Pure souls (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"pure soul" |"pure soul's" |"pure souls"

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Soul, as spirit soul, pure soul, they are all equal. Even in animal.

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Soul is the same. Just like you are under certain conception of life at the present moment. Just like your these countrymen. They were under certain conception of life. But by training they have taken another conception of life. So the ultimate training is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is perfection.

Bob: If two people are Kṛṣṇa conscious, is their soul the same?

Prabhupāda: Soul is always the same.

Bob: In each person. In each person is it the same?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) Soul, as spirit soul, pure soul, they are all equal. Even in animal. Therefore it is said, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18), means those who are actually learned, they do not see the outward covering, either human being or animal.

Bob: Oh, then they are all equal and the same, or just equal? Are they equal and the same, or are they just equal?

Prabhupāda: No, equal and the same. Qualitatively and quantitatively.

This is called illusion. "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that"—these are all designation. Really what I am? I am pure soul, part and parcel of God. That is my identity. So people should be taught this science.

Room Conversation with Kenneth Keating, U.S. Ambassador to India -- October 14, 1972, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Fire, mind, intelligence, ego. These eight elements. Kṛṣṇa says that "They are my energies." The things which are made by Kṛṣṇa's energy, how you can claim your property? Suppose a carpenter comes, you give him money to prepare some chair. The money is your energy. Now when the chair is prepared, he cannot claim that "I have prepared this chair. It is my property." No. It has been made with my energy; therefore it is my property. So if you make analysis of this whole cosmic situation you will find that everything is made out of the energy of God. Then how you can claim that "I am proprietor"? This is false. This is called māyā. Just like we have seen in Calcutta when there was a (indistinct) during the transition state. Britishers are going on. There was a great Hindu-Muslim riot. Now they fought, Hindus and Muslims, and they died. After death, they're lying piles of dead body. No more Hindu and Muslim. It is simply lump of matter. But because they got a type of body, a type of mental situation, consciousness, they fought with one another, and then after death, no more claiming "Hindu" and "Muslim." This is called illusion. "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that"—these are all designation. Really what I am? I am pure soul, part and parcel of God. That is my identity. So people should be taught this science. As soon as one understands his constitutional position, his actual situation, then he says, "Oh, I am not this. I was struggling so hard under some misidentification."

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Ego is covering of the pure soul. So you are pure soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: You are ego.

Prabhupāda: Not ego. You are individual soul.

Guest (1): Ego is one part of this.

Prabhupāda: Ego is another covering.

Dr. Patel: Covering of the ego you surrender, then the soul surrenders automatically.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Covering... Ego is covering of the pure soul. So you are pure soul. That is ahaṁ brahmāsmi. "I am Brahman. I am not this covering." This covering, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca ahaṅkāra (BG 7.4). These are coverings.

Guest (1): They are coverings.

Prabhupāda: Material. Even up to ahaṅkāra.

Dr. Patel: Saìghaöas cetanaà dhåtiù (?).

Prabhupäda: That is, that is also material. So... When one realizes that "I am not this. I am pure soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa," that is, that surrender is nice. Brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä na çocati na käìkñati... (BG 18.54).

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

In the spiritual world, Kṛṣṇa Himself is the spiritual master. There is no need of (another) spiritual master (another pure soul).

Morning Walk -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Devotee 7: Prabhupāda, when you leave this material world, will there be another spiritual master after you? Another pure soul?

Prabhupāda: Then that spiritual master is Kṛṣṇa Himself. There is no need of education. Everyone is free. Everyone is full knowledge. There is no need of spiritual master.

This is the basic principle of equality. I am seeing you are Sikh, you are seeing I am Hindu, he is seeing he is Christian, he is Mohammedan, and so on, so on. And nobody is seeing that nobody is brāhmaṇa. Nobody is seeing nobody is Hindu, nobody is Christian—he is pure soul. So that vision, unless one attains, how there can be equality? There is no possibility.

Room Conversation with Yogi Bhajan -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: "A very learned brāhmaṇa and a dog and an elephant, a cow, a caṇḍāla—all of them, to a paṇḍita, really learned person, sama-darśinaḥ." You see? So now how a learned scholar brāhmaṇa and a dog can be seen on equal level? But it can be seen. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). It is on the spiritual platform, that every one of us is spirit soul. We are, by different karma, we are covered with different material dress. A dog is also a soul, and a learned brāhmaṇa is also a soul. But he is covered with different body, and he is covered with different body. So one who does not see the body, he can see on the same level. But one who sees the body, he cannot see. This is the basic principle of equality. I am seeing you are Sikh, you are seeing I am Hindu, he is seeing he is Christian, he is Mohammedan, and so on, so on. And nobody is seeing that nobody is brāhmaṇa. Nobody is seeing nobody is Hindu, nobody is Christian—he is pure soul. So that vision, unless one attains, how there can be equality? There is no possibility.

