Now, ākāśa means ether. Ether is here. Now, that ether... Now, my this body... Now, this body, there is also ether. "Now, as soon as this body's destroyed, it is burned or it is, another way, destroyed, then this ether within my body becomes amalgamated with the greater ether." So this sort of assertion is not accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā because the first reason is that ether is a material thing. Ether is a material thing. And the soul is spirit. We'll have, in later ślokas, that soul cannot be cut. Soul cannot be cut into pieces. And the spirit cannot be... acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam. We'll get those ślokas. Soul never can be cut into pieces. You see? Just like here is a paper. I can, I can tore this paper into pieces, but it is not possible for the soul. Then it, then it loses its eternity or its stability. You see? So we cannot compare ether with soul because they are two different subject matters. You see?
BG 02.24 acchedyo 'yam adahyo 'yam... cited
Expressions researched:
"He is everlasting, present everywhere"
|"This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble"
|"acalo 'yam sanatanah"
|"acchedyo 'yam adahyo 'yam"
|"adahyo 'yam"
|"akledyo 'sosya eva ca"
|"can be neither burned nor dried"
|"nityah sarva-gatah sthanur"
|"unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same"
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.
All these qualifications of the atomic soul definitely prove that the individual soul is eternally the atomic particle of the spirit whole, and he remains the same atom eternally, without change. The theory of monism is very difficult to apply in this case, because the individual soul is never expected to become one homogeneously. After liberation from material contamination, the atomic soul may prefer to remain as a spiritual spark in the effulgent rays of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the intelligent souls enter into the spiritual planets to associate with the Personality of Godhead.
The word sarva-gata ("all-pervading") is significant because there is no doubt that living entities are all over God's creation. They live on the land, in the water, in the air, within the earth and even within fire. The belief that they are sterilized in fire is not acceptable, because it is clearly stated here that the soul cannot be burned by fire. Therefore, there is no doubt that there are living entities also in the sun planet with suitable bodies to live there. If the sun globe is uninhabited, then the word sarva-gata—"living everywhere"—becomes meaningless.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
Although the Paramātmā sits beside the jīvātmā as a friend, the jīvātmā, or living entity, does not know it. Consequently he is described as avijñāta-sakhā, meaning "one who has an unknown friend." The word avijñāta-ceṣṭitaḥ is also significant because a living entity works hard under the direction of the Paramātmā and is carried away by the laws of nature. Nonetheless, he thinks himself independent of God and independent of the stringent laws of material nature. It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.24):
- acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam
- akledyo 'śoṣya eva ca
- nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
- acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ
"This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same."
The living entity is sanātana, eternal. Because he cannot be killed by any weapon, burnt into ashes by fire, soaked or moistened by water, nor dried up by air, he is considered to be immune to material reactions. Although he is changing bodies, he is not affected by the material conditions.
SB Canto 5
While He was wandering about, a wild forest fire began. This fire was caused by the friction of bamboos, which were being blown by the wind. In that fire, the entire forest near Kuṭakācala and the body of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva were burnt to ashes.
Such a forest fire can burn the external bodies of animals, but Lord Ṛṣabhadeva was not burned, although He apparently seemed so. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva is the Supersoul of all living entities within the forest, and His soul is never burned by fire. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, adāhyo 'yam—the soul is never burned by fire. Due to Lord Ṛṣabhadeva's presence, all the animals in the forest were also liberated from material encagement.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
“In this universe there are limitless living entities in 8,400,000 species, and all are wandering within this universe.
This is a challenge to so-called scientists and philosophers who presume that there are living entities on this planet only. So-called scientists are going to the moon, and they say that there is no life there. This does not tally with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's version. He says that everywhere within the universe there are unlimited numbers of living entities in 8,400,000 different forms. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.24) we find that the living entities are sarva-gata, which means that they can go anywhere. This indicates that there are living entities everywhere. They exist on land, in water, in air, in fire and in ether.
The entire material universe is composed of five material elements. It is not true that living entities reside only within this planet and not within others. Such a conclusion is completely contradictory to the Vedas. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (2.24):
- acchedyo ‘yam adāhyo ‘yam akledyo ‘śoṣya eva ca
- nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur acalo ‘yaṁ sanātanaḥ
"This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same."
The soul has nothing to do with the material elements. Any material element can be cut to pieces, especially earth. As far as the living entity is concerned, however, he can be neither burned nor cut to pieces. He can therefore live within fire. We can conclude that there are also living entities within the sun.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Viṣṇujana: 24: "This individual soul is unbreakable, insoluble (BG 2.24)."
