What Is the Nature of the Soul?

The Wisdom of Srila Prabhupada: Lesson 9

Question:

What is the soul, and how is it different from the body?

Answer:

The soul, or ātma, is eternal, unchanging, and distinct from the temporary material body. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the soul is the source of consciousness and the true identity of every living being.

Explanation:

The Bhagavad-gītā (2.20) describes the nature of the soul: na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ‘yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre—”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.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the soul is a part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, sharing His qualities in minute degree. Unlike the body, which undergoes birth, growth, reproduction, decay, and death, the soul is eternal and immutable. It is the soul’s presence that gives life to the body, just as electricity powers a machine. When the soul leaves the body, the body becomes inert and lifeless.

Despite the soul’s eternal nature, conditioned living entities in the material world identify with their temporary bodies. This false identification leads to a cycle of repeated birth and death (samsāra). Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasized that self-realization begins with understanding one’s true identity as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. By acting in this capacity, the soul becomes free from the bondage of karma and the cycle of reincarnation.

This understanding of the soul forms the foundation of spiritual practice. It enables one to transcend bodily designations, such as race, nationality, or gender, and recognize the unity of all living beings as spiritual souls. Śrīla Prabhupāda often stated that real peace can only be achieved when one sees all living entities as equal parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa.

Suggested Reading:

For a deeper understanding of the soul’s nature, read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, 2.20, including the purport. This verse vividly explains the eternal nature of the soul and its distinction from the body.