There is no greater paradox than the notion of an eternal spirit soul (Jiva) existing within every living entity. The symptom of its manifestation is the inexplicable reality we call ‘consciousness’ and yet it cannot be understood using our temporary, imperfect, material senses. We are the soul, or the conscious life force within our bodies, and we are completely different from our bodies, which are only highly complex machines. We sit in the heart, the seat of all energies of the body. From there we experience the world through the wired machinery of the body’s senses, as well as through the more subtle energies of mind, intelligence, and ego. Understanding the difference between body and soul—between matter and spirit—is the beginning of spiritual life and the only basis for true self-realization. Our body is constantly changing: infancy, childhood, youth, middle age, old age, and finally death. But we, the unchangeable soul, witness this “virtual reality” from within. That’s why, even though our body changes throughout life, we always keep our sense of identity. Matter is temporary, and spirit is eternal. Therefore we eternal souls are more important than our bodies. To understand this point is real knowledge. We are by nature eternally happy and full of knowledge. The human body affords us the opportunity to perform spiritual activities that will free us from getting further material bodies, which are by nature full of suffering.
According to the Vedic literature the living entity is not only a material body, but it is built of three different layers. The visible material body is constituted of the elements of the periodic system; this is our body that we see when we look in the mirror. The mind, intelligence and the false ego constitute our subtle material body that we can’t experience with our senses. This covers the soul, the real bearer of life- our real self. The soul is the real bearer of our personality, self. The subtle body is like a cloud around the soul and the gross body is only a lot of complicated but lifeless molecules. Herein lies the paradox. According to the Srimad-Bhagavatam, if you’re endeavoring for realization of it’s presence, it cannot be perceived by the mind, where duality and false ego reside. It can only be realized via the heart chakra- where every living entities eternal companion also resides- the localized Supersoul called Paramatma. The eternal vibration between the Jiva soul and the Paramatma feature of Krishna is not a product of the ephemeral, manifested universe, it is a transmutation from the realm that all souls originate- Vaikuntha-loka; the ‘mind’ (false-ego) is formed in the brain, and it is a material energy so it is only a conduit with which to process the exchange. This Supreme Absolute Truth is sub-atomic and it exists in the spaces between atoms and is present within every atom. In this Paramatma feature, Krishna permeates the entire Cosmos via the subatomic point of subspace throughout His entire Impersonal Brahman feature we call creation. By chanting mantras (man means mind and tra means to liberate), which liberate the Jiva soul from illusion, we unlock the eternal consciousness within. The Jiva soul is made of eternity, bliss, and knowledge, called sat-chit-ananda (this is what Krishna’s form comprises) and the combination of mind and matter enclose this consciousness into the illusory and temporary form you have now. “Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent [the material body] there is no endurance and of the eternal [the soul] there is no change. This they have concluded by studying the nature of both.” —Sri Krishna, Bhagavad-gita 2.16