Prabhupāda: Unbreakable, again. The Māyāvādī theory that it has broken parts by māyā. No. Unbreakable. That means eternally we are individual, separated. Just like we are sitting, all individual. This is our eternal position. Kṛṣṇa is confirming that "Arjuna, yourself, Myself, and all these people who are assembled here, they're all individuals. They existed in the past, and they'll continue to exist in the future." So this is a confirmed truth, that every living entity is individual and Kṛṣṇa is also individual.
Viṣṇujana: "He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable, and eternally the same."
Prabhupāda: Everlasting. This is the... Everlasting. Then why I am not everlasting now? This is my diseased condition. People should take it like this. Here it is stated that the living entity is everlasting, but my present position is not everlasting. I'm temporary. So why shall I be in this temporary..., such abominable condition? I am everlasting. So they are so rascal fools they do not search out how He can be everlasting. They are trying to (sic) oint this body. That's all. Everlasting body by ointment, you see? That is not possible. That is their foolishness.
So as the spiritual world does not annihilate, similarly the soul, the spirit, by any such disturbances, the soul is never annihilated. Avyayam indestructible, immutable. So Kṛṣṇa is explaining in different ways the nature of the soul. We have to take it seriously, then we get perfect knowledge.
So, next verse you can...
- acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam
- akledyo 'śoṣya eva ca
- nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
- acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ
- (BG 2.24)
"This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same."
So this is another way, negative way. In the previous verse Kṛṣṇa says: nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi. And now, negatively or passively, it is said that acchedyo 'yam. In every way, Kṛṣṇa is suggesting the immortality of the soul.
Prabhupāda:
- acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam
- akledyo 'śoṣya eva ca
- nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
- acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ
- (BG 2.24)
Here is the import of sanātana. Nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ. Sanātana... Here is mention of sanātana. In another place, in the Seventh Chapter, er, Fifteenth Chapter, there is the mention of sanātana: mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). Another place there is mention of sanātana. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ avyaktaḥ avyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). In another place, there is mention, in the Eleventh Chapter, Kṛṣṇa is addressed as sanātana. So Kṛṣṇa is sanātana, and we living entities, we are also sanātana. And there is a place, paras tasmāt tu... "Place" means another nature, not this nature, not this prakṛti. There is another prakṛti. Paras tasmāt. Para means transcendental. This nature is not sanātana. It is asanātana, perishable. Sanātana means not perishable.
This body is given by the father and mother at a certain date. Then it stays, say, for some time. It grows. Then it gives some by-products. From this body, there will be so many children. Or from the trees, there will be so many fruits and seeds. Then dwindling. Then becomes older. And vanish. This is the nature.
So here we are getting information that acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam akledyo 'śoṣya eva ca, nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ. This is another qualification of the living entities: sarva-gataḥ, "everywhere." The rascal scientist says there is no living entity in the moon planet or sun planet. This is rascaldom. There is. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa says sarva-gataḥ? Any, everywhere there is living entities. This is a false theory. We can see practically. We see there are living entities in the water. There are living entities in the air. There is living entities within the earth. There is living entities in so many ways. Why not in other planets?
What is this world? This world is a mixture of fire, earth, water, air. That's all. What is this? Tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ tri-sargo 'mṛṣā. It is a false thing. Actually it is a combination of these five elements. And we are accepting... This body's also like that. Body's also combination of five elements. And we are attracted to this. "Oh, I have got so, such a, such a nice, beautiful body, strong body, American body," "Indian body," "Brāhmaṇa body," "This body," "That body." All māyā. You'll never be happy by this bodily concept of life. Because you are...
Therefore Kṛṣṇa indirectly saying that: acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam. The body is burned into ashes. Then how we are body? The body, when the man is dead, the body is put into the fire. So it is dāhya, it becomes burned. Then how we are body? One man is claiming, "Oh, I am born brāhmaṇa. I have got this body from my birth." So that's all right. Then when your son will burn this body, then he'll be liable to brahma-hatya-pāpa. So this is going on, bodily concept... Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).
