From the words of Jesus “ For what doeth it profit a man if he can gain
the whole world and lose his own soul “, it is clear that the soul is more
precious than the whole world. The true value of soul cannot, therefore,
be measured in worldly terms. When Emperor Alexander, who conquered
the whole world, was facing death, he was asked his last wish. The
emperor wanted his two hands to be severed after his death and placed over
his coffin so that posterity could know that the conqueror of the world
left empty handed. Worldly felicities can be of no avail in the after-life.
The fundamental questions asked by sceptics are: Can extinction into nothingness
be the end of human life of toil and struggle? Does individuality
of consciousness survive the death of perishable body? Is there a
soul that exists beyond the grave? Is there an eternal life for soul
after the extinction of body? In the very beginning of His discourse
on Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, the Lord reveals the entire secrets in regard
to embodied soul in the ever-changing, perishable body.
In verse 12
of Chapter II, the Lord declares: “Never was there a time when I did not
exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us
cease to be.” The Lord says very clearly that He Himself, Arjuna
and all the warriors who are assembled on the battlefield are eternally
individual beings and that the Lord is eternally the Ruler of the individual
living entities both in their embodied and in their liberated state.
Their individuality existed in the past and their individuality will continue
to exist in the future also without any interruption. The individuality
is maintained on spiritual grounds and this fact is confirmed by great
Acharyas like Sri Ramanuja, Sri Madhwa, Lord Caitanya and others. The plurality
of the individual souls and of the individuality of Lord are eternal facts
and this is confirmed by the Katha, Mundaka and Svetesvatara Upanishads
also.
In the next
verse, the Lord says: “ As the embodied soul continuously passes in this
body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into
another body at death. A wise one is not bewildered by such a change.”
It is to be noted that the Lord uses the word DEHINAH to refer to the knower
in the body and He does not use the word atman or soul. The knower
of the body does not undergo any change during the process of transformation
of the perishable body. The Supreme Lord is present in each and every
individual body and is known as Paramatma. He is different from the
individual living entity.
In verse 17
of the same Chapter, the Lord declares: “ That which pervades the entire
body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy
that imperishable soul.” This verse explains more clearly the real
nature of the soul, which is consciousness that covers the entire body.
Everyone is conscious of the pains and pleasures of the body in part or
as a whole. An unconscious person is unable to know his own existence
or the happenings around him. Consciousness is an indivisible organic
whole that does not change with time or is affected by the ailments that
affect the body. Neuroscientists are surprised at the plasticity
of consciousness as they find that even a sizeable removal of brain cells
does not affect the functioning of consciousness. The spread
of consciousness is confined to one’s own body and the pains and pleasures
of others cannot be known. The symptom of the soul’s presence is
perceived as individual consciousness. The astronauts who experience
zero gravity in the state of weightlessness lose their control over the
body but their consciousness remains fully intact in that state.
Parapsychologists say that those who have undergone the weird state of
near-death or out of body experience report almost a similar condition
like the weightless state in zero gravity. Unlike the physical body,
the soul is atomic and infinitesimal but consciousness covers the whole
body.
Srila A.C.Bhaktivedantaswami
Prabhupada in his comments on the purport of the above verse says: “ This
very small spiritual spark is the basic principle of the material body
as the influence of such a spiritual spark is spread all over the body,
as the influence of the active principle of some medicine spreads throughout
the body. The current of the spirit soul is felt all over the body,
as consciousness. Any layman can understand that the material body
minus consciousness is a dead body, and this consciousness cannot be revived
in the body by any means of material administration. Therefore, consciousness
is not due to any amount of material combination, but to the spirit soul.”
The minute soul is like an electric bulb that spreads light over an entire
room. Self-realization is meant to liberate the atomic soul from
the entanglement of the material body.
