Soul and body in Hinduism
Soul and body in Hinduism
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Eternal Soul, Mortal Body
Sri Chinmoy, The Soul Is Eternal And The Body Is Mortal Nov 28 2016 : The Times of India
The body is mortal, while the soul is eternal. What is the importance of having a body?
The soul is eternal and the body is perishable, true. Know the supreme importance of three things: first, the embodiment of Truth; second, the revelation of Truth; third, the manifestation of Truth. It is on earth and through the physical body that the soul can manifest its own divinity which is infinite peace, infinite light, infinite bliss. The earth is the field of manifestation and at the same time, this earth is the field of realisation.God-realisation can be achieved only here on earth and not in other spheres, not on other planets, not in other worlds. So those who care for God-realisation have to come into the world. The soul has to accept the body because the body is necessary for the manifestation of the soul's divinity.
On the one hand, when the soul leaves the body, the body cannot function; the body dies. On the other hand, when the soul wants to manifest, it has to be done in the body, with the body. So if we want to negate the body, destroy the body, what can the soul do? It has to leave the body. But if we want to achieve something here on earth, then it has to be done with the conscious help of the body. The body is the instrument of the soul. The Katha Upanishad says: “The soul is the master, the body is the chariot, the reason or intellect is the charioteer and the mind, the reins.“ The body needs the soul, the soul needs the body. For realisation of the highest and deepest Truth, the body needs the soul; for the manifestation of the highest and deepest Truth, the soul needs the body.
What is the difference between body-reality and soul-reality?
Once Troilanga Swami was walking along the street near an Indian king's palace. When the king heard that Troilanga Swami was nearby, he himself ran out and brought him into the palace. The master was naked, so the king's attendants put very nice, expensive clothes on him and they fed him delicious food. The king and his party had a long conversation with the master, although ordinarily he was a man of few words.
When Troilanga Swami left the palace to go back to his cottage, three hooligans attacked him and took away all the expensive robes that had been given to him by the king. The guards arrested the hooligans. Then they begged Troilanga Swami to come to the king's palace once again, and he agreed.
When the King was about to punish the hooligans Troilanga Swami said, “No, do not do that. To me there is no difference whether i have the clothes or not. My soul is not affected at all when i do not have any clothes. Long before you gave me clothes, i had my soul inside my body, and this is the only real thing. What shall i do with the things that do not fulfil any need of my soul?“
The body-reality needs decoration, ornamentation and embellishment for its satisfaction. The soul-reality needs only its oneness with infinity's immortality for its eternal satisfaction. (`The Wisdom of Sri Chinmoy', MLBD.)
