Immortality of Soul in the Bhagavad Gītā

GOBINDA BHATTACHARJEE

PhD Research Scholar, Department of Philosophy, Tripura University (A Central University)

According to the Vedānta view, the Soul is immortal. In the battlefield of Kuruksetra Sree

Krisna says to Arjuna about the doctrine of immortality of Soul. He says, “Na

jayate…....hanyamane sarire” (2/20) i.e. the Self is never born, nor does it die at any time,

nor after having being it again ceases to be, nor the reverse. He is unborn, eternal,

permanent; he is not slain (killed) when the Body is slain.

In this verse and also in some other verses of the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita

the notion of the immortality of the Soul has been described thoroughly. Sree Krisna

teaches Arjuna that the Soul is sanatana, it is indestructible, and none can destroy it. The

Bodies of the embodied Soul are destructible, but not this Self. It is why says Sree Krisna,

“O, Sun of Pritha how can a man, who knows this Self to be indestructible eternal, unborn

and undecaying, cause anyone to be slain and whom does he slain” (2/21).

Again it is said to Arjuna, “Vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya………..…navani dehi”

(2/22); i.e. just as a person casts off worn out garments and puts on others , that are new,

even so does the embodied Soul casts off worn out bodies and take on others that are new,

so this Soul is immortal. The man with spiritual knowledge and realisation of Brahman is

really wise; he understands the meaning of death. Such a person remains unaffected with

pain and pleasure. He does not rejoice in pleasure, nor does he fell dejected in pain. He

patiently bears the pairs of opposite; he is able to attain immortality. The embodied Soul

moves from one abode to another. It takes but each time and gathers to it Self a mind, life

and Body formed out of the materials of nature according to its past deeds and its needs for

the future. The psychic being the Vijnana, which supports the triple manifestation of the

Body (anna), life (prana) and mind (manas).

When the grows physical Body falls away the vital and mental cover still remains as

the vehicle of the Soul. Rebirth is a law of nature. There is a objective connection between

the various forms of life. Embodiment seems to be essential for the Soul, which it Self is

immortal. So, says Sree Krisna, “Nainam chindanti………………na sosayati marutah”

(2/23). That is, weapons of cannot cut (does not cleave) this Self, fire does not burn it, water

does not make it wet/ drench nor does the wind make it dry. The Self is beyond the key of

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GOBINDA BHATTACHARJEE PhD Research Scholar, Department of Philosophy, Tripura University (A Central University) According to the Vedānta view, the Soul is immortal. In the battlefield of Kuruksetra Sree Krisna says to Arjuna about the doctrine of immortality of Soul. He says, “Na jayate…....hanyamane sarire” (2/20) i.e. the Self is never born, nor does it die at any time, nor after having being it again ceases to be, nor the reverse. He is unborn, eternal, permanent; he is not slain (killed) when the Body is slain. In this verse and also in some other verses of the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita the notion of the immortality of the Soul has been described thoroughly. Sree Krisna teaches Arjuna that the Soul is sanatana, it is indestructible, and none can destroy it. The Bodies of the embodied Soul are destructible, but not this Self. It is why says Sree Krisna, “O, Sun of Pritha how can a man, who knows this Self to be indestructible eternal, unborn and undecaying, cause anyone to be slain and whom does he slain” (2/21). Again it is said to Arjuna, “Vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya………..…navani dehi” (2/22); i.e. just as a person casts off worn out garments and puts on others , that are new, even so does the embodied Soul casts off worn out bodies and take on others that are new, so this Soul is immortal. The man with spiritual knowledge and realisation of Brahman is really wise; he understands the meaning of death. Such a person remains unaffected with pain and pleasure. He does not rejoice in pleasure, nor does he fell dejected in pain. He patiently bears the pairs of opposite; he is able to attain immortality. The embodied Soul moves from one abode to another. It takes but each time and gathers to it Self a mind, life and Body formed out of the materials of nature according to its past deeds and its needs for the future. The psychic being the Vijnana, which supports the triple manifestation of the Body (anna), life (prana) and mind (manas). When the grows physical Body falls away the vital and mental cover still remains as the vehicle of the Soul. Rebirth is a law of nature. There is a objective connection between the various forms of life. Embodiment seems to be essential for the Soul, which it Self is immortal. So, says Sree Krisna, “Nainam chindanti………………na sosayati marutah” (2/23). That is, weapons of cannot cut (does not cleave) this Self, fire does not burn it, water does not make it wet/ drench nor does the wind make it dry. The Self is beyond the key of

all sense organs i.e. it is sense imperceptible, which is directly or indirectly sense perceptible is manifested to us. It is however not the case with the Self, due to its extreme subtle. We cannot think of that thing, which is not perceived. The Self is part-less and an unbroken whole. The Self dwells in the bodies of all. The indwelling Self is the Dehi and the Body in which the Self dwells is the Deha. All bodies have beginning, they change and finally they die. But the Self which is immortal by nature does not die, it is Avadhya (cannot be killed). The knowledge of indestructibility of the Soul is an essential prerequisite for a jnana-yoga. Since the Soul is never born and never does it die, it is therefore Ajah (birth-less), and since it does not die, it is therefore Nitya (eternal). Again it is un-decaying or Sasvata, so it undergoes no changes. In its own nature it does not decay, because it is free from parts. And again it is without qualities, there is no degeneration owing to the decay of any quality. Change in the form of growth, which is opposed to decay is also denied by the word puranah (ancient). A thing that grows, by the addition of some parts is said to increase is also said to be new. But the Self was fresh even in the past due to its partlessness. This is why it is said to be puranah, i.e. which does not grow. So it is not killed, it does not get transformed even when the Body is killed, it is that or transformed. In this verse, all kinds of transformation seen in this world are denied in the Self. Sree Krisna says that Arjuna’s delusion was due to his ignorance of the true nature of the Soul. He said, never did I cease to exist; on the other hand, I always did exist through the part bodily births and deaths. It is also the same case with you and also with the others. So neither shall we ever cease to exist that is we shall all certainly continue to exist even after the death of our bodies. So as the Self, we are eternal for the periods of time-past, present and future. The embodied Self remains unchanged in the present Body into the three stages of childhood, youth and the old age. The Body undergoes changes and at one time it becomes destroys but the indestructible, immortal Self remains the same.

Immortality of Soul in the Bhagavad Gītā, Study notes of Indian Philosophy

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