Srila Prabhupada
in his detailed comments on the purport of this verse further says: “ According
to the Mundaka Upanishad, this atomic soul is situated in the heart of
every living entity, and because the measurement of the atomic soul is
beyond the power of appreciation of the material scientists, some of them
assert that there is no soul….. Medical science, however, does admit that
the heart is the seat of all energies of the body….So whether one follows
Vedic knowledge or modern science, one cannot deny the existence of the
spirit soul in the body, and the science of the soul is explicitly described
in the Bhagavad-gita by the Personality of Godhead Himself.” In the
next verse (II.18), the Lord declares: “The material body of the
indestructible, immeasurable and eternal living entity is sure to come
to an end; therefore, fight O, descendent of Bharatha.” In this verse
also, the Lord refers to the knower as SARIRINAH i.e. knower of body and
the word atman or soul has not been used. There is absolutely no
possibility of the material body surviving indefinitely and after its span
of life it perishes In his explanation on the purport of this verse,
Srila Prabhupada observes: “ In the Vedanta sutras, the living entity is
qualified as light because he is part and parcel of the supreme light.
As sunlight maintains the entire universe, so the light of the soul maintains
this material body.”
In verse II.20, the Lord says:
“For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has
not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being.
He is unborn, eternal, ever existing and primeval. He is not slain
when the body is slain.” The perishable body is subject to
the six kinds of changes. It takes its birth from the womb of the
mother, remains for some time, grows, produces some effects, gradually
dwindles, and at last vanishes into oblivion. The soul, however,
does not undergo any change at all. The newborn does not come into
the world with a blank memory. After birth, it sobs and smiles in
the state of deep sleep, as it probably remembers its previous state of
existence till the soft portion on the top of its head gets closed by the
full growth of cranium. It also preserves in its memory all animal instincts
like survival, selfishness, attachment to pleasure, repulsion to pain and
discomfort etc. The newborn could not have inherited its consciousness
from its parents, as consciousness is an indivisible organic whole that
cannot be parted with. Parapsychologists, on the basis of their scientific
studies of the few cases of remembrance of past existence, have concluded
that individual consciousness continues to exist even after the death of
the body. In his comments on the purport of this verse Srila Prabhupada
observes: “ The soul does not take birth there, and the soul does not die.
Anything, which has birth, also has death. And because the soul has
no birth, he therefore has no past, present or future. He is eternal,
ever-existing and primeval- that is, there is no trace in history of his
coming into being…..The changes of the body do not affect the soul.”
The soul is full of
knowledge or full always with consciousness. Therefore, consciousness
is the basic symptom of the soul. Even, if one does not find the
soul within the heart, where it is situated, one can still understand the
presence of the soul simply by the presence of consciousness. Srila
Prabhupada says: “ Similarly, since there is some consciousness in all
bodies- whether man or animal- we can understand the presence of the soul.
This consciousness of the soul is, however, different from the consciousness
of the Supreme, because the supreme consciousness is all-knowledge-past,
present and future. The consciousness of the individual soul is prone
to be forgetful.” In verse 22 of Chapter II, the Lord observes: “
As a person puts on new garments giving up old ones, the soul similarly
accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.”
Death is not the end of life but a new beginning in a fresh state.
Parapsychologists have thoroughly investigated the survival of individual
consciousness after death and their conclusions fully correspond with and
confirm the teachings of the Lord in the Bhagavad-gita. Consciousness
is continuous without any break and indestructible; the loss of perishable
body does not mean the extinction of consciousness.
Death is nothing more than
the casting aside of worn out body and entry of consciousness in a new
body. The basic objective behind the scheme of transmigration seems
to be to facilitate each living entity to unfold the spiritual potentials
latent in them to the full extent of their perfection. For an individual
entity to develop its potentials to the highest degree of perfection within
the span of its life may not be feasible for all. The good, bad and
indifferent cannot also reach the very same destination of nothingness
or naught. The motive force behind evolution of soul is the Law of
Karma i.e. action and reaction. Belief in evolution should mean faith
in progression of soul towards perfection through a life of striving in
Self-realization.
