Welcome to : Welcome to Journey
of
Self-Discovery
Session 3 : Session 3 Session 1 The Science of Self back
What is Soul? : What is Soul? The spark of life force that activates every body
The soul is compared to a driver and the body to a vehicle
The soul makes the body appear alive and when the soul leaves the body we say the person is ‘dead’
Common Sense : Common Sense When a person dies we say “He has passed away”.
Who has passed away? The body of the person is still there.
The fact is that the source of life, the soul has passed away from the body.
Intuitive Understanding : Intuitive Understanding We know that the real self, the ‘I’ is distinct from the body, mind and intelligence.
We speak of ‘my eyes’, ‘my hands’ etc., This means these things belong to somebody, an owner.
Slide 6 : How are we different from a robot or a machine ?
Slide 7 : A lense of a Video Camera may see No “Experience” No “Consciousness” No “Emotions” No “Judging”
Slide 8 : A human eye also sees, & has Experience Consciousness Emotions Judging capacity
Slide 9 : But EXPERIENCE of seeing red light does not accompany this mechanical response. A machine may see red light
Slide 10 : Difference is the presence of SOUL
which pervades in the body as CONSCIOUSNESS
Consciousness : Consciousness It is the symptom of the soul.
Just like the sun spreads heat and light all around, the soul spreads consciousness all around the body, from the tip of the toes and fingers to the top of the head.
It is what distinguishes a dead body from a living one
It gives the proof of the soul
Near Death Experience (NDE) : Near Death Experience (NDE) Examples of findings show that the mind is independent of the material body and brain.
Out-of-body experiences shows that the person is able to observe and relate to things that are happening to his body from a perspective outside the body
Past life memories : Past life memories Rigorous, unbiased researches have been carried out on past lie memories.
By thorough investigation of the details of the things described by the person, like the place and people they were associated in their last life, we get evidences of the conscious self that travels from one physical body to the next
Although the above empirical evidences confirm a conscious self present in the body, still speculative approach has its own limitations. If one has to wait for Science to provide complete understanding of the nature of the soul, and its qualities, one may probably have to wait a million years. : Although the above empirical evidences confirm a conscious self present in the body, still speculative approach has its own limitations. If one has to wait for Science to provide complete understanding of the nature of the soul, and its qualities, one may probably have to wait a million years.
We can get clear information about what is life and what is death from the scriptures directly without any mental speculation. : We can get clear information about what is life and what is death from the scriptures directly without any mental speculation.
Quote : Quote avinasi tu tad viddhi
yena sarvam idam tatam
vinasam avyayasyasya
na kascit kartum arhati
“That which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one can destroy the imperishable soul.” [B.G.2.17]
Quote : Quote bhumir apo nalo vayuh
kham mano budhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha
“Earth, water, fire, ether, air, mind, intelligence and false ego are My eight separate inferior energies” [B.G.7.4]
The gross body is made up of the above mentioned 5 elements and it is called as ‘Sthula sarira’.
Slide 18 : The mind, intelligence and false ego constitute the Subtle Body. It is also called as ‘Sukshma sarira’.
True ego is to understand that ‘I am spirit soul, eternal servant of Krsna’.
False ego is to think in illusion that ‘I am this body’.
Slide 19 : What BHAGAVADGITA speaks about the SOUL ?
Slide 20 : “That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul.” Bhagavad - gétä 2.17
Slide 21 : “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.” Bhagavad - gétä 2.13
Slide 22 : “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.”
Slide 23 : Krishna further instructs in Bhagavad - gétä 2.20
Slide 24 : “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.