Here in the material science, they sterilize. They, they are under the impression that when there is too strong temperature, the microbes die, or when there is too cold, the microbes die. There are two kinds of sterilization: either by increasing the heat or decreasing the heat, below zero. But Bhagavad-gītā, from Bhagavad-gītā we understand, adāhyo 'yam: soul is never killed in fire, neither it is killed by extreme coldness. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam. Spirit cannot be counteracted by any material reaction. That is spirit. So therefore, the theory that in the fire the living entity dies, it is not; otherwise how these ślokas are there in the Second Chapter? Adāhyo 'yam, akledyo 'yam, aśoṣya 'yam. That means anything material, that can be cut into pieces, but the soul cannot be cut into pieces. Acchedyo 'yam. It cannot be cut into pieces. Acchedyo' yam. Adāhyo 'yam: it cannot be burned into ashes in the fire. Akledyo 'yam aśoṣya 'yam: by the reaction of the five elements, earth, water, fire, air, that is not applicable in the soul. So if they're not applicable to the soul, which is minute particle of the Supreme Soul, how it is applicable to the Supreme Soul? Therefore it is a miscalculation that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul, is affected by this material nature. That is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6).
The modern theory, scientific theory, is that "The sun planet is only blazing fire. There cannot be any living entity." No, we don't believe that. Because śāstra says that "The living entity is never burned." Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam. Adāhyaḥ. Just like we sterilize by putting into the fire, but that does not mean the living entity is dead. No. Adāhyo 'yam: "It cannot be burned into fire." Acchedyo 'yam: "It cannot be cut into pieces." This information we get from Bhagavad-gītā. So in the sun planet, although it is blazing fire, there are living entities. They have got a particular type of body. That particular type of body is fiery. Just like you have got living entities in the sea. There are hundreds and thousands. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi. There are nine lakhs, species of aquatic animals. But they are living in the water.
The modern theory, scientific theory, is that "The sun planet is only blazing fire. There cannot be any living entity." No, we don't believe that. Because śāstra says that "The living entity is never burned." Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam. Adāhyaḥ. Just like we sterilize by putting into the fire, but that does not mean the living entity is dead. No. Adāhyo 'yam: "It cannot be burned into fire." Acchedyo 'yam: "It cannot be cut into pieces." This information we get from Bhagavad-gītā. So in the sun planet, although it is blazing fire, there are living entities. They have got a particular type of body. That particular type of body is fiery. Just like you have got living entities in the sea. There are hundreds and thousands. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi. There are nine lakhs, species of aquatic animals. But they are living in the water.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Kapiladeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So guru is there, Kṛṣṇa, and His instruction is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Why you are not taking advantage? You have become so foolish. The instruction is there. Guru is there. Somebody says that Arjuna had the opportunity, good opportunity to talk with Kṛṣṇa face to face, but we haven't got that. But what is that talk? The talk is already there. You hear it from His representative, the same instruction. Where is the difficulty? But they will not do that. They will take Bhagavad-gītā and misinterpret in a foolish way, in rascaldom, and spoil his career and other's career. That's all. Otherwise everything is there. Where is the difficulty? Kṛṣṇa says that there is the owner of the body within the body and He has explained in so many ways, acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam, distinguishing the quality that the soul is never to be cut into pieces, acchedyo 'yam. It cannot be burned into the fire. It cannot be moistened by water. That means everything matter, there is interruption. Any matter will be interrupted by another matter, but the soul is not anything of this material world. In the material world, any hard thing, the iron, the stone, can be cut into pieces if you have got the instrument.
But Kṛṣṇa says the soul is acchedyo 'yam, it cannot be cut into pieces. So it is above all material action and reaction. Adāhyo 'yam, in material, even iron can be melted, even a stone can be melted, but adāhyo 'yam, aśoṣyaḥ 'yam, in so many ways. That means it is different from this material thing, the soul.
Therefore na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This instruction, the common sense is that if my position is like that, acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), that what is that life? How I can attain that life? That is brahma-jijñāsā. One should be inquisitive. If you remain fools and rascals like cats and dogs to maintain this body only, then what is the benefit of this human life. Human life is meant for understanding this science that I am not this body, but I am busy with this bodily comfort. I am soul within the body, what I am doing for that which is Brahman? This is required. Therefore tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12), if you want to learn about that then you must find out a guru. What kind of guru? Just like Kapiladeva, Kṛṣṇa, or His representative.
Indian man (2): The sun, you see, is a ball of fire. Nothing can exist there, according to...
Prabhupāda: No. We have got information—even in the fire there are living entities. Why? Because, in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find. The constitutional position of the living entity is that it does not become burned. So how you can say that in the fire? What is the verse? No, no. In the second chapter there is the description of the living entity, you find. The living entity... Find out.
Harikeśa: Acchedyo?
Prabhupāda: Huh? Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam. Find it.
