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Moreover, awareness continues to stay while undergoing changes in physical states. For instance, one grows from childhood to youth or to old age; his health may improve or deteriorate; he remains aware of the changes taking place in all such states.
Further, there is elegance in every part of the body. They look different from what they would look in absence of life. That difference is the sign of consciousness. Similarly one usually remembers what he might have experienced during a dreaming state. When he wakes up after a sound sleep, he realizes that he had gone through sleep and experiences the freshness gained thereby. It indicates that consciousness, the knowing capability, was prevailing during the sleep. That is the sure and manifest sign of the existence of soul. In fact, being alive or dead can be ascertained by the existence or non-existence of consciousness.
Ghat,Pat Ädi Jän Tun, Tethi Tene Män; Jänanär Te Män Nahi Kahie Kevun Jnän?
You believe in the pot, cloth, etc. because you (see and know them; what type of knowledge is it, that you do not believe in the knower? (55)
Explanation & Discussion:
The pupil had said that if the soul exists, it should be apparent like a pot, cloth, and other material objects. In a way, the reply has been already given when it was explained that the soul is intangible, it has no form or shape and is therefore not visible like material objects. Here the Guru points out to the pupil, "You being the knower, you know pots, cloth, etc. and therefore believe in their existence. But why do you overlook the knower itself? Is it possible to know anything without the existence of knower? Since you know all those objects, it is clear that there is the knower. Is it not amazing that, while believing in the objects that you know, you are hesitating to accept the existence of knower (soul)!"
Param Buddhi Krush Dehamän, Sthool Deh Mati Alpa; Deh Hoy Jo Atamä, Ghate Na Am Vikalpa.
There may be sharp intellect in a frail body and poor intellect in an obesse one; that cannot happen, if the body had been the soul. (56)
Explanation & Discussion:
While reverting to the argument of the pupil about equating the body with the soul, the Guru asks him to examine the functioning of intellect. It is observed in many cases that a person may be having a very slim body, but he would be highly intelligent. Shrimad himself had a frail body, but how intelligent he was is known to every one. This Atmasiddhi Shästra itself provides the evidence of his intellect.
On the other hand, it is also observed that one may be having a bulky body, but he may be short of intelligence. If the body could be the soul, the bulkier the body, the greater must be the soul and as a corollary, a bulkier person should be more intelligent
