What should we do to get a human birth again in our next life?

There are 8.4 million species of life in existence. In the species below human beings-animals, birds, fishes, insects, birds, etc-there is no free will. Hence, upon death the soul is naturally and sequentially promoted to the next species. But human beings possess the free will to act according to their volition, and hence, they are responsible for their actions. Their next birth is decided by their karmas in the present life.

The facility to do karmas is given to the human species, not for animal-like activities, but for God-realization.

The scriptures state:

                           आहार निद्रा भय मैथुनंम च सामान्यमेतत् पशुभिर्नराणाम . 

"Eating, sleeping, defending and mating are activities that animals can do as well as humans." The human form is special because in it we can attain God. If however, some human being focuses his or her consciousness merely on eating, then the body of a pig becomes more suitable for such a person, and the soul is allotted that body in its next life. If someone makes sleeping the goal of life, God says that the body of a polar bear is more suitable for such a consciousness and allots it in the next life. In this manner, one of the factors determining our next birth is our consciousness at the time of death. It is said in Bhagvat Gita that "Whatever one remembers at the time of leaving the body, one attains the same in the next life". Death is such a painful experience that it is difficult to focus one's thoughts at that time, and the mind naturally gravitates to whatever one has practiced thinking of throughout one's life. Hence, what we think of at death, reflects the consciousness we cultivate during life. This verse of bhagvat gita implies that it is the cultivation of our consciousness during our life, which determines the next birth. But we don't know that at which moment we are going to leave this world. So Jagadguru Shri Kripaluji Maharaj advices that always keep diverting your mind in God throughout whole life. So whenever your time will come to go from this world and if your mind will be in god at that time then god will give one another chance of giving us Human Birth again to complete the remaining part of bhakti(Devotion) which have remained unfulfilled in this birth.

There are so many Gurus from different religious sects that it becomes confusing to choose one Guru. What is the process of finding a Guru?

 There is a saying in Hindi:

                      "Pani piyo chhanake, guru banao janake"

“Drink water only after filtering it; make a Guru only after carefully knowing him.”  We must not accept anyone as our Guru, merely because of a friend’s suggestion; we must ourselves recognize someone as a true Guru, and only then should we surrender to him. 

However, just as it is not possible for a Grade One student to evaluate the capability of a college teacher, similarly, it is not easy to recognize a Guru, who is a Divine personality, while we are only beginning the path of spirituality.  Yet, there are certain characteristics that provide helpful indications:  

1. The true Guru’s words are very impacting.  Although we may have heard and read the same knowledge many times without being moved, when we hear it from the mouth of a God-realized Saint, the words change us from within.  The reason for this is that the Sadguru does not merely elucidate what he has read in books; he explains from the depths of personal realization.  

2. Whatever doubts we have on the spiritual path, if we place them before the Guru, he or she can easily dispel our confusions.  A mere theoretical scholar of the scriptures cannot do this.  However, the Sadguru possesses realized knowledge, for he or she has seen the Truth, and is able to reveal it with the benefit of experience to sincere seekers. 

3. A true Guru does not give his or her disciple material allurements.  Rather, he teaches his followers that the world is not the goal. Nowadays, many so-called saints claim to have a magic formula for removing all the material miseries and bestowing money, wealth, prestige, etc.  Allured by such false statements, people flock to them in thousands.  We must beware of such imposters who have not yet even understood that detachment from the world, and not material attainments, is the goal of spiritual life. 

 4. If we associate with a true Guru, we will naturally find ourselves getting attached to God and detached from the world. 

5. The above points are all helpful in recognizing a Saint, but the strongest indication will come from God Himself.  The Lord is seated in our hearts, and when He sees that we have a sincere desire to meet Him, He will guide us to a true Guru and create faith in Him.  And when the inspiration comes from God, we will know it by its intensity; our heart will urge us that we have found the Guru we were looking for.