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A person who is ignorant of the true nature of the soul considers the soul residing in a human body as a human, the soul residing in a non-human body as a non-human, the soul residing in a celestial body as a celestial being, and the soul residing in a hellish body as a hellish being. But they do not understand that the soul is not the body, it is not the physical form. The soul is the eternal, unchanging, self-aware, infinite knowledge and power. They mistakenly identify the soul with the body, mistaking the inanimate body for the soul. This mistaken identification of the soul with the body leads to a false sense of self, and this false sense of self leads to delusion about relationships like wife, children, etc. This delusion gives rise to a strong karmic imprint called Avidya, which leads to the belief that the body is the soul. This identification of the soul with the body is the root cause of all worldly suffering.
"The body is inert, the body is inert, the karma that binds the body, know the true nature of the soul. The soul is not the body, the soul is not the body, I have understood this truth, the fourfold unity. Namo Prabhu." - Shri Devchandraji.
Because of this mistaken identification of the soul with the body, the soul engages in activities related to the body and its senses. It strives to acquire wealth and other material possessions, which are considered tools for fulfilling desires. It develops attachment to things that are favorable and aversion to things that are unfavorable. It becomes angry towards those who stand in the way of its desires. It becomes proud and arrogant when it obtains even the smallest of pleasures, like a peacock dancing with pride. It becomes greedy for more and more, resorting to deceit and trickery to gain its desires, deceiving itself and others. In this way, the soul becomes entangled in the cycle of desires and passions, creating a web of karma and suffering, and becoming trapped in the cycle of birth and death. This cycle of suffering is driven by the mistaken identification of the soul with the body, which leads to desires and passions.
"The soul, turning away from the knowledge of its own true nature, identifies itself with the body through the senses. It mistakenly believes that the soul residing in a human body is a human, the soul residing in a non-human body is a non-human, the soul residing in a celestial body is a celestial being, and the soul residing in a hellish body is a hellish being. But it does not understand that the soul is not the body, it is not the physical form. The soul is the eternal, unchanging, self-aware, infinite knowledge and power. Seeing the inanimate body as similar to its own, the ignorant soul mistakenly identifies it as the soul. This mistaken identification of the soul with the body leads to delusion about relationships like wife, children, etc. This delusion gives rise to a strong karmic imprint called Avidya, which leads to the belief that the body is the soul. This identification of the soul with the body is the root cause of all worldly suffering. Therefore, one should abandon this mistaken identification and realize the true nature of the soul, which is beyond the body and the senses." - Shri Pujyapada Swami.