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Small soul

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 1 - 6

The spirit soul is so small that it is impossible to kill him by any material weapon, as will be evident from subsequent verses. Nor is the living entity killable, because of his spiritual constitution.
BG 2.19, Purport: When an embodied living entity is hurt by fatal weapons, it is to be known that the living entity within the body is not killed. The spirit soul is so small that it is impossible to kill him by any material weapon, as will be evident from subsequent verses. Nor is the living entity killable, because of his spiritual constitution. What is killed, or is supposed to be killed, is the body only. This, however, does not at all encourage killing of the body. The Vedic injunction is mā hiṁsyāt sarvā bhūtāni: [Bg. 9.4] never commit violence to anyone. Nor does understanding that the living entity is not killed encourage animal slaughter. Killing the body of anyone without authority is abominable and is punishable by the law of the state as well as by the law of the Lord. Arjuna, however, is being engaged in killing for the principle of religion, and not whimsically.
The magnitude of the soul is so small for our material calculation that he cannot be seen even by the most powerful microscope; therefore, he is invisible. As far as the soul's existence is concerned, no one can establish his existence experimentally beyond the proof of śruti, or Vedic wisdom.
BG 2.25, Purport: As described previously, the magnitude of the soul is so small for our material calculation that he cannot be seen even by the most powerful microscope; therefore, he is invisible. As far as the soul's existence is concerned, no one can establish his existence experimentally beyond the proof of śruti, or Vedic wisdom. We have to accept this truth, because there is no other source of understanding the existence of the soul, although it is a fact by perception. There are many things we have to accept solely on grounds of superior authority. No one can deny the existence of his father, based upon the authority of his mother. There is no source of understanding the identity of the father except by the authority of the mother. Similarly, there is no source of understanding the soul except by studying the Vedas. In other words, the soul is inconceivable by human experimental knowledge. The soul is consciousness and conscious—that also is the statement of the Vedas, and we have to accept that. Unlike the bodily changes, there is no change in the soul. As eternally unchangeable, the soul remains atomic in comparison to the infinite Supreme Soul. The Supreme Soul is infinite, and the atomic soul is infinitesimal. Therefore, the infinitesimal soul, being unchangeable, can never become equal to the infinite soul, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This concept is repeated in the Vedas in different ways just to confirm the stability of the conception of the soul. Repetition of something is necessary in order that we understand the matter thoroughly, without error.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

The small particles of soul are just like sparks of the larger soul. The greatest soul is the Supersoul, but the Supersoul is quantitatively different from the small soul. The Supersoul is described in the Vedic literature as the supplier of all necessities of the smaller soul (nityo nityānām).
SB 3.28.43, Purport: Actually, the quality of fire is the same everywhere, but the manifestation of material nature is such that according to the fuel, the fire appears bigger and smaller. Similarly, the soul in the universal body, although of the same quality, is different from the soul in the smaller body. The small particles of soul are just like sparks of the larger soul. The greatest soul is the Supersoul, but the Supersoul is quantitatively different from the small soul. The Supersoul is described in the Vedic literature as the supplier of all necessities of the smaller soul (nityo nityānām). One who understands this distinction between the Supersoul and the individual soul is above lamentation and is in a peaceful position. When the smaller soul thinks himself quantitatively as big as the larger soul, he is under the spell of māyā, for that is not his constitutional position. No one can become the greater soul simply by mental speculation.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

You try to understand with your intelligence, but you cannot make any addition or alteration. It is called nityasyoktāḥ. It is already settled. You cannot argue. This is not measurement of the soul, but the power of the soul you can measure. But not the soul. Soul is so small that it is not possible.
Lecture on BG 2.18 -- London, August 24, 1973: So we cannot estimate by direct perception, even in this material world, and what to speak of the spiritual world. Not (possible.) Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām [Bs. 5.34]. By mental, muni-puṅga means mental speculation. You can go on mental speculating, but if you do even for many hundreds and thousand of years, it is not possible to calculate. You have to accept this truth through the śāstra; otherwise, it is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, nityasyoktāḥ śarīr-ukta. Ukta means it is said. Not that "I am presenting some dogma," although He can do so. He's Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the method. Unless there is ukta, said by authorities, previous authorities, ācāryas, you cannot say anything. This is called paramparā. You try to understand with your intelligence, but you cannot make any addition or alteration. That is not possible. Therefore it is called nityasyoktāḥ. It is said, it is already settled. You cannot argue. Nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ anāśino 'prameyasya, immeasurable. Now, this soul, as in the previous verse we have understood, avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. This is not measurement of the soul, but the power of the soul you can measure. But not the soul. It is not possible. Soul is so small that it is not possible. You have no measuring means, and because now our material senses, it is not possible. You can simply understand by consciousness. Just like when Caitanya Mahāprabhu fainted in the Jagannātha temple, Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya examined that there was no consciousness. Even the abdomen was not moving. When you actually you have consciousness and you breathe, the abdomen moves. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu's abdomen was tested by Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. It was also not moving. So he thought that "This sannyāsī might have died." But he again tried. He brought a little cotton swab and put before His nostril, and when he saw the swab, the fibers little moving, then he became hopeful, yes. So everything has got a different type of calculation, measurement.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

