Life between lives.

[theist]

What do you think happens between one birth and another? Anything or is it straight to another womb?

[sopatel]

maybe you may go straight to another womb, or attain a higher planet for good deeds and then come back to the material world, or go to a lower planet for being bad and come back to the material world, or you could be thinking about an animal and attain the body of that particular animal your thinking about. Its a good question...no one can really answer it though can they?

 

Jai Shri Krishna

[theist]

Sopatel,

There are a lot of opinions out there among those that accept life after physical death from the Tibetan Book of the Dead to NED's (near death experiencer's).

 

I am not sure this is question is taken up very fully in our present Vaisnava literature but I think it is an important understanding to have. It is such a natural question one would ask someone who stated a belief that we survive death; "What is the experience of the soul between death and the next birth?", and I think it one we should be able to answer condidently.

 

A question worth the investigation perhaps.

[Sarva gattah]

What the ignorant see as a caterpillar’s end of life, a Sag calls a butterfly.

[sopatel]

theist,

 

I definitly agree with you, my problem is that I am not sure about how all this works. Meaning, doesn't each individual have a transition according to there karmas. It would be worth investigating. Lets look into this.

 

Jais Shri Krishna

[bhaktajan]

What I've always speculated happens between one human birth and another human birth:

 

a) Historically the majority of karmis, down through time, have taken countless 'short-lived' birth(s).

[ie: 1000 births as an insect = 6 human months]

These minor sub-human births are always about reconciling ones own 'values' (in contrast to taking these births as a form of 'punishment').

 

b) When hugh masses of people [or small tight-knit groups] die at the same place and time they are destined to 're-surface' in human [terrestrial] births at approx. the same time (since they met their fates simultaneously they already exhibit what I'm theorizing here--'shared destiny due to commonality of dharma').

 

c) A Patriotic warrior/civil servant who dies in the line of duty: inherits the best that is availible in his society [after taking countless short-lived sub-human births].

 

IE: Amry generals = golf pros/cricket pros.

Ranking officers = baseball players

Infantry = american football/rugby

Civil servants = basketball

Politicians = movie stars

Pruple heart/Medal of Honor/Nobel prize Winners = Nationally beloved Personalities

 

d) [taken from posting below: . . . In the Karma Kanda scriptures we find that there is mention of a one year period of suspension for the departed soul. During that time, the rishis of the Karma Kanda say, the successors and holders of property of the departed soul can try to make some sacrifices and give help for the departed soul. There is a one year period of suspension. Pinda. Help may be arranged for the dead person, and then finally the person comes and talks with Yama (the God of Death) and a final decision is made.

 

This is the general case. But there are particular instances where things may happen differently, . . . ]

 

e) I've also thought that sometimes foolish vain conceited trouble-makers, while in front of Yamaraj [along with court appointed lawyers], get antsy and demand, or steal away a 'next birth'--thus obtaining a faulty (physically impaired) body.

 

ys,

Bhaktajan

[Kulapavana]

 

What do you think happens between one birth and another? Anything or is it straight to another womb?

 

there are many, many different scenarios, depending on such factors as karma, our desires, circumstances of death, availability of a suitable body, desires of other living entities whose karma is entangled with ours, etc.

[BhaktiK]

Tamal Krsna Goswami asked Srila Sridhar Maharaj what happens to a person when they die. This is the response given by Srila Sridhar Maharaj.

 

 

When someone dies, generally, they are taken to the court of Yamaraj. They are taken to the administrator of Pretyaloka and they enter the world of the departed souls. But not all souls will go there for there are exceptions. Those who enter into ananya bhakti, suddha bhakti, pure loving devotion to the Lord, they will not enter into the world of the departed souls. The jurisdiction changes, in the case of those who have come in connection with the Guru and suddha bhakti.

 

Generally, we may take it that within twenty four hours the atma, the soul, is taken to the court of Yamaraj. Then after one year his case is taken up and he is judged. The amount of sin and the amount of good that he has done is judged at that time. After one year of waiting in suspense, waiting in a state of suspension, like a person on bail waiting for the judgement of his case, he is asked what he will take first, the narak (hell) or svarga (heaven). Which do you like to enjoy first? Will you enjoy the fruits of your good action first? But of course if the amount of karma is great, the bad action, then he will have to suffer the results of his bad action first, and then after that enjoy the reactions arising from his good actions. This is the general case but there are particular cases, where an urgent case will be dealt with urgently, just as in a court. Some may take birth immediately after death; he may enter into another womb. Different cases are dealt with differently.

