting matter published here. I have read some books by ISKCON this article helps me to make clarity about some unnatural things. in question answer session also Prabhu ji you have clear too many things about which I am in doubt thanks for sharing this important information
Hare Krsna Prabhu if I may humbly ask a question please I have seen below you mentioned about ghost leaving when they hear the holy names, (and I am not trying to commit any offense) do all ghost leave when they hear the holy names or do are some ghosts resistant to it say if they were a devotee in their previous life? hari bol
Ghosts were not devotees in their previous lives. It depends on the purity of the chanting. Chanting is effective depending on the purity and surrender of the chanter.
Ghosts want to enjoy sex. So, they go into my dreams. They try to enjoy sex through my body. Some ghosts are very Mode of Ignorance. Some of them seem to be trying to advise me. One man is asking me to help him. He is in Hell. He is very distressed. Can the devotees pray for him. I cannot help him.
You can help him by chanting Hare Krishna. Everyone is a devotee, you are a devotee, I am a devotee, we have just forgotten. So we can uncover our original Krishna consciousness and become pure devotees of Krishna by chanting:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Then, when we are pure devotees of Krishna, we can help everyone, even the ghosts.
The caste Brahmana system in India, where one has to be born into a caste Brahmana family. Does this derive from the Vedas. The caste system is apparently not meant for the Kali Yuga???
In 1947, Nehru and the caste Brahmanas wanted to politically marginalise the Sikhs and the Moslems.There are over 1 million Indian soldiers in Kashmir. It seems the BJP and the caste Brahmanas still want to marginalise Pakistani Moslems and Punjabi Sikhs.
Caste brahman system by birth is not in the Vedas. Bhagavad-gita Krishna says catur varnam maya srstam guna karma vibhagasa, “I have divided men into four divisions by quality and work.” He does not say He has divided men by birth. So there is a caste system in the Vedas, but one’s caste is determined by his guna and karma, his qualities and his work. If one has the qualities of a brahmana and works as a brahmana he is a brahmana, not that if he is born in a brahmana family he is a brahmana, no. That is incorrect. That is not the Vedic system. Qualities and occupations for a brahmana, a ksatriya, a vaisya and a sudra are all explained in detail by Krishna in the eighteenth chapter of Bhagavad-gita. So read it.
Women do not make good political leaders. Women and power do not seem to mix. Women are rising higher in society. Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May. Indira Ghandi.
How useful is Vedic astrology, done properly. Should one use it for fortune telling. Or, only as part of the Hindu dating system.
Vedic astrology is only for material things. It is a real thing. It shows the forces and interactions of the heavenly bodies on our day-to-day activities. But for devotees it is not valid because devotees are under the control of Krishna, not under the control of the movements of the heavenly bodies.
Also you can not find proper Vedic astrologer these days. Anyhow it does not work at all for devotees. Because for devotees Krishna takes a personal interest and He changes everything so astrology does not work for devotees.
Women seem to be different from men in the way they think. What does Srila Prabhupada say. Any quotes from Prabhupada’s books.
Yes. Women think very differently to men and there are plenty of quotes in Prabhupada’s books about this. So please read Prabhupada’s books and find the quotes yourself.
Sex seems to attract ghosts in the Mode of Ignorance also. Hinduism regards celibacy very highly. Danavir Swami has written a book, highly revering celibacy. What does Srila Prabhupada say about sex and attracting ghosts.
Being unclean attracts ghosts, and sex is very unclean, so it will attract ghosts for sure also. But Srila Prabhupada doesn’t say anything about this directly. Sex is the chains that maya uses to bind us to this material world. If we want to break free we have to overcome the chains of sex life.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I would like to say something more about the tulasi mala around our necks. In 2011 when I asked a psychic for help via internet, he was using pendulum. At that time I was protected by my gurus and by my good deeds from previous lives.
He simply could not “detect” me. Spirits who usually help him to get the people for him simply could not find me.
They told him that there is something around my neck that does blocks them.
So this psychic asked me if I had a neckless with cross. He never came to.contact with Vaisnavas and he never heard for tulasi neckbeads.
I was stupid to tell him about it and my protection was gone… I gave them a free way to my soul. Stupid. Stupid.
Please. Never take off your tulasi beads.
I had two surgeries since then and I did.not let them take it down. I said – no tulasi, no surgery.