As the small soul has entered.... Dehino 'smin yathā dehe. This is also a small universe. The same elements are working, but the soul is the prime factor. Similarly, this gigantic body. The total material energy, millions of universes like that is being maintained by Kṛṣṇa because He has entered in it in His fragmental portion.
Room Conversation -- April 30, 1976, Fiji: Prabhupāda: Read it carefully. As the small soul has entered.... Dehino 'smin yathā dehe [Bg. 2.13]. This is also a small universe. The same elements are working, but the soul is the prime factor. Similarly, this gigantic body. Athavā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena.... Viṣṭabhya aham idaṁ kṛtsnam. "The kṛtsnam, the total material energy, millions of universes like that, that is being maintained by Me because I have entered in it in My fragmental portion." Same principle. As I, the individual soul, I am.... because I have entered this body, the body is working so nicely. It looks beautiful; it looks fresh. It is machine. The machine is working very nicely so long the pilot or the driver is there. Similarly, where is the difficulty to understand this universal affair? If we accept the same principle, that "I am a small fragmental portion of Kṛṣṇa. I have entered this body. This body is working so nicely.... Similarly, because Kṛṣṇa has entered as Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, therefore it is working."
You are in small soul, and there is big soul, Supersoul. Similarly, as the soul is (inaudible). There must be soul. Similarly, this material combination (inaudible). Without Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, there is no actual (inaudible).
Morning Walk -- May 28, 1976, Honolulu:

Devotee (1): They say that material objects are just like automobiles, dead, but they can't move without the influence of the spirit soul. So the human being or the trees and the jīvas were seeing that the body is moving, so many things are taking place. The point is that in the universe, wind is blowing, the ocean is moving...

Prabhupāda: It is (inaudible). You are in small soul, and there is big soul, Supersoul. Similarly, as the soul is (inaudible). There must be soul. Similarly, this material combination (inaudible). Without Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, there is no actual (inaudible).

Hari-śauri: Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is the Supersoul of the universe.

Prabhupāda: There is an ocean (inaudible) each planet, and in the Causal Ocean is Garbhodakaśāyī. [break] ...ocean, many planets and (inaudible)

Correspondence

1971 Correspondence

As soon as one understands the existence of the soul, he can immediately understand the existence of God. The difference between God and the soul is that God is a very great soul and the living entity is a very small soul, but qualitatively they are equal.
Letter to Dr. Bigelow -- Allahabad 20 January, 1971: The undertaking of "soul research" would certainly mark the advancement of science. But advancement of science will not be able to find out the soul. It can simply be accepted on circumstantial understanding. You will find in the Vedic literature that the dimension of the soul is one ten-thousandth times smaller than the point. The material scientist cannot measure the length and breadth of a point. Therefore it is not possible for the material scientist to capture the soul. You can simply accept the soul's existence by taking it from authority. What the greatest scientists are finding we've explained long ago. As soon as one understands the existence of the soul, he can immediately understand the existence of God. The difference between God and the soul is that God is a very great soul and the living entity is a very small soul, but qualitatively they are equal. Therefore God is all-pervading and the living entity is localized. The nature and quality is the same. The central question you say is "where is the soul and where does it come from?" That is not difficult to understand. We've already discussed how the soul is residing in the heart of the living entity and that it takes shelter after death in another body. Originally the soul comes from God.
Page Title:Small soul
Compiler:Serene
Created:12 of Feb, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=2, SB=1, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=2, Let=1
No. of Quotes:7