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The Self Realization
dispositions carried along from its previous births. It is agreed that man in his present life has a nature determined by the actions of his previous births. The continuity of births proves the eternity of the Soul. The living body is born and will die but the Soul in the contact of the living body is not born and will not die. Because of the continuity of the Soul, the past and present lives of an embodied Soul are connected and the experiences of the previous life are helpful in developing the present life. The great Yogins by spiritualizing their memory and power of recollection obtain the knowledge of their past life and they are able to establish continuity in their march to Self-realization or Salvation. And such unmistakable knowledge of the past lives is a proof positive of the eternity of the Soul.
आत्मा द्रव्ये नित्य छे, पर्याये पलटाय । बाळादि वय त्रण्यनु, ज्ञान एकने थाय ॥६८।। Atma dravje nitya chhe, paryaye palataya, Baladi vaya tranyanu, jnana ekane thaya. 68 One sees in childhood, youth and age, There's knowledge of being the same, So see the soul's all states but change, Remaining ever the substance same. 68
The Soul as a metaphysical substance possessed of infinite qualities and capable of infinite manifestations (Paryaya) is eternally the same at all times. Its manifestations change with the successive changes of its qualities. As the same substance may manifest differently, the same Soul in a living body assumes different forms such as infancy, maturity and old age, itself remaining unchanged. It knows and remembers all its different forms and this is possible
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