I can ask the devotees to chant Hare Krsna for me at the ISKCON Lesmahagow temple, to clear my home of these ghosts. Will that work. If I play a tape of Srila Praphupada chanting in the flat, will that help. There seem to be many ghosts. It ends this year. What are they talking about. I’m your daddy.Is that possible. I’m your brother. Unlikely. They have addressed me as Derek, Wildman and Derek Wildman. How do ghosts know my name.
No. You have to become a serious devotee yourself and chant Hare Krishna yourself and then the ghosts will go away. So it means chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, strictly following the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. That is the beginning of Krishna consciousness and the end of the ghosts.
There is a ghost in the flat where I am staying. Every night when I am trying to sleep, he whispers in both of my ears. Sometimes, I can make out these words. Help me. I am in Hell. You are going to die. You are going to Hell. It ends this year. I cannot make out the rest of these whispers. He addresses me as Derek or Wildman. Sometimes, its heavy breathing. Your father. Your brother. How can I get rid of this ghost.
By chanting Hare Krishna. Read Srila Prabhupada’s books and follow the instructions Srila Prabhupada gives you as you read his books and chant Hare Krishna and that will benefit you and the ghost.
What has been attracting these ghosts to me since 2010.I used to practice with tarot cards, and do dowsing. Does this attract malevolent ghosts. Is consulting an oracle forbidden. He has said Chaitanya and God to me. I still get him breathing near my ears.
I chant Hare Krsna or the Pancha Tatva maha mantra when he approaches me. Its your daddy. Its your brother. Is that possible.
Yes, messing with the occult attracts ghosts and spirits. And being in the mode of ignorance, being unclean, taking intoxicants, etc, all these things make one susceptible to being possessed by ghosts. The answer is to become actually Krishna conscious, and that does not mean just chanting Hare Krishna when you feel the ghost approaching you, it means chanting Hare Krishna constantly, 24 hours a day, and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, like Srimad-Bhagavatam constantly 24 hours a day. Of course we have to take some rest but not more than six hours out of 24 hours. If we sleep more than 6 hours out of 24 then we descend into the mode of ignorance and that is the cause of becoming possessed by ghosts. So you will get rid of this ghost problem if you actually become Krishna conscious. But becoming Krishna conscious is not something we can achieve without substantial effort and determination. Krishna consciousness is simple, but the practical application of it is quite challenging, particularly now, in the Kali-yuga when we are surrounded by non-devotees and the society of devotees is practically non-existent.
So anyhow, take to Krishna consciousness seriously and that will solve your ghost problem for sure.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Yashoda DD advised me to wear Tulasi beads all the time. I will do that.
Its difficult to give up sex life. If one walks around a student campus, I am being attracted by so many beautiful young women. Why is celibacy so important in spiritual life. Catholic priests are celibate.
The catholics worship the Virgin Mary. Lourdes. Fatima. Were these apparitions tatva Shakti.
Sex is the opposite to spiritual life. Sex stops our advancement in spiritual life. The beginning of spiritual life is the realization that we are not the material body but are the spirit soul within the body. This bodily identification is the material disease. Sex is the thing that most cements us in this bodily conception of life. Because you are asking such a question I can understand that you have not read Prabhupada’s books. So PLEASE READ PRABHUPADA’S BOOKS. If you want to understand Krishna consciousness, if you want to conquer the sex desire, then you have to read Prabhupada’s books. I can not just write a one paragraph answer, but I can point you to READ PRABHUPADA’S books and you will find all your answers and much more there.
Last night, I was chanting Hare Krsna in my mind as I was lying in bed with my eyes closed. I know the ghosts were commenting on this with English words. But I could not make out what they were saying.Some of them seem to be better characters. Telling me to go. Telling me to do something I am thinking about. But that would not be very practical. None of them are very spiritually advanced.
hi Derek , nothing back is goning to happen to you or your family .Its a trick to break you ,so dont get scared when someone says you are going to die and all.Always remember lifr and death is in Gods hand,so as everyone suggrsted stick to god and do the chating yourself that will save you.But always remember when you start the chanting things will try to stop you and problems will increase but do not stop at all just keep chanting every single minute just chant the lord name and you will see him protecting you.have faith and do not doubt on almighty
But bhagawad Gita says after death soul goes to hell or heaven according to his or her karma.then when it is completed they again take birth.isnt it true.if it is true then how can a ghost live on the physical plane and possess someone?