Harikeśa:
- acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam
- akledyo 'śoṣya eva ca
- nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
- acalo'yam sanātanaḥ
"This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluable and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same."
Prabhupāda: So if he is all-pervading and if he is unburnable, then how it is possible that in the fire he does not exist? It cannot be burned, and it is everywhere. Sarva-ga. And we find also when we go on the sea beach—within the sand there is life. Now it is up to you to accept the authority of Bhagavad-gītā or authority of the Americans. That is your... We follow the authorities of Bhagavad-gītā. Adāhyo 'yam: "It cannot be burned."
And from reason also, there is... In the water there are living entities; in the air there are living entities; in the earth there are living entities. So the material elements are five: earth, water, fire, air and sky. So if everywhere there is living entities, fire is also one of the material elements. Why not in the fire? What is the reason? And Bhagavad-gītā says, adāhyo 'yam: "It is never burned." So why do you think like that, that in the fire there is no living entity? Therefore they have been described as blind. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are blind, and they are leading other blind men. But they do not know what is the laws of nature, how things are going.
General Lectures
Whatever is changeable, that is not sanātana-dharma. Sanātana, try to understand sanātana. Sanātana means eternal, and the living entity, being eternal, he must have some eternal engagement. That is called sanātana-dharma. Here, in the Bhagavad-gītā, the word sanātana has come in many places. In one place, Second Chapter, twenty-fourth verse, it is said,
- acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam
- akledya aśoṣya eva ca
- nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
- acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ
Nitya, nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ. There are many other symptoms of the living entity. They are described in the Bhagavad-gītā very nicely, positively and negatively. In some of the verses, the definition is being given in negation: "It is not this." Because with our blunt material eyes, we cannot find out where is the soul in this body; therefore Kṛṣṇa is describing the characteristic of the soul in a negative way in several verses. And you know that sometimes it is required, according to logic, that definition by negation: "It is not this." I cannot express for the time being a thing, what it is, but I can distinguish what it is not. So similarly, at the present moment, everyone is under ignorance. He does not know what is the soul.
They say that there is no living entity in the moon planet, but here we find in the Bhagavad-gītā, nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ. The living entity is everywhere. At least, we find on this planet, even in deserted place, there are a certain type of vegetable. That is living entity. Sometimes some microbes. Sometimes insect. So the statement of Bhagavad-gītā is sarva-gataḥ: "Living entities everywhere." We practically see in our experience. We find living entities, the aquatics, in the water. We find living entities within the earth. There are so many insects. We find living entities in the air. We find living entities on the land, in the sky, and so many places. So this is confirmed: sarva-gataḥ. Nityaḥ. The living entity is eternal and he is everywhere. Sarva-gataḥ. Sthāṇur acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ. Sanātanaḥ. Concluding sanātanaḥ.
And if we study philosophy intelligently, then we can understand that living being, jīva, how he can become one with the Supreme? Then why he has become jīva? Jīva is eternally. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loka sanātana (BG 15.7). Sanātana. Sanātana means eternally. He is fragmental parts of the Supreme. Not that by māyā he is thinking fragmental parts, but actually he is one. That is Māyāvāda philosophy. But Kṛṣṇa does not say that. Kṛṣṇa says, sanātana. He is fragmental parts, sanātana, eternally. Besides that, it is clearly explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that the spirit cannot be cut into pieces, acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam, so how it becomes a small fragment? Acchedyo 'yam, you cannot cut into pieces, spirit. And it is further explained that these fragmental parts eternally, from the very beginning. Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "My dear Arjuna, you, Me and all these soldiers and kings who have assembled there, they existed like this in the past, they're existing in the same way, and they'll continue to exist like that." There is no question of becoming one. Past, present, future, always we are distinct. So how they can be one sanātana?
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Karandhara: Also, they make the condition unsuitable for the spirit soul to occupy. Just like if we take and kill all these bodies and put them somewhere, and come back in a week, it's not that life will come back to the bodies. They make the circumstances unsuitable for the spirit soul.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is another explanation. It takes time. Besides that, according to Bhagavad-gītā, life is not killed by fire. Aśoṣyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam. You have not read it? Adāhyaḥ: "It cannot be burnt into fire." So how life can be killed by boiling water? That is their nonsense.
Karandhara: As soon the bodies become unsuitable, so the spirit soul leaves.
Prabhupāda: Aśoṣyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam. Adāhyaḥ.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But by putting proper chemicals, then they can see again. The ingredients necessary for the survival of the living entities, the necessary amounts, like source of protein, source of carbon, then the life is again started.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Wherefrom the life came?
