Soul within the heart

Expressions researched:
"soul within the heart" |"soul in the heart"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

Even if one does not find the soul within the heart, where he is situated, one can still understand the presence of the soul simply by the presence of consciousness.

BG 2.20, Purport: The soul is full of knowledge, or full always with consciousness. Therefore, consciousness is the symptom of the soul. Even if one does not find the soul within the heart, where he is situated, one can still understand the presence of the soul simply by the presence of consciousness. Sometimes we do not find the sun in the sky owing to clouds, or for some other reason, but the light of the sun is always there, and we are convinced that it is therefore daytime. As soon as there is a little light in the sky early in the morning, we can understand that the sun is in the sky. Similarly, since there is some consciousness in all bodies—whether man or animal—we can understand the presence of the soul. This consciousness of the soul is, however, different from the consciousness of the Supreme because the supreme consciousness is all-knowledge—past, present and future. The consciousness of the individual soul is prone to be forgetful. When he is forgetful of his real nature, he obtains education and enlightenment from the superior lessons of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is not like the forgetful soul. If so, Kṛṣṇa's teachings of Bhagavad-gītā would be useless.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.59.25, Translation: Goddess Bhūmi said: Obeisances unto You, O Lord of the chief demigods, O holder of the conchshell, disc and club. O Supreme Soul within the heart, You assume Your various forms to fulfill Your devotees' desires. Obeisances unto You.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Kṛṣṇa says, "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Again hṛdi, in the soul, in the heart.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 (New-2003): Just like you have gone to see a performance, dramatic performance, and some of your relatives, say your brother or father, is playing there, but he is dressed in such a way that you can not recognize he is your father. Although he is in your front, the father or the brother whom you see every day, this man, being, has dressed himself in such a way, he is playing the part of a king or something else, you can not understand. Somebody says, "Did you see your father is playing?" "Where is my father? Where is my father?" This is the position. Because Kṛṣṇa is playing His part in a different way. He has ot so much business because He is directing the whole universal affair. You can understand, if one man becomes busy in so many things, his brain becomes puzzled. But Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart—not only the human being; the animals, the trees, plants, everyone. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ. And what He is doing? He is giving direction. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am sitting in everyone's heart," sarvasya ca aham hṛdi sann... Again hṛdi, in the soul, in the heart. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca, "I am giving particular direction to everyone." He is forgetting something, he is reminding..., he is reminded something. In this way Kṛṣṇa is doing. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanam. How much busy is that? The thief wants to steal something, somebody's house, so he is also praying God, "Please give me some opportunity so that I can steal." So Kṛṣṇa is giving him direction, "All right, you steal in this way." And the same person in whose house the stealing wil be committed, he is also praying, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, please protect me from thieves." So he is also believing. That just see Kṛṣṇa's business: He is giving direction to the thief, and giving direction to the person in whose house the stealing will be committed. So if..., just try to understand how much Kṛṣṇa is busy. That is God. Although He is performing so many contradictory business, contradictory business, opposing business, still His full brain, His full brain, He does not forget to dance with the gopīs at the same time. This is Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa.

Those who are trying to visualize the Supreme Soul within the heart, they are called yogi.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968: o there are four classes of persons who are trying to get transcendental perfection or spiritual life. They are called jñānī, who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by philosophical speculation, and yogi... Those who are trying to visualize the Supreme Soul within the heart, they are called yogi. And jñānī, yogi, and bhaktas, and the devotees. Those who are trying to leave this material world and go back to Godhead and associate with the Supreme Person. There are three classes of men. They are trying to get out of this fearful world.

General Lectures

An individual soul is understood in three aspects, namely first in the consciousness pervading all over the body, then as the spirit soul within the heart, and ultimately exhibited as a person.

Press Release -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1968: The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases of understanding, namely as Brahman, or the impersonal universal soul; Paramātmā, or the localized universal soul; and at the end as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. An individual soul is understood in three aspects, namely first in the consciousness pervading all over the body, then as the spirit soul within the heart, and ultimately exhibited as a person. Similarly, the Absolute Truth is first realized as impersonal Brahman, then as localized Supersoul, Paramātmā, and at the end as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-inclusive, or, in other words, Kṛṣṇa is simultaneously Brahman, Paramātmā, and the Personality of Godhead. As such, as every one of us is simultaneously consciousness, soul, and person, this individual person and the Supreme Lord Person are qualitatively one but quantitatively different.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

God is friend always. He is sitting with the individual soul within the heart and giving him good advice that "You come to Me, you'll be happy."

Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne:

Jesuit: God cannot change.

Prabhupāda: Yes. God is friend always. He is sitting with the individual soul within the heart and giving him good advice that "You come to Me, you'll be happy." But he's not going. Therefore he's (indistinct). Still God is with him, "All right, let me see." Just like the father, he loves his son. He always gives him, "My dear son, why you are going out? Your father has got nice property, you live with me." But he'll not do, he'll go away and become hippie. What can be done?

1971 Correspondence

The soul within the heart does not change, it remains the same.

Letter to Jadurani -- Bombay 1 April, 1971: Another picture shows the many pictures on the spool of movie film. Although there are actually many, many different pictures, when projected in continuous sequence on the screen the image appears as one. Ordinarily we see a man as localized, but every moment the picture is changing without the notice of the viewer. The soul within the heart does not change however, it remains the same. Again, you may illustrate the verse how the soul takes on new bodies as new dress and when the dress is worn out as at the time of death, he takes on new body. I know you are all intelligent devotees of the Lord and I feel confidence in you that you can all illustrate the philosophical instructions of the Lord and this will be a great boon to the people at large.

1975 Correspondence

Regarding your question about the jiva soul in the heart and the jiva soul within the cells, they are separate.

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1975: Regarding your question about the jiva soul in the heart and the jiva soul within the cells, they are separate. Both are jiva atmas, but a particular jiva belongs to a particular body. There is the jiva in this body, but there are also jivas within the cells. Just like I am living within this apartment, but does it mean that no other living entity can live here. There are so many ants, flies, bugs, they are also living within the apartment. Even in my stool there are thousands of living entities.