 

In Srimad Bhagavatam, we find that when Devaki the mother of Krishna has just been married and her husband Vasudev was taking her to his own house, Kamsa, the brother of Devaki, was taking the reins of the horses and conducting the chariot as they were going along on the way to Vasudev's house. Then suddenly a sound came from the sky, saying "Kamsa, you are relishing so much this occasion of great joy, taking your sister with so much cheerfulness to her husband's house, but her eighth child will kill you." Twice, or thrice, this sound came form the sky. Then Kamsa was enraged and he took his sister by the hair and went to cut her throat. But Vasudev came to protect her and said, "You are a hero and you should not fear death". In this way Vasudev began a discussion with Kamsa. "You have no cause to feel fear of her, but only from her child. I assure you that the children, when they are born, will be given to your hand, and you may do away with them; but leave her for she is not going to kill you."

 

At that time Vasudev comes to talk about philosophy, and he says that before someone is dead his next life begins. Before he is dead, when he is just going to die, his previous thoughts and actions come in a subtle form, rushing and gathering together, and every one of them demands “His next birth I want to take.” According to the intensity or the priority, they propose, "The next chance I want, I want priority; the next chance I must get!". And so in this way the next birth is determined.

 

For before actual death the next birth is determined, when the idea comes and captures him, the idea or mentality of different types comes and takes possession of him, and determines what he will be born as next. Suppose anger, or jealousy, or greed capture him - there are so many propensities and each wants the first chance to take possession of the atma, the soul. And then when he dies the propensity with the most powerful priority takes him. The idea takes him to some society, to his own society, and from there to the physical plane once again. Suppose the propensity of very great anger comes. Very much anger. Then the buffalo mentality takes possession. A very ferocious mentality, then the tiger mentality takes possession. It takes him up into the tiger society and he takes rebirth with a tiger body. In the case of king Bharata, he had left his kingdom and left everything behind when he was still in his youthful stage of life. He left it all and took to the life of a sadhu, a sage. But when he was dying he thought of his small deer, his pet, "If I die this small deer will also die without food or protection". His thinking was like that. So when his soul passed away he had to enter a deer body. He had to become a deer. Into that society he had to go, and in a deer's body he had to come out and live in the world again.

 

In the Karma Kanda scriptures we find that there is mention of a one year period of suspension for the departed soul. During that time, the rishis of the Karma Kanda say, the successors and holders of property of the departed soul can try to make some sacrifices and give help for the departed soul. There is a one year period of suspension. Pinda. Help may be arranged for the dead person, and then finally the person comes and talks with Yama (the God of Death) and a final decision is made.

 

This is the general case. But there are particular instances where things may happen differently, according to the gravity of the situation.

 

For those who have died and are without any physical body, there may be suffering, also. Just as in a dream where we also suffer and feel pain without feeling things through this body. It is possible to feel intense pain, in this way, and that is naraka (hell). With no physical body, but only in the astral or mental body, suffering can be there for the soul. In an astral body the soul may suffer in hell for some duration.

 

According to the intensity, the magnitude of the actions a person has done, they are judged by Yama (Death). Yama is the controlling consciousness, the deciding power who dispenses judgement and sends people who have erred into a place of suffering. There is a government in the mental world, just as there is a government in this physical world. The body we find within us in a dream, the body we feel things through in a dream, it exists in a plane where there are so many astral bodies, and in that plane of existence there is a government, a managing controller. The astral body is in that plane and there is a government administrating and dealing with the souls in that plane, which is known as Pretyaloka, the world of the departed souls.

 

After someone dies the family may invite us to do kirtan, to chant Hare Krishna. And of course that will help the person who has died. That vibration will help him, and it is a higher help than this ordinary sraddha ceremony. Offering Bhagavat Prashad for the deceased person, and doing kirtan, in this way we can help the departed souls.