Slide 25 : He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.” Bhagavad - gétä 2.20
Knowledge of the Soul : Knowledge of the Soul The soul is Indestructible
The soul is an individual (B.G.2.12, B.G.15.7)
Soul has form:- sac-cid-ananda form
Spirit gives form to matter which is asat-acit-nirananda
Slide 27 : Soul is eternal (B.G. 2.20)
Spirit and Matter is an incompatible combination
Soul is situated in the region of the heart
Soul changes bodies
The size of the soul is 1/10,000 part of the tip of the hair
Slide 28 : MODERN CIVILIZATION
Cage Polishing Civilization
Slide 29 :
Slide 30 : Soul is life after life transmigrating in 84,00,000 species constantly changing bodies
Slide 31 :
Slide 32 :
Slide 33 :
Am I God? : Am I God? The Bhagavad Gita clearly states that you are not God.
Bhagavad Gita also unambiguously declares you can never become God even after liberation.
Paramatma – Friend of Jivatma : Paramatma – Friend of Jivatma Paramatma is the expansion of the Supreme Lord who accompanies the individual soul (Jivatma) who comes into this material world in order to take him to different bodies and to take care of him and escort him. He is situated within the heart of every living entity and within every atom.
Slide 36 : Samane vrkse puruso nimagno
‘nisaya socati muhyamanah
Justam yada pasyaty anyam isam asya
Mahimanam iti vita-sokah
“Although the two birds (the Supersoul and the atomic soul are compared to two friendly birds sitting on the same tree) are in the same tree, the eating bird is fully engrossed with anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other he turns his face to his friend who is the Lord – at once the suffering bird becomes free from all anxieties” Svetasvatara Upanisad
Differences between Krsna and the living entity with respect to Consciousness : Differences between Krsna and the living entity with respect to Consciousness
Slide 38 : Krsna is Infinite but Living entity is Infinitesimal. ‘nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam eko bahunam yo vidhadhati kaman’ – The Supreme Personality of Godhead maintains the innumerable living entities and gives them all the facility for enjoyment according to different work.
Living entities are one with the Supreme Lord only in quality not in quantity. This is called ‘acintya-bheda-abheda tattva’ meaning ‘simultaneous oneness and difference’.This is the philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. : Living entities are one with the Supreme Lord only in quality not in quantity. This is called ‘acintya-bheda-abheda tattva’ meaning ‘simultaneous oneness and difference’.This is the philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Slide 40 : The living entity is knower of his body, but Krsna is knower of all the bodies.
Krsna says, “I am also the knower, but I am not the individual owner of the body. I am the super-knower. I am present in every body as the Paramatma, or Supersoul.” [B.G. 13.2-3, B.G.15.15]
The body is called ‘ksetra’ and the knower of the body is called ‘ksetrajna’.
Krsna knows what is going on in everyone’s body.
Slide 41 : The living entity is the proprietor of his body, but Krsna is the proprietor of all the bodies.
Krsna is the primary owner of the body and the soul stays in this body for a period of time according to it’s ability of paying price (Karma). So the soul is the secondary proprietor in every body.
The Supreme Lord knows both the body and the owner of the body.
Slide 42 : Living entity can be put to forgetfulness, but Krsna can never be put to forgetfulness.
Krsna says to Arjuna, ‘Many, many births both you and I have passed, I can remember all of them, but you cannot.”[B.G.4.5]
A liberated person like Arjuna is also not equal to Lord.
Brahma Samhita describes the Lord as infallible (acyuta), which means that He never forgets Himself.
Slide 43 : Living entity has only direct awareness, but Krsna has both direct and indirect awareness.
In Srimad Bhagavatam, Krsna is described as ‘svarat’, ‘Supremely independent’. He does not depend on anything for power and knowledge. He controls everything through the medium of His energies. His potency is automatic and spontaneous.
We, the living entities are eternally a loving servitor of the Supreme Lord, and God is eternally our loving master. : We, the living entities are eternally a loving servitor of the Supreme Lord, and God is eternally our loving master.
God, the father of all living entities. : God, the father of all living entities.
For further information : For further information Narottamanand Das
nndasa@gmail.com
09417106255 ,09216506255
ISKCON CHANDIGARH