Rajgeeta English Translation and Comentry on Atmasiddhi Shastra

Author(s): Shrimad Rajchandra, Manu Doshi
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Mission

Page 120

Räjgeetä
Explanation & Discussion: The pupil had suggested that the body or the sense organs or the breath could be treated as soul. Since knowing capability is the basic attribute of soul, the Guru asks him to examine whether any of the above three aspects has the capability to know. Every one has seen that at the time of death the body stays without the capability to know. It does not have any sense of feeling and does not experience pain, even when it is cremated. Therefore the body cannot be the soul.
Now consider the sense organs. They experience the senses of touch, taste, smell, etc. while the body is alive. When it is dead, the sense organs continue to be in the same place, but they lose the capability to experience. If some food is put on the tongue, it cannot taste; if a flower is brought near the nose, it cannot smell; the eyes which used to see different objects even from a distance, can no longer see, even if the objects are brought close to them. The same is the case with sound and touch. The ears cannot hear and the skin cannot feel. All these organs used to function, while the soul was there; they cease to function as soon as the soul leaves. Hence the sense organs cannot be the soul.
Now examine the breath. Respiration is an essential activity of a live body. It continues uninterrupted for the whole life. As soon as the body is dead, it stops breathing. One may therefore tend to equate breath with life. A study of the breathing mechanism would indicate that it is a device to provide oxygen to the body. But oxygen is not the life. Had it been life, the longevity could be extended indefinitely with the help of oxygen cylinders.
The respiratory system is no doubt essential for life, but it does not constitute life. There are various other activities
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