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Robert Gouiran: Are you interested to know how we produce anti-matter in our laboratories from...?
Prabhupāda: Anti-matter, I have explained that, this... So our anti-matter is different. Anti-matter means spirit. But your anti-matter is different.
Robert Gouiran: Yes, it's just a word to define something.
Prabhupāda: Yes, but we mean, anti-matter means there are two things, spirit and matter. So anti-matter means spirit. That is our explanation. It is not matter. Just like matter is destructible. Anti-matter means which is not destructible. That is... Any matter... Find out this verse, acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam aśoṣyaḥ akledyaḥ... Find out...
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa:
- acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam
- akledyo 'śoṣya eva ca
- nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
- acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: "This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same."
Prabhupāda: Yes. So any material thing is chedya, you can cut. Any material thing. The five kinds of material things, earth, water, air, you can cut it into divisions. Or it can be burned. It can be evaporated. Or it can be moistened. These things are material things. But the spiritual means just opposite. It cannot be cut. It cannot be dried up. It cannot be moistened. It..., so many things. And that is... We mean anti-matter. Just opposite. Which is possible in the physical world, but is not possible in the spiritual world. That we say anti-matter. But your anti-matter is another matter.
Yogeśvara: (translating) Then we are still left with the problem: what is the relationship between the two?
Prabhupāda: First of all let us understand what is the soul. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Adāhyo 'yam aśoṣyo 'yam akledyo 'yam. Read those paragraphs.
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa:
- na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
- nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
- ajo nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇo
- na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
- (BG 2.20)
Prabhupāda: Translation.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Haṁsadūta: But when we see fire here it is also living in that way? Some living entity?
Prabhupāda: Within fire? Yes. That is agni-po. Just like you have got microbes and germs in water, similarly, there are microbes and germs in fire also. Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, adāhyaḥ. "It is not burned by fire." Everything, information, is there. And therefore our knowledge is perfect. Take from the perfect source of knowledge. Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam aśleṣya, aśoṣya. (end)
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, one question is that the people in the Tata factory are not actually in the fire.
Prabhupāda: So they are also not in the fire. I say even if it is in the fire, there is no harm because the living soul is not burned to fire. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Adāhyo 'yam. Dāhya. Dāhya means burned. It is not burned. These are wrong conception. Because they have no conception of the soul, they think bhaṣmi bhūtasya dehasya: "When the body is burned, then the soul is also burned." If the soul is burned, then where is the question of tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13)? How? In the Hindu system they burn the body. So if the soul is also burned, then where is punar janma? You?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can accept that the soul is not burned, but what about the body?
Prabhupāda: Body is burned.
Dr. Patel: Death is an artifact. There is no death. That is what Arjuna thought, and now, still, sir, you say they are dead. What is death? There is no death?
Prabhupāda: Arjuna's thought is different. That is Arjuna's thought. I mean these people, these materialists...
Dr. Patel: Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam akledyo aśoṣya eva ca.
Prabhupāda: ...they are actually dying and they are flying also.
Dr. Patel: Who is dying? The body. The body is nothing but the earth.
Prabhupāda: They have no such conclusions. We have got, that is a different thing, but they are trying to kill the mosquitoes to save themselves, but they cannot save. That is my point. They cannot save. When the "death mosquito" will come, he has to accept it. That he cannot manu...
Dr. Patel: He, after all, is what we call ego. When the ego dies, then, sir, there is no he or she or mosquito or man or anything, sir.
Prabhupāda: But he is not that man. He is trying to kill the mosquito to save himself from death. But that he cannot. That is my proposal.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is quite right. Physical, anything physical can be cut into pieces. Read it.
Hari-śauri: This is 2.20. "For the soul there is never birth nor death, nor having once been does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." (purport) "The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can he be burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind. This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried."
Prabhupāda: This is nonphysical. This is not physical. Physical, what is that physical thing which cannot be burned, which cannot be cut, which cannot be soaked? There is no such thing to the physical exterior. Is there anything?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: No.
Prabhupāda: Therefore not physical. This is definition by negation. In the logic, there is a process of definition by negation. The Māyāvādīs, they define this Brahman, neti, neti, neti, neti, negation. "It is not this, it is not this." What is, that they cannot tell. They simply negate. That is a partial definition. Yes, go on.