Bhagavad-gita says one’s destination after death depends on his consciousness at the time of death. So, in the case of untimely death, and when the person is very attached to his material body and the material world he may not want to leave his body. So the soul is independent of his material body. He can exist without the material body. At the time of death the subtle body of mind, intelligence and ego carries the soul to his next body. But if the soul, the person, does not want to go, he can remain in the material world with his body or around that area, in his old house, etc, and he will be completely aware of everything that is going on, but will generally be unable to communicate with the people.
So this is a ghost. A spirit soul who has left his material body but is still attached to the material world and is refusing to leave. That is why in the Vedic culture the body is burned very soon after death, to encourage the soul to leave. If the soul sees his body, which he is very attached to, go up in flames, he becomes less attached and more willing to leave.
But ghosts are real, and they are these spirit souls who are unwilling to leave their old material situation, because they are overly attached to it. And ghosts can ‘possess’ or take over other people, and in that way they are able to express themselves to some extent through the other person’s body. People who are in the mode of ignorance, who are unclean, addicted to intoxication, and sleeping too much are prone to be haunted by ghosts. And when a person is ghostly haunted the ghost can take over his body and act through the haunted person’s body.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I am somewhat confused. I came from a Christian background and am in the beginning process of learning about Lord Krishna. What I am confused avout is that due to my own Christian upbringing I was told that demons are real and they can possess a person and make them do harmful things. I see that in this article that ghosts exist but can the possess you and make you do harmful things?
Yes. What you have learned as a Christian is correct. Ghosts and demons are real and they look for weak people and posses them and do evil things through them. People who are intoxicated and unclean are more susceptible to being possessed than those who are sober and clean for example.
16 rounds of hare Krishna means ?
16 rounds means chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
108 times [that is one round] and you repeat this 16 times, that is 16 rounds, means chanting the mantra 108*16 = 1728 times
You shoud buy tulsi japa beads (you can buy from krishnastore.com). They have 108 or 109 beads so you can close your eyes and simply move the beads as you chant. So when you chant once, you move one bead and so on till you finish a full string of beads (called mala).
So one mala means you have chanted 108 times = 1 round of the mala.or simply 1 mala. You can find the number of times you chanted the mahamantra by multiplying number of malas chanted by 108 (beads per mala) + number of beads on the last round you were chanting (in case you didn’t finish that mala).
You have to chant 16 rounds or 16 malas daily according to Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. If you chant full 16 rounds in a day, it means you are chanting the mahamantra 1728 times a day.
Here are more details on chanting (there are other mantras to chant before chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra) – https://krishna.org/the-ten-offenses-in-chanting-the-hare-krishna-mantra/
I have a doubt.Everyone is telling that my brother is filled with or affected by my sister’s soul who died at the earliest age having more desires in material life.But he looks normal and then behaves unusually…many told that we need to do puja to get rid of that soul..But my brother still not able to control his mind… suffering a lot…As a younger brother,what should I do now…help me…is it true because life goes according to God’s wish based on one’s karma in the present and previous birth…..if one tries to pull up others from misery,how can that happen?
Chant Hare Krishna, get him to chant Hare Krishna and read Prabhupada’s books. That is the most powerful thing. The best thing you can do. You are correct. Everyone is born and going through life on the basis of their karma from the previous lives. Ordinary this can not be changed but if we become devotees of Krishna Krishna can and will change our karma also. So the only solution is for you to become a pure devotee of Krishna then you will be able to understand also what is the best way to help your brother. Most of the advice people will give you will be useless. Only good advice actually is to become Krishna conscious, to chant Hare Krishna, that is the only religious or spiritual path that is practical in this age of Kali.
Hare Krishna,
I came across a person who claims he is being possessed by ghosts and hears voices constantly and even tries to talk to the voices. According to medical terms, such a person is said to be suffering from schizophrenia. I have a few questions.
Is it possible for a person being possessed by multiple ghosts?
How can we determine if the person is actually suffering due to medical depression or being possessed by ghosts?
He is also very spiritual and also visits temples. so, is it possible that ghosts can affect a spiritual person?
If he is really possessed by ghosts how can i help him to get rid of them?
