________________
Chapter 6: Guru's Explanation about the Existence of Soul (First Fundamental)
The Guru patiently listens to the arguments of the pupil. He knows that the pupil is a truth seeker and presents the arguments merely to learn the truth. In a way, the Guru is pleased to know his mind. In order to remove the pupil's doubts, he takes his arguments one by one and explains in the following ten stanzas how his doubts are misplaced. He knows that all those doubts arise from identification of the soul with the body. Therefore he takes that aspect first.
Bhäsyo Dehädhyästhi, Ätmä Deh Samän; Pan Te Banne Bhinna Chhe, Pragat Lakshane Bhän.
The soul seems the same as the body due to the illusory identification with embodiment; but both of them are different, as can be evidenced by their manifest characteristics. (49)
Explanation & Discussion:
If we want to know about the existence of any object, we need to look for the properties of that object. Take the instance of milk. We know that the white color, liquidity, sweet taste, nourishment, transformability to yogurt, etc. are the properties of milk. Whenever we come across all these properties, we can say that the object must be milk. Being composed of earth, metal, etc. and having some shape, which can hold other materials, are the principal properties of a pot; while the capability to be worn, spread, washed, etc. are the properties of cloth. Similarly consciousness, which has the capability to experience itself and also to know other objects and situations, is the property of soul.
the propertiesperties of a pot; while the shape, which ca
However, due to wrong identification the soul seems the same as body. The worldly soul has been staying in one body or another since the infinite time. That induces it to identify itself with the body. This happens on account of the ignorance about its true self. In this connection Shrimad has stated (Vachanamrut # 902) as under.
Deh Jiv Ek Rupe Bhäse Chhe Ajnän Vade, Kriyani Pravrutti Pan Tethi Tem Thäy Chhe; Jivani Utapati Ane Rog Shok Dukh Mrutyu, Dehano Swabhäv Jiv Padamän Janäy Chhe; Evo Je Anädi Ek Rupano Mithyatva Bhäv, Jnäninä Vachan Vade DurThai Jay Chhe; Bhäse Jad Chaitanyano Pragat Swabhäv Bhinna, Banne Dravya Nij Nij Roope Sthit Thay Chhe.
It means: Body and soul seem identical on account of ignorance and thereby their activities also seem identical. Birth, disease, mourning, misery, and death, which are properties of body, seem to be happening to soul. That false identification, prevailing since the infinity, disappears with the words of the enlightened. Then the nature of conscious soul and that of lifeless matter evidently look different and both the substances come to light as abiding in their own true natures.
That illusory concept leads to identifying the bodily activities with those of the soul. If one thinks properly, it can be easily seen that the soul and the body are distinct and different; they have different characteristics. The soul is pure consciousness, which is intangible, shapeless and formless. It is inherently imbibed with awareness. That property
dentifying at the soul is pure con