Hari-śauri: Their argument is that because there's no atmosphere then there's no vegetation.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that is... That is another bogus. The atmosphere is the same everywhere. Little more. Just like... (break)... say in the sun planet there is living entity, there is fire. So what do you mean by atmosphere if even in fire there is life? Dahati pāvakaḥ. Bhagavad-gītā. Nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. Pāvakaḥ means fire. Does not burn the soul. So where there is fire only, he develops fiery body. Not that by the fire it is finished. Nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. Where there is gas, air, nainam... Find out this verse. Acchedyo' yam adāhyo' yam.
Hari-śauri: Gītā?
Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā, yes. You do not read even. You should have reference immediately.
Dr. Patel: No, you see, if the good people is there, up there, you know the filth disappears.
Guru dāsa: That's what the śāstra says. The sun dries up urine in a filthy place.
Dr. Patel: So he must be here. Another argument and he will answer.
Guru dāsa: Yes, but there is also urine in Bhuvaneśvara. Indian doctor. In Bhuvaneśvara you are going to have any plan for making a temple?
Prabhupāda: What is my plan, that is always there. That is to print books and construct temples. Throughout the whole world this plan is going on. Fifty percent construction, fifty percent printing books. Whatever I get money, I give him. That's all. I am the same beggar. Either it comes ten lakhs or fifty lakhs, ten crores.
Dr. Patel: You are exhibiting this body to be "I". Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam akledyo 'śoṣya eva ca.
Prabhupāda: No, no, that is different.
Dr. Patel: You come down to body consciousness and talk to us. We want you to talk from higher consciousness.
Prabhupāda: I have no higher consciousness.
Dr. Patel: Then talk from the lower consciousness, still lower.
Prabhupāda: Why should I?
Dr. Patel: Let us go out and make a business in the stock market.
Prabhupāda: I am doing business. I am selling books. (laughter)
Dr. Patel: Stock action. Why not. It is very easy.
Prabhupāda: I am selling books.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: The measurement of soul is given there in the śāstra: one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. So everything is there. It is not matter. And that is instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Nāyaṁ śāstra... Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam akledyo 'śoṣya eva ca. "This spiritual spark cannot be cut into pieces." Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam: "It cannot be burned into the fire." So... (aside:) Come on. But these rascals, they are seeing that "The body is burnt into ashes, so everything is finished." And Kṛṣṇa says, adāhyo 'yam: "It cannot be burned." So it remains. And that transmigrates. And that small particle you have no eyes to see. You say, therefore, "Why shall I believe transmigration?" How nature's law is working so subtle way? Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27).
Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa begins His teaching from a different platform. He begins from the platform of the soul. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. His teaching to Arjuna begins, first of all convincing him that "You are not this body." And He's describing the nature of the soul-na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin na hanyate—in so many ways, adāhyo 'yam aśoṣyo 'yam, so many. Find out this verse. Who will find out? Hm.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Brahmānanda: 2.13. 2.20.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 2.20. Shall I read tadā kadācit?
Prabhupāda: Hm? (break)
Harikeśa:
- acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam
- akledyo 'śoṣya eva ca
- nityaḥ sarva-gataḥ sthāṇur
- acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ
"This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same."
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is the description of the soul. What is the first one?
Harikeśa: Acchedyaḥ.
Prabhupāda: Aśoṣyaḥ.
Harikeśa: Acchedyaḥ—"unbreakable."
Prabhupāda: Acchedyaḥ, yes. Acchedyo 'yam. Now, chedya means which can be cut by... Just like this is wood. It can be cut by the saw. This can be separated. Then? Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam. Adāhyaḥ. The wood can be burned. So it is denying, that "The soul cannot be cut and it cannot be burned." Then?
Harikeśa: Akledyaḥ.
Prabhupāda: Akledyaḥ, that... The wood, if you put into the water, it will be moist. But it is not... Soul never becomes moist. That means the five elements—earth, water, air, fire, ether—all these five elements can be cut, can be moistened, can be burned, can be dried up. But he is giving negative definition that "Soul cannot be done like that." So therefore it is not fallible, material.
Prabhupāda: In so many ways Kṛṣṇa is trying to convince that living soul is different, completely different from matter. Acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam: "It cannot be cut into pieces. It cannot be burned. It cannot be moistened. It cannot be dried up." In so many ways... "It does not take birth. It does not die. It is not finished after the body is finished." This is the greatest ignorance. And if they want to keep people in ignorance, that is not good business. In the name of education, cheating people. Why there should be education? What is the benefit?
| Page Title: | BG 02.24 acchedyo 'yam adahyo 'yam... cited |
| Compiler: | MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 22 of Feb, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=2, CC=2, OB=0, Lec=17, Con=12, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 34 |