Real spiritual people are not possessed by ghosts. Ghosts will leave when they hear the serious chanting of Hare Krishna. So he should seriously practice Krishna consciousness. He should read Prabhupada’s books, chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and strictly follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and the ghosts will leave him… But people are too lazy and they don’t want to chant Hare Krishna, read Prabhupada’s books and follow the simple regulative principles. So the ghosts don’t leave…
I am sleeping in his space. If I move away from this flat, will that end this haunting. I have tried chanting out loud. I am not pure enough to get rid of ghosts. Sometimes I try the Pancha Taatva maha mantra and Gayatri.There must be exorcism rituals in Hinduism.
Yes, maybe moving will be good, if it is the place you are staying that is ghostly haunted, but if it is you that is ghostly haunted ghost may move with you.
Anyhow being in a place in the mode of goodness will be good. So it should be very clean and you need to keep yourself also very clean by taking bath at least once a day and always putting on clean clothing and don’t take any form of intoxication, etc.
Hare Krishna! I have never understood why suicide should be such a sin. It’s maya, it’s illusion, not real this body. So why should someone totally realized not be able to get out when he/she wants to and go back to Godhead?
Hare Krishna Vinod
It is not your material body. Your material body belongs to Krishna. And it is meant for serving Krishna. So if you do not use your material body for the service of Krishna that is sinful. If you kill the material body that actually belongs to Krishna and is meant for serving Krishna that is very sinful.
It is not your body to kill. It is Krishna’s and it is meant for Krishna’s service.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Sanatana Goswami, one of Sri Chaitanya’s dearmost disciples, was thinking of committing suicide at the annual Ratha-yatra festival. Sri Chaitanya, being the Supersoul in everyone’s heart, knew of this. Sri Chaitanya told Sanatana Goswami: “My dear Sanatana, if I could attain Krishna by committing suicide, I would certainly give up millions of bodies without a moment’s hesitation. You should know that one cannot attain Krishna simply by giving up the body. Krishna is attainable by devotional service. There is no other means for attaining Him.”
This incident is related in the Chaitanya-Charitamrita, Antya-lila, chapter 4.
Hare Krishna.
Unfortunately I was associating with psychics and listening to their readings so much, that they attached many spirits to me and completely messed my subtle body and even tried to kill me. Psychics say that I will become a ghost and they will take me over.
So few devotees who are also psychics were helping me with advice but then again I blocked they away because even when they have powers, still they have these powers from some subtle beings, isn’t that so?
Is it possible that a devotee can be psychic and tell us how we really are, give us reading about our state of mind, our future? When I told this devotee psychic that she is having these information from subtle beings she became angry.
Is it possible that these subtle beings are helping, are they angels?
thank you.
Hare Krishna
No. Ghosts are not good. The only spirits who hang around in the material world after their physical body is destroyed are totally materially attached. They are hanging around because they are attached or they are forced to hang around because they have done something sinful like committed suicide, etc.
So we need to avoid anyone who is attracting these ghosts and communicating with these ghosts. Some people even worship these ghosts. But this is very bad. They are sinful and materialistic living entities and often very angry and do not have any good intentions. Rather they generally want to do evil things.
There is no such thing as a devotee who is a psychic. Devotees have no interest in such things. They are communicating with Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead. They have no interest in such things.
All you have to to do is become Krishna conscious and all ghosts and evil things will leave you.
The ghosts can not stay where the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is going on.
But you have to become an actual devotee and really chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, really strictly follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and really read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day.
It is simple to become a devotee but it requires determination and we have to fight because maya is always trying to convince us to relax, take it easy… But we can not. We have to be serious and be engaged in serving Krishna and Srila Prabhupada 24 hours a day. Then the ghosts will run far away from us.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you so much for your wonderful answer.
It seems then, Srila Prabhupada said that all people are ghosts-like because they are so materially attached. This is so so so dangerous place we live in.
One devotee said I opened a door to subtle entities my ancestors angry due to suffering, he said I am the only one who must help them and that I need to pay him money to make a sraddha ceremony so he would offer them maha prasadam and they would get physical bodies.
On the other side, this devotee is actually of very dangerous mentality.
Many devotees with problems go to him and make sraddha ceremonies, fire sacrifices etc. but they get even worse.