Yogi Bhajan: Yeah, that's agreed. But...

Prabhupāda: So that requires education. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kā... samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). When one is Brahman realized, then he can see equally. But that requires education, how to become brahma-bhūtaḥ. But everyone is śarīra-bhūtaḥ. Everyone is thinking, "I am this body." So how it can be possible? So we may attempt, but it is not possible.

Mind is there always, in the pure soul or in the material body.

Room Conversation with Dr. John Mize -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Bahulāśva: Prabhupāda, the professor asked what is the relationship with the soul and the mind?

Prabhupāda: Mind is there in the soul, but the mind is now polluted by material contamination. Just like a madman. He has got his mind, but his mind is contaminated. Therefore he requires treatment by psychiatrist. You cannot say the madman has no mind. He has got mind, but it is contaminated. You have to make treatment. So mind is there. Everything is there in the soul. And now the mind, contaminated by the matter, it is perverted. The same example: A madman has got mind, but it is useless. He is simply acting in madness. The same madman, when properly treated, he will act like a sane man. So mind is there always, in the pure soul or in the material body. Everything is spiritual. The soul is spiritual; the mind is spiritual; the intelligence is spiritual. But it is now contaminated. So you have to make treatment. When it is purified, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then mind is controlled, intelligence properly acting, and soul is in his proper position. Therefore those who are under treatment, they must be strict observation—he may not do something wrong so that treatment may be hampered.

Faithful servant of God (A pure soul). He can preach. He is authorized. He has got the power of attorney.

Morning Walk -- November 26, 1975, New Delhi:

Harikeśa: It seems like the strongest preaching point or platform is the presence of a pure soul.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Harikeśa: The presence of a pure soul, someone who is wrapped up actually in love of God, is sufficient.

Prabhupāda: Faithful servant of God. He can preach. He is authorized. He has got the power of attorney. Kṛṣṇa śakti vin nahe nāma pracāra.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

You can see Kṛṣṇa when you are no more within these upādhis, pure soul.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: Oh, salve of love, yes. So that is required. Your.... Therefore tat-paratvena nirmalam. You have to make your senses purified; then bhakti will begin. Otherwise it is karma. If your senses are not purified, then it is karma. There is a difference between karma and.... Premāñjana-cchurita... What is that? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). If you think yourself that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am this," "I am that," then you are not upādhi-mukta; therefore you cannot see Kṛṣṇa. You can see Kṛṣṇa when you are no more within these upādhis, pure soul. Brahma.... That is real brahma-bhūtaḥ, to understand the position of the soul and engage the soul in the service of the Lord. Then it is perfect.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

This is self-realization, that "I am not this body, I am pure soul, Brahman."

Morning Walk -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: Even if this world is not real, temporarily it's real.

Prabhupāda: Temporary, yes. So I am eternal. I must associate with eternity. Why shall I..., temporary. Suppose if somebody comes in India, American, that is his temporary residence. Why shall I accept India as everything? Similarly this body is another India or for Indian, American. It is temporary, asann, asat. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). This body is temporary. That you have no knowledge. Why shall I be attached to the temporary things? I am the owner of the body, I am reality, so I must realize myself. Self-realization. This is self-realization, that "I am not this body, I am pure soul, Brahman." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

Everyone is in ignorance, so we have to teach them that "You are not this body. You are pure soul. Your business is different." And that is enlightenment. That is the business of guru. So we can do that business by simply repeating what Kṛṣṇa has already said without making addition, alteration.

Evening Darsana -- May 11, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: So we are preaching that "Here is God, Kṛṣṇa." Our preaching is simple. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the Supreme." We say, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme." That's all. We repeat. We don't manufacture. What is the use of manufacturing? I am imperfect. Whatever I manufacture, that is imperfect. So better to repeat the words of the perfect. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. He said, "Every one of you become guru and deliver your surrounding persons, either you are in family or in neighborhood or in society or in nation, as much as you can." Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). So whatever limited circle, you just become guru and deliver them. Deliver means deliver from the ignorance. Everyone is in ignorance, dehātma-buddhiḥ. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). So we have to teach them that "You are not this body. You are pure soul. Your business is different." And that is enlightenment. That is the business of guru. So we can do that business. And how to do it? That is... Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). You haven't got to manufacture anything. What Kṛṣṇa has already said, you repeat. Finish. Don't make addition, alteration. Then you become guru. Very simple thing.