The major religions of the world subscribe to the view that one who is subservient to God and temperate in behavior may go to heaven after death and one who goes astray and leads the life of a rebellious is destined for hell. In paradise one can get, in abundance, the company of the women of superb beauty, very delicious food, aromatic breeze, melodious music and a plenty of winsome sights. Thus everything is available there for fully satisfying the needs of all the five senses. In hell, one is tortured in the mode of third degree methods of police or like the heinous acts of terrorists, robbers and smugglers who cross all the limits of mental and physical torment.
The pleasures of paradise are obtained by lustful rulers on the earth itself and terrorists in the name of religion or cult are converting some places of the world into hell. Those who present a horrible scenario of hell only for making people to be subservient to God, indirectly tell that God is a terrorist. Virtually, there seems to be no necessity to connect God with the pleasures of paradise or torture of hell.
There are two views among Hindus. Some say that this earth is heaven, this earth is hell. In other words there is no world like heaven or hell. The capabilities of our sense-organs are limited. We cannot escape from bad effects of sensual pleasures. So attainment of sensual pleasures should not be our goal. Those who think that there are heaven and hell somewhere else in the universe believe that good and pious work leads us to heaven after death. In the same way bad deeds throw the spirit into hell after death. If we concede to this view those who were engaged in good deeds should be in heaven and those who perpetrated crimes should be in hell. Whether it is pleasure or pain both of them can be felt through the body only. So the population of paradise must be too much. The number of celestial dames or apsaras (अप्सराऍ) is limited. How many men could enjoy with them? Virtually this earth can give us the pleasure of paradise. Conditions of hell can also be created by the wicked. It is for us to make the earth a beautiful place. For this we need the spirit of collective responsibility and collective effort. Dharma can bring us together.
Hinduism believes in transmigration of souls and rebirth. Those who did good deeds but could not get the fruits of action in their lifetime might be born again for fulfillment of insatiate desires. And those who were engaged in evil deeds would be forced to take rebirth for suffering and punishment. But if a man absolves himself from action, aspires for higher goal than worldly enjoyment or has only one desire that is the desire of self-realization and merger with Ultimate Reality then he would be free from the cycle of rebirth and other bondages. Thus the ultimate goal of Hinduism is not merely to make man a perfect human being on earth or happy citizen of heaven. Its fourth and ultimate goal is Moksha (मोक्ष) — oneness with Supreme Reality
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rohit