If only a pure devotee, with pure heart and saintly character can keep these subtle angry beings away, then really… what chance do we have? To become like that… more likely I would win a bingo.
What would happen if I suffer a car accident and end up in coma and stop chanting and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books… then they would take over?
Thank you, ys
Hare Krishna Mother Yashoda dd.
Yes. So many ‘devotees’ have tried to turn Krishna consciousness into a moneymaking business. But in the process Krishna consciousness is completely lost. So we have to totally avoid these professional men in the dress of devotees only for making money. They can not help us in any way at all.
As far as becoming a pure devotee it is not difficult and you can become a pure devotee. Just chant Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds a day, follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication, and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. And very soon, if you just surrender to this simple process, all the ghosts and spirits will flee far away from you.
If you live your life chanting Hare Krishna, serving Krishna, remembering Krishna, then you will automatically remember Krishna at the time of death even if externally you appear to be in a coma,etc.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Not all ghosts are bad according to Srila Prabhupada, but yes, normally we should not want to associate with them as it is unnecessary. Even the pramathas, the ‘good’ or harmless ones, we should try to chant Hare Krishna whenever they are around so that they can hear and be liberated (plus we protect ourselves through the chanting also). We should not try to communicate with the ghosts, all the help we can give them is to chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra so that they may hear and be purified. Otherwise, we may try to help on our own or deal with them in our own inexperienced way and suffer many negative effects including being taken over. Then neither will we be able to chant to save ourselves, nor will the ghosts be liberated upon hearing our chanting.
“So one can remain like that, without this gross body and subtle body, material. Just like in the Vaikunthaloka, that is… But in the material world, when one is not covered by the gross body but subtle body, they are called ghosts or pramathas. Those who are good, not harmful, they are called pramathas. And those who are harmful… As in this material world there are good men and bad men, similarly, amongst the persons who has no this gross body, they are sometimes called ghosts and sometimes they are called pramatha.”
Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Vrindaban 11-09-76
All ghosts are bad. Ghost means someone died and is still very much attached to his material bodily relations. So it means if one is a ghost he is totally materially attached. And someone who is a total materialist is bad. Bad for a devotee to associate with and bad because all his actions are motivated by selfishness, either personal or extended.
You are right Prabhu, in that way yes ghosts are just like non-devotees, and their association should be avoided. I meant that some ghosts aren’t actively harmful, and those kinds of ghosts are called ‘pramathas’ by Srila Prabhupada.
But you are right, your way of thinking is correct, that since they are materially attached, there is no different between them and non-devotees, and the association of both should not be kept as it will be harmful to one’s advancement in krishna consciousness. Hare Krishna
Most of the ghosts who come to me are mischievious, Mode of Ignorance guys, who have been pranksters during their lives. They seem to be able to read my thoughts, which they are answering. One of them said, ‘Blood, Derek, Blood’. I was thinking about using violence against a bully.
One of these ghost men is in distress. ‘Help me. I am in Hell’. Others are telling me I am going to die. I am going to Hell.
‘Your brother’. ‘Its your daddy’. It ends this year. What was this ghost talking about. Sex attracts ghosts. That is why they want a gross, material body, like us. I saw one of them on the ceiling.
Hare Krishna.
I have one question, related too this subject.
Earlier in my life, I have lost friends, too such violent deaths.
Knowing what I know now, we were all ghosts, because of heavy intoxication, and a criminal mentality.
Now those friends, that did not make it, is there at way I can set them free now? They are most likely turned in too ghosts, and are most likely haunted.
I often speculated, on how I can set them free from their sufflerings, and their curse.
Does the vedas tell us, how too go about this subject?
Hari bol
Hare Krishna
First you set yourself free by becoming a pure devotee of Krishna. Only a pure devotee of Krishna has the power to set others free. So become a pure devotee of Krishna by reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and following his instructions. Start by chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and strictly follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication. Ghosts can not stay where there is the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra so if you constantly chant Hare Krishna no ghost can touch you.
If anyone is suffering from ghost or any type of evil spirits & want to remove permanent.
The way to become free from ghosts and spirits is to become a devotee of Krishna. To chant the Hare Krishna mantra constantly. The ghosts and evil creatures can not stay where there is constant chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra.