Future is only a mental vision of the blissful state to come
and an ideal to be attained, but it is in the present that one has to work
out his future. The prospect of eternal life of bliss motivates aspirants
after Truth to strive hard, bearing all the hardships and burdens of life
with equanimity. All are not born equal at birth. The inequalities,
physical handicaps and mental differences among individuals at the very
start of life can be satisfactorily explained only with Law of Karma and
transmigration of soul, as the All-loving, All-merciful Lord is impartial,
just and kind to one and all of His creations.
In verse 28 of Chapter
II, the Lord says: “ All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning,
manifest in their interim state and unmanifest again when annihilated.
So what need is there of lamentation?” Explaining the purport of
this verse, Srila Prabhupada says: “ Apart from the separate existence
of the soul, the material elements remain unmanifested before creation.
From this subtle state of unmanifestation comes manifestation, just as
from ether, air is generated; and from air, fire is generated; from fire,
water is generated; and from water, earth becomes manifested. From
the earth many varieties of manifestations take place.” The individual
consciousness existed before its entry in the body and it will continue
to exist after it leaves the body. Sceptics ask In that case,
why is it that we are unable to remember our previous state of existence?
Consciousness is different from memory and the two together form the mind.
In verses 4 and 5 of Chapter
VII, the Lord says: “ Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence
and false ego- all together these constitute My separated material energies.
Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy
of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources
of this material, inferior nature.” Remembrance is recall from memory.
Even in this life we are unable to recall our birth and early childhood.
When individual consciousness leaves the body on death, it dissociates
itself from mind, intelligence and ego and loses all memory of its association
with the perishable body. However, in a few and very rare or exceptional
cases, some individuals seem to remember their past existence in the first
few years of their childhood and these rare instances have been thoroughly
investigated by parapsychologists and they have confirmed the correctness
and reality of such remembrance of the previous state of existence.
In verse 6 of Chapter VIII, the Lord
states: “ Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body,
O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail.” Parapsychologists
also consider the last words of a patient facing death as very important
testimony and have been studying closely the deathbed visions. In
their book “At the hour of death” written by Dr. Karks Osis and Dr. Erlendur
Haraldsson, they have the following to report:
“ Although most patients apparently drift
into oblivion without awareness of it, there are some, clearly conscious
to the end, who say they “see” into the beyond and who are able to report
their experiences before expiring. They see apparitions of deceased
relatives and friends. They see religious and mythological figures.
They see, non-earthly environments characterised by light, beauty and intense
colour. These experiences are transformational. They bring
with them serenity, peace, elation and religious emotions. The patients
die a “good death” in strange contrast to the gloom and misery commonly
expected before expiration.”
This passage brings to mind verse 25 of Chapter IX where the Lord declares:
“Those who worship the gods will take birth among the gods; those who worship
the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits
will take birth among such beings and those who worship Me will live with
Me.” The passage also reminds one of verses 14 and 15 of Chapter
XIV of the Bhagavad-gita where the Lord says: “ When one dies in the mode
of goodness, he attains the pure higher regions of the great ones.
When one dies in the mode of passions, he takes birth among those engaged
in fruitive activities; and when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he
takes birth in the sub-human species.”
The Vedic concept of transmigration
of soul is absolute Truth and Reality and not fiction or myth. In
fact, it will be irrational, unscientific and even revolting to common
sense to believe that saints, sinners and vilest criminals should reach
the same destination of nothingness or oblivion. In the light of
the contents of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and the research findings of parapsychologists
it is quite evident that eternality of soul is an incontrovertible and
irrefutable fact or life and death of the physical body cannot mean the
extinction of individual consciousness.
SECRET OF KNOWLEDGE IN BHAGAWAD-GITA:
SECRET OF ACTION IN BHAGAVAD GITA: This Page
SCIENTIFIC SIDE OF RELIGIOUS
CONSCIOUSNESS:
SELF AS KNOWER IN VISISHTADVAITA:
ARYAN INVASION THEORY - FICTITIOUS
FABRICATION
RELEVENCE OF RELIGION IN SCIENTIFIC
SOCIETY:
REWRITING THE HISTORY OF ANCIENT
INDIA: