Verses from Scripture on The Nature of the Soul

May 12, 2006

Om Namah Sivaya

The atman pervades all like butter hidden in milk. He is the source of Self-knowledge and ascetic fervor. This is the Brahman teaching, the highest goal! This is the Brahman teaching, the highest goal! He who with the truth of the atman, unified, perceives the truth of Brahman as with a lamp, who knows God, the unborn, the stable, free from all forms of being, is released from all fetters. The inspired Self is not born nor does He die; He springs from nothing and becomes nothing. Unborn, permanent, unchanging, primordial, He is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.

Krishna Yajur Veda, Shvetashvatara Upanishad 1.16; 2.15-18; 18. VE, 711, 762, 566

There is a spirit which is pure and which is beyond old age and death; and beyond hunger and thirst and sorrow. This is atman, the spirit in man. All the desires of this spirit are Truth. It is this spirit that we must find and know; man must find his own soul. He who has found and knows his soul has found all the worlds, has achieved all his desires. What you see when you look into another person's eyes, that is the atman, immortal, beyond fear; that is Brahman.

Sama Veda, Chhandogya Upanishad 8.7.3-4. UPM, 121-122

Now, the teaching concerning the atman: the atman is below, it is above, it is behind, it is before, it is in the South, it is in the North. The atman indeed is all that is. He who sees, reflects and knows this -- he has joy in the atman, he plays with the atman, he unites with the atman, his is the bliss of the atman. He becomes free and is free to move in all the worlds. But those who think otherwise are ruled by others and their worlds are perishable. They are unfree in all the worlds.

Sama Veda, Chhandogya Upanishad 7.25.2. VE, 740

There are five subtle elements, tanmantra, and these are called elements. There are also five gross elements, mahabhutas, and these are called elements. The union of these is called the human body. The human soul rules the body; but the immortal spiritual soul is pure like a drop of water on a lotus leaf. The human soul is under the power of the three constituents and conditions of nature, and thus it falls into confusion. Because of this confusion the soul cannot become conscious of the God who dwells within and whose power gives us power to work.

Krishna Yajur Veda, Maitri Upanishad 3.2. UPM, 100

He who dwells in the light, yet is other than the light, whom the light does not know, whose body is the light, who controls the light from within -- He is the atman within you.

Shukla Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.7.14. VE, 708

The three impurities are anava, maya and the one caused by actions.

Suprabheda Agama 2.1. SA, 102

Pure consciousness, taking form as knowledge and action, is present in the soul everywhere and always, for the soul is universal in its unfettered state.

Mrigendra Agama, Jnana Pada 2.A.5. MA, 60

When the state is attained where one becomes Siva, the malas -- the bonds diverse, mental states and experiences that arose for the individualized soul -- will all fade like the beams of the moon in the presence of the rising sun.

Tirumantiram 2314. TM

When jiva attains the state of neutrality to deeds good and evil, then does divine grace in guru form descend, remove attributes all and implant jnana that is unto a heavenly cool shade. The jiva is without egoity, and the impurities three are finished. He is Siva who all this does.

Tirumantiram 1527. TM

In the primal play of the Lord were jivas created. Enveloped in mighty malas were they. Discarding them, they realized themselves and besought the feet of their hoary Lord. Thus they became Siva, with birth no more to be.

Tirumantiram 2369. TM

A goldsmith fashions several ornaments out of gold. So God, the great goldsmith, makes many ornaments -- different souls -- out of the one Universal Spirit.

Natchintanai, "Seek the Profit..." NT, 11

The atman is eternal. This is the conclusion at which great souls have arrived from their experience. Let this truth become well impressed in your mind.

Natchintanai, Letter 1. NT, 15

Sivaya Namah

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