Dear Madhudvisa dasa,
How does this apply to animals? I was told by a gifted psychic that I have the spirit of a dog with me. I assume this would be one of my previous dogs who has passed. It feels good, not at all demonic or harmful in any way. Also, I’ve seen videos showing ghostly dogs still wanting to be with their human family. Is there a difference in the case of animals?
Hare Krishna!
Hare Krishna Melinda
There is no difference between the soul of an animal and the soul of a human. A soul who is currently in a human’s body can enter an animal’s body in his next life and the soul of an animal can enter a human body in his next life.
So the soul is not animal or human. It is the level of consciousness that causes the soul to be placed in either a human or animal body. So if a human degrades their consciousness they can be put in an animal’s body in their next life.
So there is no reason why a soul who was previously in a dog’s body could not become a ghost due to excessive attachment to the material world.
So it is possible.
But we want to get free from these ghostly creatures. They are not good. It is harmful to associate with ghosts and spirits. We have to instead associate with Krishna. So chant Hare Krisha and the ghosts will go away. And you want them to go away. It is not good to have ghosts of any type hanging around you.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Sir, I’m a great follower of my lord Krishna. I read Aatma is “achintya” – Aatma has no emotion. Aatma is not controlled by our surroundings. It’s our mind which is influenced by our surroundings. Aatma always wants to reach Paramatma. Desire comes from mind, not from Aatma. Then, how ghosts can exist? How Aatma can be a ghost while it has no desire? A human can be a devil as it has desire! But, how Aatma can be a ghost while it has no desire? Scientifically, Aatma is nothing but energy. I’ll be very thankful to you if you kindly clear my doubt. Regards.
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Joy
What makes you think ghosts have no desire? Ghosts have desire. Ghost is nothing more than a disembodied person. So the ghost has all the desires still of that person. What happens is we have three bodies. The gross body of earth, water, fire, air and ether; the subtle body of mind, intelligence and false ego; and the spiritual body, the spirit soul, the atma. So a ghost is the spirit soul, atma with the subtle body of mind, intelligence and ego. So everything is there in the ghost except the gross material body. So ghosts are real and they have the exact same desires as the person who died and became the ghost…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
When will lord kalki come on this earth and eradicate evil from this earth? Does anyone know? I doubt that after 4,32,000 years , he will come. The present situation is so bad.
You have not seen anything yet. Kali yuga is going to get much, much, much worse.
So intelligent persons had better become Krishna conscious now so we can go back home back to Godhead and get out of this messy hellish Kali-yuga….
And I wanted to ask why doesn’t lord krishna help us so that thoughts of committing suicide don’t come in our minds? After all in the bhagavat gita he said he is the father, mother, grandsire of this entire universe. So he should give darshan when devotees want him to appear..
Krishna will help you if you want His help. But if you want to forget Krishna then He will help you forget Him as well. It is all up to you. Do you really want Krishna? If you do He will help you. Of course Krishna is helping everyone. Without Krishna’s mercy we can not even take one breath. So we are all totally dependent on Krishna’s mercy. But we come to the material world to try to be independent from Krishna. We have all rejected Krishna. Otherwise we would not be here in the material world. So we have to suffer the consequences of rejecting Krishna.
Could anyone tell me when will lord krishna take birth as lord kalki? Some say he has already taken birth while some say he will come after 4,32,000 years? isn’t today’s adharmic activities enough for him to take birth? Or lord krishna wants to see more suffering in this world?
Hare Krishna Dhruv
Krishna will incarnate as Kalki towards the end of this Kali-yuga. So this Kali-yuga will run for 432,000 years and only 5,000 years have passed so far. So Kalki will not appear for around 427,000 years.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
respected sir,
please say me this incident is truth or not because iam doing an research on ghosts.
Yes. Ghosts are real. A ghost is a person who has a subtle body [mind, intelligence and ego] but no gross material body [earth, water, fire, air, ether].
It is possible for the spirit soul [person] to exist in the material world with his subtle body of mind, intelligence and ego but with no gross body. Such a person is called a ghost. He has no physical form but is real and can often create trouble for others. Ghosts want to act in the material world but they have no material body so they can not act in the material world. So they try to take over the bodies of others. Generally ghosts can not take over normal healthy people but if one is unclean and intoxicated and in the mode of ignorance [sleeping a lot, etc] it becomes easier for ghosts to take over his body. So when such a person becomes possessed by a ghost it may be the ghost acting through his body, not he himself acting.
