Reincarnation and Afterlife in Hindu Scriptures

Reincarnation, which means rebirth of the soul or self in a series of physical or preternatural embodiments such as human being, animal, plant or divine, angelic and demonic embodiments, is a fundamental doctrine in some Asian religions. Though it has been stated that this idea could be originated in primitive religions, in Indian religions it is an essential doctrine directly connected with two basic beliefs namely karma and samsāra. For Hindus the process of rebirth is endless, but it can be ceased by true liberation or mokśa. The development of the concept of reincarnation is traceable through the Hindu Scriptures such as Vedas, Brāhmanas, Upanisads and bhagavadgītā, which is a part of the great Indian epic Mhābhārata. Scholars put forward different theories about the origin of the Hindu doctrine of reincarnation, so much so that they recognized it as a non-Indian idea; however eventually they reached to a consensus: the belief stems from Indian indigenous cults.