Anyone can see that the material bodies of living beings (humans, plants, and animals) are different and temporary. Within each and every body of living beings, there is the soul, which is equal and eternal. This is the first and most important teaching in the Bhagavad-Gita from Lord Krishna. This teaching is unique to Sanatan-Dharma and it comes from God directly, Lord Krishna. There is ZERO knowledge on the science of the soul in the scriptures of other religions.

All living beings (humans, plants, and animals) have a soul:

  • All souls are equal, one soul is neither inferior nor superior to another
  • All souls are eternal
  • Every soul has an eternal companion relationship with the Supreme
  • Every soul is a family member of the Supreme (part of the Supreme)
  • Every soul is full of knowledge, and completely blissful
  • The soul cannot be destroyed by any weapon, burned, blown, or moistened
  • The soul is neither male nor female
  • The soul is neither black nor white
  • The soul is not Indian, nor American, nor African
  • The soul is not Hindu, nor Christian, nor Muslim
  • The soul is neither diseased nor healthy
  • One soul is neither richer nor poorer than another
  • The soul is neither old nor young
  • The soul has no weight and cannot be seen with the naked eye
  • The soul is situated in the heart of all living beings
  • The size of the soul is 1/10,000th of the tip of the hair

The Fundamental Law of Physics (Conservation of Energy)

Energy cannot be destroyed but it can change forms.

We (the soul) are the energy and the body is the form. When our current form (the body) is destroyed, we change into another form (another body).

“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 2.22)

We Are The Eternal Soul And Not The Temporary Body

When a person dies, we say ‘he passed away’, but the body is right in front of us. This implies there are 2 entities, the ‘body’ and the ‘he’. The ‘he’ is the soul, the real person. This is the first teaching from the Bhagavad-Gita, the real ‘he’ is the soul and not the body. The body is temporary but the ‘he’  is eternal. Where has he (the soul) passed away to? Another body.

“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change. “ (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 2.13)

“That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 2.17)

“The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 2.23) 

We Are All Eternal

“Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 2.12)

Number of Species (bodies) That The Soul Can Occupy

“jalaja nava lakshani, sthavara laksha-vimshati, krimayo rudra-sankhyakah, pakshinam dasha-lakshanam, trinshal-lakshani pashavah, chatur lakshani manavah” (Padma Purana)

Jalaja (Water based life forms) – 0.9 million
Sthavara (Immobile implying plants and trees) – 2.0 million
Krimayo (Reptiles) – 1.1 million
Pakshinam (Birds) – 1.0 million
Pashavah (animals) – 3.0 million
Manavah (human-like) – 0.4 million

Total 8.4 million species of living beings.

A soul occupies a particular body, exactly based on its desires and deserves.

“The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 13.22)

Who Is The Origin Of All Living Beings?

“Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being – moving or nonmoving – that can exist without Me.“ (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 10.39)

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 14.4)

Do We All Belong To God?

“Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by this knowledge you will see that all living beings are but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they are Mine.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 4.35)