And ghosts are almost always bad… Good souls do not become ghosts…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I just wanted to know has it been proven that commiting suicide makes u a ghost? Has lord krishna mentioned this thing?
Yes. Srila Prabhupada mentions this. You can search the details on http://www.PrabhupadaBooks.com
Just fantastic. Very very interesting n lively! Just need to have Bhakti n he reveals him daily… it’s amazing .His Grace is itangible daily to everyone of us just have to be AWARE .
Hare Krishna
Hello. What is the difference between a ghost and an evil spirit or demon? Thanks
Hare Krishna David
A ghost is a disembodied spirit. So when someone dies, if they do not promptly go to their next destination, they can hang around as a ghost. They are still in the material world with us and they can still perceive what is going on but they have no material body so they can not interact with the world very well. So they often want to take over someone’s body so they can use it to do the things they want to do.
All the ghosts are evil spirits and demons. There are only demons and devotees. So the devotees do not become ghosts. So any ghost will be a demon and practically all ghosts will be evil.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
In vedic astrology we have nine planets out of which two – Rahu and Ketu are invisible imaginary but powerful planets known as ” karmic planets ” or ” shadow planets ” as these two geometrical points are located at the two intersecting nodes of solar and lunar orbits – while solar is the soul and lunar is our karmas
these two powerful shadow causing planets are capable of masking the sun light to cause eclipses both lunar and solar. Rahu is the materialistic inclined and hence will create more karmas to make souls go for the cycle of rebirths after rebirths while ketu is towards the spiritualistic realm of terminating our karmas and liberating the souls from rebirths and hence ketu is called as ‘Moksha karaka”
while rahu which gives materialistic pleasure is called as ” yoga karaka”.
so rahu which propound the theory of ” Resurrection” because rahu was cut off head portion of a demon svarbhanu and ketu is the tail portion. Rahu and ketu are the creator of Ghosts for such souls as per their past karmas whle they are on the job of recycling and terminating the souls. i write a big book on this subject with many details which covers the subject of all religions which are differentiated as ” REBIRTH’ ,REINCARNATION, RESURRECTION – rebirth is not necessarily human beings but also animals,birds ect while Reincarnation is restricted only to human beings alone – this concept came from the avatar of balarama – i can not give more details but u might see in my book once published.
Dear Ram ji,
I guess you have the good knowledge. You are requested to read my post. Need your help.
Thanks
Abhishek
Yes it’s true there’s parallel world around us which we can’t see. I myself is doctor who never believed in the existence of ghosts. But lately when i shifted to new house due to job, i started experiencing strange things happening. For instance,i found gold plated child bangle with black beads down under almirah. Few days later, refrigated milk disappeared in nights ,leaving the vessel black on bottom. Moreover wen there was no milk,water would disappear from refrigerator!!It’s very strange as i live alone and nobody comes to house.
I completely believe in ghosts as one of my friend had given me a photo showing that the ghosts exist in this world. i had it in my mobile. from the time i had got it everything was going wrong. then i deleated it. everything is fine now. my parents tell that there is no such thing in this world called ghosts. and if there is another world what singals do they give? how do we come to know whrther they are really around us? as i somtimes feel that they are around. but i ignore. please help me as i am very curious to know?
Hare krishna.
Yes. Ghosts are real. They are the souls of ‘dead’ people. When someone dies but he is still very attached to this material world he can not leave although he no longer has a material body. So these ghosts hang around in their subtle bodies of mind, intelligence and ego and because they have no bodies of their own they are always trying to take over the bodies of others to do their nasty work. The people who are most likely to become haunted or possessed by a ghost are those who live unregulated and unclean lives and who are addicted to intoxication and sleep. These people who are in the mode of ignorance are very prone to being possessed by ghosts. They are real for sure.
hello my name is andrew, i understand that the sufferings i go through now are due to my karma And are a debt to be dutifully paid to lord krishna, i love krishna, but i am a hightly depressed individual, and have much anxiety, i chant regularly, and see the miseries of everyone else as well , and am at great rish of committing suicide very soon.. do i get another chance to pick up where i let off in devotional service? or am i doomed to hell or ghostly body…. i just wann know what i’m about to get myself into thank you very much,
all glories to prabhupada AND all glories all glories to all you so wonderful devotees who are fighting the fight no matter what and serving only krishna’s will… i really am pround for all of you..
hare krishna
Hare Krishna Andrew
It is natural to be depressed in the material world. It is a truly depressing place. But if you seriously take to chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books you will realize that there is another world, the spiritual world, and we can go there and that place is not at all depressing… It is sat-cit-ananda, eternal, full of knowledge and full of ever-increasing bliss.
