Acharya Prashant responds to a question about rebirth and reincarnation, specifically addressing a claim about research from the University of Virginia on a baby remembering past lives. He begins by questioning the validity of this claim, asking for the research paper and proof. He illustrates his point by stating he could just as easily claim that the university never conducted such research and no such baby ever existed, asking how the questioner would refute his claim. He emphasizes that facts are to be greatly respected, whereas rumors are not to be treated as facts. He explains that anyone can create anything from imagination and float it around, and it should not be quoted as a fact. If a university had conducted such research, the paper would most likely be public. Acharya Prashant then explores the hypothetical implications if such a paper were ever published. It would have great consequences for the entire field of identity and would upturn every sphere of human activity. However, he asserts that nothing like this has ever been proven. He suggests that the tendency to believe such things, and to appropriate the names of high-ranking scientific institutions to prove them, reveals the composition and intentions of those who do so, calling them liars. He argues that if a claim had substance, one would not need to substantiate it with lies. He further explains that there is nothing in the concept of reincarnation, dismissing anecdotal evidence through the lens of probability. He uses the analogy of a billion monkeys with keypads, where one will eventually type something meaningful by chance. Similarly, if you ask enough children about a previous life, a few will end up saying something that appears meaningful due to the law of randomness, which only proves that mathematics is great, not that reincarnation is real. He states that no place of any repute has ever conducted any conclusive research on reincarnation, and the scientific community worldwide considers it a joke, not a subject fit for serious study. Acharya Prashant then delves into the psychological reasons for the belief in personal reincarnation. He explains that for someone living an unfulfilled life, the concept of reincarnation comes as a savior, offering the hope of a better subsequent life. This belief, however, prevents one from bringing richness, meaning, and joy to the one life they have. It becomes an excuse for suffering, as one might attribute their pain to 'karma' from past lives, thus removing the need to fight against their current bondage. He concludes by stating that while the concepts of reincarnation and karma are often attributed to the Gita, the Gita, in fact, forcefully destroys both concepts.