 

But then, we must realize that making so many enquiries about what is really non-essential knowledge, about death and the process of rebirth, and these types of things, that is not the proper path to follow. If we are seeking to gain knowledge and not bhakti, that sort of scrutinizing knowledge-seeking has been discouraged by the Srimad Bhagavatam. If you take up the path of knowledge, the jnana marga, it won't take you to the real place, the real goal. Knowledge can help you in the beginning; it can help to consolidate your faith. Then help will come to you from the plane of faith and take you to your goal. A particle of sand, you can study a particle of sand for lifetimes together; but don't go to that side, don't engage yourself in that sort of inquiry. Go instead towards the ananda marga, the path of bliss and ecstatic joy.

 

The Absolute is sat-chit-ananda. Eternal existence, knowledge and bliss. Don't waste your time doing research into the sat and chit aspects. Don't search for an understanding of existence (sat) or knowledge (chit). Seek ananda. Seek ecstasy and fulfilment. Try to start your journey towards ananda. To some extent the attaining of realization of the sat and chit aspects of the Absolute can help you; but only take that much help which is really required for you to gain a proper understanding of existence. But what is there within you, the intricate demand of your inner nature, is your inner need for happiness. So begin your journey towards ultimate happiness and go direct, without any diversion. Direct your journey towards ananda-maya. Search for fulfilment, devotion and dedication. Sraddha. Be optimistic.

 

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva

jīvanti san-mukharitāḿ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāḿ tanu-vāń-manobhir

ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām

 

Brahma said to Krishna:

Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to hearing these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship by love, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.

- Srimad Bhagavata Purana 10.14.3

[bhaktajan]

To BhaktiK,

 

Hurray Huray!

Excellent Posting!

Outstanding Posting! :namaskar: :namaskar:

 

PS: We should speak about sraddha, pinda, tarpana

[shvu]

Indian Cinema says there is no time gap in between births - right from Mahal in 1940s to Om Shanto Om in 2007. And what is more the character in question looks just like he or she did in the previous birth.

 

The only exception was with Karz in 1980 where Subash Ghai found no reason why they would look alike and showed the 2 lives as having two different faces.

 

Cheers

[Sarva gattah]

 

 

 

Judgement by Yamaraj

Furthermore, anyone also who in his life but by false pride proved himself degraded before a more honorable one of good birth, austerity, knowledge, good behavior and loyalty to the principles, not showing much of respect, is a dead man alive who after dying head down is thrown into the hell of Ksarakardama [the 'pool of acrid mud'] to suffer indeed the most painful conditions.

 

 

 

 

http://www.srimadbhagavatam.org/canto5/chapter26.html The Hellish Worlds or the Karmic Rebound

 

[CCC]

 

What do you think happens between one birth and another? Anything or is it straight to another womb?

 

 

Every Soul after leaving this gross body, Go to the above of Lord Brahma and He judge us according to our deeds, There we can see all our life as a film... is yamaraj an expansion of Lord Brahma?

[Sarva gattah]

 

Every Soul after leaving this gross body, Go to the above of Lord Brahma and He judge us according to our deeds, There we can see all our life as a film... is yamaraj an expansion of Lord Brahma?

 

 

 

Judgement is made by Yamaraj

 

 

 

 

Tamal Krsna Goswami asked Srila Sridhar Maharaj what happens to a person when they die. This is the response given by Srila Sridhar Maharaj.

 

 

When someone dies, generally, they are taken to the court of Yamaraj. They are taken to the administrator of Pretyaloka and they enter the world of the departed souls. But not all souls will go there for there are exceptions. Those who enter into ananya bhakti, suddha bhakti, pure loving devotion to the Lord, they will not enter into the world of the departed souls. The jurisdiction changes, in the case of those who have come in connection with the Guru and suddha bhakti.

 

Generally, we may take it that within twenty four hours the atma, the soul, is taken to the court of Yamaraj. Then after one year his case is taken up and he is judged. The amount of sin and the amount of good that he has done is judged at that time. After one year of waiting in suspense, waiting in a state of suspension, like a person on bail waiting for the judgement of his case, he is asked what he will take first, the narak (hell) or svarga (heaven). Which do you like to enjoy first? Will you enjoy the fruits of your good action first? But of course if the amount of karma is great, the bad action, then he will have to suffer the results of his bad action first, and then after that enjoy the reactions arising from his good actions. This is the general case but there are particular cases, where an urgent case will be dealt with urgently, just as in a court. Some may take birth immediately after death; he may enter into another womb. Different cases are dealt with differently.

 

In Srimad Bhagavatam, we find that when Devaki the mother of Krishna has just been married and her husband Vasudev was taking her to his own house, Kamsa, the brother of Devaki, was taking the reins of the horses and conducting the chariot as they were going along on the way to Vasudev's house. Then suddenly a sound came from the sky, saying "Kamsa, you are relishing so much this occasion of great joy, taking your sister with so much cheerfulness to her husband's house, but her eighth child will kill you." Twice, or thrice, this sound came form the sky. Then Kamsa was enraged and he took his sister by the hair and went to cut her throat. But Vasudev came to protect her and said, "You are a hero and you should not fear death". In this way Vasudev began a discussion with Kamsa. "You have no cause to feel fear of her, but only from her child. I assure you that the children, when they are born, will be given to your hand, and you may do away with them; but leave her for she is not going to kill you."

 

At that time Vasudev comes to talk about philosophy, and he says that before someone is dead his next life begins. Before he is dead, when he is just going to die, his previous thoughts and actions come in a subtle form, rushing and gathering together, and every one of them demands “His next birth I want to take.” According to the intensity or the priority, they propose, "The next chance I want, I want priority; the next chance I must get!". And so in this way the next birth is determined.

 

For before actual death the next birth is determined, when the idea comes and captures him, the idea or mentality of different types comes and takes possession of him, and determines what he will be born as next. Suppose anger, or jealousy, or greed capture him - there are so many propensities and each wants the first chance to take possession of the atma, the soul. And then when he dies the propensity with the most powerful priority takes him. The idea takes him to some society, to his own society, and from there to the physical plane once again. Suppose the propensity of very great anger comes. Very much anger. Then the buffalo mentality takes possession. A very ferocious mentality, then the tiger mentality takes possession. It takes him up into the tiger society and he takes rebirth with a tiger body. In the case of king Bharata, he had left his kingdom and left everything behind when he was still in his youthful stage of life. He left it all and took to the life of a sadhu, a sage. But when he was dying he thought of his small deer, his pet, "If I die this small deer will also die without food or protection". His thinking was like that. So when his soul passed away he had to enter a deer body. He had to become a deer. Into that society he had to go, and in a deer's body he had to come out and live in the world again.

 

In the Karma Kanda scriptures we find that there is mention of a one year period of suspension for the departed soul. During that time, the rishis of the Karma Kanda say, the successors and holders of property of the departed soul can try to make some sacrifices and give help for the departed soul. There is a one year period of suspension. Pinda. Help may be arranged for the dead person, and then finally the person comes and talks with Yama (the God of Death) and a final decision is made.

 

This is the general case. But there are particular instances where things may happen differently, according to the gravity of the situation.

 

For those who have died and are without any physical body, there may be suffering, also. Just as in a dream where we also suffer and feel pain without feeling things through this body. It is possible to feel intense pain, in this way, and that is naraka (hell). With no physical body, but only in the astral or mental body, suffering can be there for the soul. In an astral body the soul may suffer in hell for some duration.

 

According to the intensity, the magnitude of the actions a person has done, they are judged by Yama (Death). Yama is the controlling consciousness, the deciding power who dispenses judgement and sends people who have erred into a place of suffering. There is a government in the mental world, just as there is a government in this physical world. The body we find within us in a dream, the body we feel things through in a dream, it exists in a plane where there are so many astral bodies, and in that plane of existence there is a government, a managing controller. The astral body is in that plane and there is a government administrating and dealing with the souls in that plane, which is known as Pretyaloka, the world of the departed souls.

 

After someone dies the family may invite us to do kirtan, to chant Hare Krishna. And of course that will help the person who has died. That vibration will help him, and it is a higher help than this ordinary sraddha ceremony. Offering Bhagavat Prashad for the deceased person, and doing kirtan, in this way we can help the departed souls.

 

But then, we must realize that making so many enquiries about what is really non-essential knowledge, about death and the process of rebirth, and these types of things, that is not the proper path to follow. If we are seeking to gain knowledge and not bhakti, that sort of scrutinizing knowledge-seeking has been discouraged by the Srimad Bhagavatam. If you take up the path of knowledge, the jnana marga, it won't take you to the real place, the real goal. Knowledge can help you in the beginning; it can help to consolidate your faith. Then help will come to you from the plane of faith and take you to your goal. A particle of sand, you can study a particle of sand for lifetimes together; but don't go to that side, don't engage yourself in that sort of inquiry. Go instead towards the ananda marga, the path of bliss and ecstatic joy.