But this human form of life is a great benefit and being on the earth at this time when Lord Caitanya’s sankirtan movement is going on is a great chance. So we must take full advantage of this human form of life and not waste even a second. We need to be constantly engaged in Krishna conscious activities 24 hours a day. If you do this you will be very happy…
Committing suicide is a very sinful thing and you will be doomed to a ghostly body and your depression and suffering will increase unlimitedly. It does not make things better, it makes them much, much worse. The ghosts are in a very horrible frustrating depressing situation. They are still here in the material world, they are still full of material desires, but they have no material body to experience those desires with… Very painful.
So don’t do it. You will be much, much, much worse off. Because you are chanting Hare Krishna now that will not be lost. But it may be covered for some time. So there is no guarantee that you can immediately continue with your Krishna Consciousness, if you perform such a greatly sinful activity as this then you may have to suffer for a long time as a ghost and then suffer many births before you can restart your Krishna consciousness…
So just become a serious pure devotee of Krishna now…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
I am also considering leaving this body because the suffering is unbearable. On the other hand, I do not wish to enter ghostly life. Please help Prabhuji.
If you commit suicide the suffering will be so much worse.
You can not avoid the suffering. That is the nature of the material world. Suffering. That is what this place is for. Suffering.
But if you would just become Krishna consciousness then you will transcend this material world and enter the spiritual world even though you still appear to be in the material world. You will no longer be in the material world and none of the suffering of the material world will be able to touch you.
So do it. Become Krishna conscious by chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, strictly following the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. If you really seriously surrender to these things you will no longer suffer in the material world.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I completely understand Prabhuji. But what do we do during those unbearable moments?
Chant Hare Krishna. Any unbearable moment will be turned into a spiritually ecstatic moment if we just chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
This material world is unbearable. We have to expect that.
Do ghosts resides in Parallel world at the other sides of Black holes?
Ghosts are in this material world with us. Not in a parallel world and black holes are just the imagination of the physicists.
The thing is ghosts do not have a material body, but they have their subtle body of mind, intelligence and false ego, within that subtle body is there spirit soul.
So the ghosts are here with us in the material world but we can’t see them because they have no material bodies.
But how do you experience the presence of ghosts
what are the signs and symbols of presence of ghost?????????
Hare Krsna
Is performance sraddha is effective in Kali Yug (Dark age). Because no one is qualified in this age of kali (dark age)…to perform sraddha…
What is the solution to sraddha…
Hare Krishna Chetan
The solution in Kali-yuga, the only solution is to chant Hare Krishna.
So chant Hare Krishna, prepare the bhoga nicely and offer it to Krishna and chant Hare Krishna.
Any festival if you make a nice offering of bhoga to Krishna and have congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra with many people there and read from Srila Prabhupada’s books and speak on the philosophy of Krishna consciousness will be very auspicious.
That is the solution…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
What should you do if someone is being affected by ghost because someone did vodoo for to them to destroy them.
Hare Krishna Neemchand
You can get them to chant Hare Krishna mantra seriously and follow the regulative principles. [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication]
No ghost can remain in the presence of the pure chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. Chanting Hare Krishna is by far the most powerful way to get rid of ghosts.
But it is also important for your friend to raise himself to the mode of goodness. Ghosts like the mode of darkness, the mode of ignorance. They hang around people who are intoxicated, people who are not clean, people who sleep a lot. So it is important for your friend to be clean both externally by taking a bath regularly and wearing clean clothes and keeping his room clean and tidy and also keeping clean internally by regularly chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra.
If he is actually being effected by a ghost this chanting of Hare Krishna is really the best way. Your name is Neemchand. So I think you know this comes from the Neem tree. So this Neem wood is also very purifying and it is said that Neem wood will repel ghosts. So you may get him some Neem beads he can wear around his neck. But the chanting of Hare Krishna is the most powerful and most essential thing.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa