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I am the Soul
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for the Atma in the human body. He buried a convict awaiting death sentence in an air-tight chamber and tried to observe how his jiva came out of it. But there was no breach in the chamber and yet they found the convict had died. Similarly, another convict was first weighed and then hanged to death, and weighed again. Both weights recorded were same. So it was proved there too, that Atma was non existent. Had there been an Atma, the weight of the body should have reduced after the Atma left it. But the weight did not reduce. A third convict's body was cut to innumerable pieces and a search was mounted for atma in every piece; but they could not find atma in any piece.
Thus, through all his efforts the King proved that there was no such substance as Atma in the body. His belief was all the more stronger now. Since he did not believe in sin and the fruit of sin, his life came to be spent in sinful activity.
However, later he came to realise and began to believe in the existence of Atma. His life underwent a change and he embarked on the path of devoted practice. He was successful in attaining equanimity - samata yoga. Here, the methods adopted by King Pardesi were certainly not agreeable, but his curiosity for knowing the substance of Atma is indeed remarkable and praiseworthy.
In our country, there used to be a sect called Charvak. Today it does not exist as a sect. The people of that sect did not believe in the existence of Atma. “This is the first and last life. There is no rebirth, no papa - punya, no heaven or hell. There is no karma, no fruit of karma, nothing at all. And hence, there is no sense in the practice of dharma in the name of atma. Just live in enjoyment, as long as you live. Enjoy even if you have to borrow for it. You need wealth to enjoy the material pleasures of this life. If you do not have wealth, borrow it, and if you do not find it that way, then plunder it and indulge in bhoga. How can you enjoy after the end of the life?'
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