 

The Absolute is sat-chit-ananda. Eternal existence, knowledge and bliss. Don't waste your time doing research into the sat and chit aspects. Don't search for an understanding of existence (sat) or knowledge (chit). Seek ananda. Seek ecstasy and fulfilment. Try to start your journey towards ananda. To some extent the attaining of realization of the sat and chit aspects of the Absolute can help you; but only take that much help which is really required for you to gain a proper understanding of existence. But what is there within you, the intricate demand of your inner nature, is your inner need for happiness. So begin your journey towards ultimate happiness and go direct, without any diversion. Direct your journey towards ananda-maya. Search for fulfilment, devotion and dedication. Sraddha. Be optimistic.

 

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva

jīvanti san-mukharitāḿ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāḿ tanu-vāń-manobhir

ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām

 

Brahma said to Krishna:

Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to hearing these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship by love, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.

- Srimad Bhagavata Purana 10.14.3

[suchandra]

 

What do you think happens between one birth and another? Anything or is it straight to another womb?

 

Seems that for conditioned souls the destiny of the next material body is already created by the mind before death.

 

"The mind, mind creates the body, gross body. As we have got this gross body, so within this gross body there is the subtle body: mind, intelligence and ego....The person is there within the subtle body. And the subtle body will carry him. Just like the fragrance is carried by the air. You cannot see what is this fragrance, but you can smell. A very good smell, wherefrom it came? That is subtle carrying. Similarly, the soul is carried after annihilation of this body, gross body, material… Mind, intelligence, ego—that is also material, but subtle. You cannot see. Everyone knows that I have got mind. I have got soul, but you cannot see. Neither I can see. But there is. But one who does not know what is soul, what is subtle body, they become perplexed. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, dhīras tatra na muhyati. Dhīra, those who are sober, one who knows how things are going on, dhīras tatra na muhyati.dehino ’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]"

 

 

 

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.1

by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Vṛndāvana, March 16, 1974

[theist]

 

When someone dies, generally, they are taken to the court of Yamaraj. They are taken to the administrator of Pretyaloka and they enter the world of the departed souls.

 

I think it an over simplfication to think that souls stand before the personage of Yamaraja one by one and receive their fate.

 

I do believe that souls upon exiting their bodies enter into "the world of departed souls" and are given a life review of their last birth where the mistakes and successes of their last life are shown to them by a superior being or beings.

 

Basically the same as the Bhagavatam says but without coldness and harshness the image from the Bhagavatam leaves us with.

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Swami Shivananda wrote a very detailed book on what happens to souls at the time of death based on scriptures such as Garuda Purana. He is the only one I know of who has written a specific book on it. I forget the exact name of the book.

[bhaktajan]

There is a great old Blk & Wht Movie called:

"Cabin in the Sky"

 

During the lead actor's death bed scene he is visited by Yamadutas but while at the same time at an other location his sister sings in her gospel choir asking for grace for her wayward brother--that's when Visnudutas arrive! --It's amazing that in 1943 some one had obviously borrowed the notion of Yamadutas & Visnudutas & The 'Holy name' and the story of Ajamila.

ys,

Bhaktajan

...................................................................................................

 

Cabin in the Sky is an American Broadway musical which opened in 1940. A motion picture based on the musical was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and released in 1943.

The film version of Cabin in the Sky starred Ethel Waters as Petunia and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson of Jack Benny fame as Little Joe. Lena Horne co-starred as the temptress Georgia Brown in her first and only leading role in an MGM musical. Other cast members included Louis Armstrong as one of Lucifer Junior's minions, Rex Ingram as Lucifer Junior, and Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, who have a showcase musical number.

[edit] Overview and history

Cabin in the Sky tells a version of the legend in which Little Joe, a man killed over gambling debts, is given six months to redeem his soul and become worthy of entering -- otherwise his soul will be condemned to .

Produced by and directed by in one of his first productions, Cabin in the Sky was a groundbreaking production for its time due to the decision to use an all- cast. In the 1940s, movie theaters in many cities, particularly in the southern , refused to show films with prominent black performers, so MGM took a considerable financial risk by approving the film.

