Soul is the product of food

[dattaswami]

Soul is the product of food

 

55) Jivo nityopi purvakaryamevopachito navagunaih.

 

(Even though the jiva is eternal, he was the product of food in past. Even now jiva is becoming stronger by new qualities produced with the help of basic awareness that is generated from the present food).

 

The soul taken as a group of qualities is called as jiva. The soul or jiva is eternal in the sense that he is coming from past several births. He is not generated in this birth from the present food. But still, the jiva was the product of food in some past time. From the present food, general awareness is generated, which is modified into qualities based on the present environment. The soul becomes stronger and stronger by the added strong new qualities. However, weak qualities produced in the present birth fade away. Hence, in spite of eternality of jiva (soul), you cannot do away with the basic concept that the soul is the product of food.

 

Soul is only a created item

 

56) Gitah paraaprakrutih prakruteh shreshthaiva .

 

(In Gita, the soul is said to be paraaprakruti, which means best part of the creation. Para means best and not different here, because both para and apara are said to be prakruti or creation).

 

The soul or Jiva is said to be a part of the creation only in Gita. The inert part is called as Apara and the living part is called as Para. Since, both are parts of the creation only, no part is God or creator. Moreover, we have said above that both para and apara are inter convertible. Inert energy is a form of inert matter. Awareness is a special work of inert energy. Therefore, the inter conversion of energy into matter and energy into work are scientific concepts. Hence, you cannot say that para means different from apara. The difference is only superficial. Basically both are one and the same and hence para can be said as the best form of apara and hence both constitute the same item of creation.

 

Without analysis, you should not reject any point of anybody

 

57) Maunanishedhavijnanachaarvaakau mataavatra tarkaat .

 

(The science keeping silent about God and Charvaka, atheist, objecting existence of God are correct in the point that the soul is modification of food).

 

Science and atheism establish that soul is a modification of food only. In this point both are acceptable. Regarding the existence of God, science is silent and atheism opposes. In this point both are refuted and rejected by us. This does not mean that we shall totally reject anybody. We reject only a point and not the entire points without analysis. Without analysis, you should not reject any point of anybody.

 

The soul is not destroyed but exits, during death

 

58) Annanishedhaat gato nityo na nashto vijnaatah .

 

(When the food is not given, the person dies and in death, the eternal soul or Jiva exits the body, but not destroyed as per science).

 

According to science the soul is formed in this birth only and is destroyed in this birth itself and as long as food is digested, the soul functions. When the food is not digested due to disease or damage, the soul is not destroyed but exits. This does not mean that we are refusing the conversion of food into soul.

 

History of soul and the constitution of soul

59) Vajramashivat .

 

(The soul or Jiva and the feelings or qualities generated in this birth are like the hard diamond and the soft charcoal paint on it).

 

The diamond is a hard condensed product of carbon atoms. The charcoal paint is also a soft product of same carbon atoms. Hence, both diamond and paint are products of same carbon. On wash, the paint goes away, but the diamond is left over without any slightest damage. Similarly, the weak qualities generated from the awareness produced by food in this birth are like the charcoal paint. The strong qualities generated from food in the past births got condensed and the hard Jiva is formed. Deep sleep or death destroys the weak qualities of this birth but not Jiva who was the hard condensed product of strong qualities of past births. In any case, soul or Jiva is the product of awareness generated by food only.