What happens after accident or suicide deaths?

What happens to the souls of people who die in accidents or commit suicide? This is called Apamrityu or abnormal death.

Then what is normal death? A person, having lived his full life, fulfilling all his responsibilities, attaining old age, dies peacefully with his near and dear by his bedside, sips holy Ganga jal, and breathes his last—this is normal death. It is called Anayasa Maranam—trouble-free and effortless death. This is what we all pray for:

अनायासेन मरणं विना दैन्येन जीवनम् । देहि मे कृपया शम्भो त्वयि भक्तिमचञ्चलम् ॥

Anayasa Maranam.

Why does someone die in an accident or commit suicide? Some bad karma, either from the present birth or previous birth, is associated with this. It could even be bad karma of family members, or it could be bad karma running down generations. Only an astrological investigation can ascertain this.

But some bad karma is involved in Apamrityu. So the usual death rites are not sufficient for the emancipation, sadgati, of such souls. They need extra support. Every deceased person becomes a preta immediately after death. Preta does not mean ghost. Preta means "someone gone from here." When you perform death rites as prescribed, the soul gets relieved from its pretatva and reaches pitruloka. The soul can enter pitruloka only after it is relieved from pretatva.

Persons dying Apamrityu will not get relief from pretatva with the normal death rites. They need additional support with rituals such as Narayana Bali. There are many such rituals. Family priests should be able to give guidance on this.

Our actions can influence even the circumstances around death, not just life after death. Living ethically and responsibly is of utmost importance. Live with purpose and fulfill your obligations to family, society, and yourself. Seek guidance and support only from trusted sources.