The film was nominated for an for "."

Cabin in the Sky is remembered for its intelligent and witty script, which treated its characters and their race with a dignity rare in American films of the time, although some depictions are still a bit jarring to 21st century sensibilities. According to liner notes in the CD reissue of the film's soundtrack, Freed and Minnelli sought input from black leaders before production began on the film.

One musical number, in which Horne sings a reprise of "Ain't It the Truth" while taking a , was cut from the film prior to release, though it later appeared in a 1946 short subject entitled Studio Visit. As Horne later said in the documentary in which the excised performance was also featured, it was felt that to show a black woman singing in a bath went beyond the bounds of moral decency in 1943. A second (non-bubble bath) performance of this song by Louis Armstrong was also cut from the final print, resulting in the famous trumpeter having no solo musical number in the film.

After years of unavailability, and released it on DVD on , .

Cabin in the Sky is an which opened in . A based on the musical was produced by and released in .

The film version of Cabin in the Sky starred as Petunia and of fame as Little Joe. co-starred as the temptress Georgia Brown in her first and only leading role in an MGM musical. Other cast members included as one of Junior's minions, as Lucifer Junior, and and his Orchestra, who have a showcase musical number.

[edit] Overview and history

Cabin in the Sky tells a version of the legend in which Little Joe, a man killed over gambling debts, is given six months to redeem his soul and become worthy of entering -- otherwise his soul will be condemned to .

Produced by and directed by in one of his first productions, Cabin in the Sky was a groundbreaking production for its time due to the decision to use an all- cast. In the 1940s, movie theaters in many cities, particularly in the southern , refused to show films with prominent black performers, so MGM took a considerable financial risk by approving the film.

The film was nominated for an for "."

Cabin in the Sky is remembered for its intelligent and witty script, which treated its characters and their race with a dignity rare in American films of the time, although some depictions are still a bit jarring to 21st century sensibilities. According to liner notes in the CD reissue of the film's soundtrack, Freed and Minnelli sought input from black leaders before production began on the film.

One musical number, in which Horne sings a reprise of "Ain't It the Truth" while taking a , was cut from the film prior to release, though it later appeared in a 1946 short subject entitled Studio Visit. As Horne later said in the documentary in which the excised performance was also featured, it was felt that to show a black woman singing in a bath went beyond the bounds of moral decency in 1943. A second (non-bubble bath) performance of this song by Louis Armstrong was also cut from the final print, resulting in the famous trumpeter having no solo musical number in the film.

After years of unavailability, and released it on DVD on , .

[Beggar]

 

 

Sacre bleau!!! The Yamadutas are here!!!!

Monsieure Devereneau, The Yamaduttas are here!!!!

 

 

[AncientMariner]

 

 

Sacre bleau!!! The Yamadutas are here!!!!

 

 

 

 

Monsieure Devereneau, The Yamaduttas are here!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Gotta admit, THAT was funny.

[bhaktajan]

Funny = others' distress

 

I was taught that a "Story" is about someone who pursues a worthy goal.

 

Raise the stakes of the 'worthy goal' and it becomes an interseting drama.

 

Raise the stakes higher to a National level and you have high Drama/Tragedy.

 

Raise the stakes beyond logic and you have Comedy.

........................................................................

Mel Brookes was asked to define Comedy, he said:

"'A man slips on a banana and fall', is not funny;

'A man slips on a banana and falls in to a sewer and dies'--that is funny."

 

The point is that Comedy is based on the premise that a third party witnesses the misfortune of others --and laughs. Ergo, "Irony" [ie: Abbot and Costello, Martin & Lewis, Burns & Allen are seen by the audience--the frustration the 'straight-man' caused by the 'fall-guy' is what the viewer sees and thus laugh(s)]--though I actually don't know how/if this principle applies here in the above photo or not.

 

Just a recollection prompted by the above posting--which is indeed an example of a 'funny/sardonic' satire.

 

best regards,

ys,

Bhaktajan

 

PS: There is a new TV weekly hour long Series called, "Reaper" about a young boy who must capture escaped souls from hell and return them--the boy is like an earth-bound Yamaduta. But it's not necessarily a comedy.