The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Transmigration of souls" (Pereselenie dusch) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

He believes in Mohammed, he believes in Allah,

He believes in Jesus.

And he doesn't believe in anything, not even the devil, out of spite.

Hindus came up with a good religion,

That we, having kicked the bucket, don't die forever.

Your soul aspired upwards,

You will be reborn with a dream.

But if you lived like a pig,

You will remain a pig.

Let them look at you disapprovingly,

Get used to the reproaches,

It's a shame, well, you'll be born again

Ready for rudeness.

And if you saw the death of the enemy

During this life,

In the next you will be granted

A faithful, keen eye.

Live your life normally,

There is a reason to rejoice,

After all, maybe into your boss

Your soul will inhabit.

Let's say you live as a janitor,

You will be reborn as a foreman.

And then from a foreman you will grow to a minister.

But if you're stupid as a tree,

You will be born a baobab,

And you will be a baobab for a thousand years

Until you die.

It's annoying to live as a parrot,

A viper with a long lifespan.

Isn't it better to be in life

A decent human being.

But who is who, and who was who,

We never know.

Geneticists have gone mad

From genes and chromosomes.

Maybe that shabby cat

Used to be a scoundrel,

And this nice person

Used to be a kind dog.

I'm jumping for joy,

I avoid temptations -

A convenient religion

Hindus came up with.

Кто верит в Магомета, кто в Аллаха,

Кто в Иисуса.

Кто ни во что не верит, даже в черта на зло всем.

Хорошую религию придумали индусы,

Что мы, отдав концы, не умираем насовсем.

Стремилась ввысь душа твоя,

Родишься вновь с мечтою.

Но если жил ты как свинья,

Останешься свиньею.

Пусть косо смотрят на тебя,

Привыкни к укоризне,

Досадно, что ж, родишься вновь

На колкости горазд.

И если видел смерть врага

Еще при этой жизни,

В другой тебе дарован будет

Верный, зоркий глаз.

Живи себе нормальненько,

Есть повод веселиться,

Ведь, может быть, в начальника

Душа твоя вселится.

Пускай живешь ты дворником,

Родишься вновь прорабом.

А после из прораба до министра дорастешь.

Но если туп как дерево,

Родишься баобабом,

И будешь баобабом тыщу лет

Пока помрешь.

Досадно попугаем жить,

Гадюкой с длинным веком.

Не лучше ли при жизни быть

Приличным человеком.

Да кто есть кто, да кто был кем,

Мы никогда не знаем.

С ума сошли генетики

От ген и хромосом.

Быть может, тот облезлый кот

Был раньше негодяем,

А этот милый человек

Был раньше добрым псом.

Я от восторга прыгаю,

Я обхожу искусы -

Удобную религию

Придумали индусы.

In his song "Transmigration of Souls," Vladimir Vysotsky, with his characteristic irony and insight, reflects on life, death, and the eternal question of what awaits us "beyond the veil." Using the motif of reincarnation borrowed from Hinduism, the author creates a satirical yet philosophical picture of human existence.

Vysotsky begins with a review of various religious beliefs, emphasizing their diversity and, at the same time, the elusiveness of truth. He ironically contrasts faith in Muhammad, Allah, and Jesus with disbelief "even in the devil," presenting the latter as a peculiar form of rebellion. Against this backdrop, the "good religion" of the Hindus stands out, offering the comforting idea of reincarnation.

This very idea becomes central to the song. Vysotsky uses it as a metaphor to illustrate the connection between earthly deeds and "posthumous" fate. He paints vivid, grotesque images, showing how a person's moral character in one life can determine their reincarnation in another. Thus, the one who lived "like a pig" risks remaining one in the next incarnation, and the soul of an evil person may transmigrate into a predatory beast.

However, reincarnation in Vysotsky's interpretation is not only punishment for sins but also an opportunity for development. A soul striving upwards can be reborn with a chance for a better life. A janitor can become a foreman, and a foreman – a minister. This idea is not devoid of irony, because even climbing the social ladder does not guarantee spiritual growth.

The song ends on an optimistic note. The lyrical hero, delighted with the "convenient religion" of the Hindus, finds in it consolation and an incentive to live according to his conscience. After all, even if we do not know for sure who we were in a past life, there is always a chance to live this one with dignity so as not to turn into a "shabby cat" or a "baobab" in the future.