Did we enter the body at conception or we were already in the sperm before?

[Guruvani]

 

All cells contain souls according to the following conversation with Srila Prabhupada.

 

Svarupa Damodara: What is the condition of the soul, innumerable souls, within the body? Like the cells. All are living cells. These all contain individual souls.

 

Prabhupada: Yes.

 

Svarupa Damodara: So what these individual souls are doing to support the bigger soul?

 

Prabhupada: No, they are living individually. Just like there are many germs in your stool. Because the stool is there, they are living. That is their perfect condition of living. That's all. But that germs has nothing to do with this individual soul, Mr. John. Just like I am living, you are living, but we are all independent different souls. They are living in their own condition, you are living in your own condition. But when you go to office to work, you find so many others are also working. But that does not mean they are dependent on your working or you are dependent on their work. But the condition is like that.

 

This conversation (which occured in Los Angeles, Dec. 13th, 1973) was also made into a "Prabhupada Speaks Out" in Back to Godhead Magazine (a 1999 edition). I compared the two and it was pretty surprising how much it had been edited. I wasn't aware that the conversations were so edited in Back To Godhead magazine. Here is the same conversation from Prabhupa Speaks Out:

 

Disciple: So, Srila Prabhupada, we can distinguish that the soul who goes away from the material body has nothing to do with the worms and germs that go on living in the body after death. But before the soul goes away from the material body, does he have something to do with the innumerable souls who live within the body’s cells? I think that in the past you’ve said each cell contains a distinct and individual soul.

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, I said that.

 

Disciple: So, during the time before the “main soul” goes away from the body, could we say that these other souls living in the cell structures are supporting that one particular soul?

 

Srila Prabhupada: No. They are living their own individual lives, irrespective of that particular soul. For instance, there are many germs living in some person’s, say Mr. John’s, stool. Why are those germs living there? Simply because stool is their ideal place for living; that’s all. But those germs have nothing to do with that particular soul, Mr. John.

I'm still not convinced that each cell has a soul, because Srila Prabhupada keeps giving examples of worms and germs.

They are talking cells but Srila Prabhupada never mentioned cells, just worms and germs.

 

so, we all know that worms and germs have jiva souls.

Srila Prabhupada never specifically said "cells".

He kept referring to germs and worms.

 

so, I am far from convinced until I actually see Srila Prabhupada say cells.

 

Srila Prabhupada went to the example of germs and worms.

So, because he got away from "cells" and went to germs and worms, I am still not convinced.

 

If there were souls in every cell of our body then Lord Krishna couldn't say that our bodies were made of material energy.

 

Worms and germs are not part of the body.

They are parasites.

 

tissue cells cannot in any way be compared to the parasites that Srila Prabhupada mentioned.

 

still, I am not convinced.

 

I heard Prabhupada talking about parasites, not tissue cells.

[mahak]

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/index.html

 

two key stipulated facts.

 

Krsna is the smallest of the small, so on the above linK, he is even in the atom, in the quark.

 

Krsna is present in every atom.

 

Haribol, ys mahaksadasa

 

PS Just as the earth is a living entity composed of living entities, the body of the human is made up of countless living entities. There are no sentient (meaning living, subject to all the symptoms of life) beings that have no localized paramatma. So the worm, when analyzed, can be seen to have living parasites that compose his form. The ant has aphids, the aphids have mites, etc, etc. etc.

 

Haribol

[Guest guest]

 

still, I am not convinced.

 

I heard Prabhupada talking about parasites, not tissue cells.

 

You think Srila Prabhupada did not know what cells are? Come on, he was an educated person, a chemist and a pharmacist. People were teaching about cells in India since late 1800's in upper levels of education. Prabhupada went to Scottish Churches College and even studied psychology there under Dr. Urquhart, surely he knew what cells are...

[Murali_Mohan_das]

Thank you, Jahnava Nita Prabhu (what a wonderful name!), for taking the time to do the research!!

 

I had looked in Srimad Bhagavatam a bit for references to the "City of Nine Gates", but found nothing concise and punchy with which to illustrate this point.

 

It seems pretty clear from the analogy of a city that there must be many, many inhabitants within the body (and not all of them are "foreigners" like the intestinal flora). Otherwise, no doubt, a better analogy could have been found.

 

 

All cells contain souls according to the following conversation with Srila Prabhupada. I just listened to the audio to see whether Prabhupada is saying "yes" to confirm the statement or whether he is saying "yes, go on with your question." It wasn't a super forceful yes (like he was absolutely stating it), but it was forceful enough to make it appear that Srila Prabhupada was agreeing with the statement.

 

It isn't as authoritative as if Prabhupada had said the words himself, as he may not have heard the question or statement clearly (due to the sound of the ocean in the background), or he may not have understood the specific context that Bhakti Swarup Damodar Maharaj was trying to present.

 

Still after reading the transcription and hearing the tape I would tend to think Prabhupada did agree with the statement. Also Bhakti Swarup Damodar's statement itself deserves serious consideration since he was (I believe) a molecular biologist. The fact that he considers cells to possess life would be enough for a nontechnical person like myself to accept his word that cells are living. I havent studied molecular biology, and I don't know all the intricacies of cell formation and cell functioning, but if someone who did study this presented to me that they are living, I would generally accept it, especially coming from a learned vaishnava.

 

 

Svarupa Damodara: What is the condition of the soul, innumerable souls, within the body? Like the cells. All are living cells. These all contain individual souls.

 

Prabhupada: Yes.

 

Svarupa Damodara: So what these individual souls are doing to support the bigger soul?

 

Prabhupada: No, they are living individually. Just like there are many germs in your stool. Because the stool is there, they are living. That is their perfect condition of living. That's all. But that germs has nothing to do with this individual soul, Mr. John. Just like I am living, you are living, but we are all independent different souls. They are living in their own condition, you are living in your own condition. But when you go to office to work, you find so many others are also working. But that does not mean they are dependent on your working or you are dependent on their work. But the condition is like that.

 

This conversation (which occured in Los Angeles, Dec. 13th, 1973) was also made into a "Prabhupada Speaks Out" in Back to Godhead Magazine (a 1999 edition). I compared the two and it was pretty surprising how much it had been edited. I wasn't aware that the conversations were so edited in Back To Godhead magazine. Here is the same conversation from Prabhupada Speaks Out:

 

Disciple: So, Srila Prabhupada, we can distinguish that the soul who goes away from the material body has nothing to do with the worms and germs that go on living in the body after death. But before the soul goes away from the material body, does he have something to do with the innumerable souls who live within the body’s cells? I think that in the past you’ve said each cell contains a distinct and individual soul.

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, I said that.

 

Disciple: So, during the time before the “main soul” goes away from the body, could we say that these other souls living in the cell structures are supporting that one particular soul?

 

Srila Prabhupada: No. They are living their own individual lives, irrespective of that particular soul. For instance, there are many germs living in some person’s, say Mr. John’s, stool. Why are those germs living there? Simply because stool is their ideal place for living; that’s all. But those germs have nothing to do with that particular soul, Mr. John.

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

 

If there were souls in every cell of our body then Lord Krishna couldn't say that our bodies were made of material energy.

 

Our bodies are made up of billions of other material bodies (cells). The cells are still made up of material energy, just as our body is made up of material energy.

 

If one analyses the symptoms of life, then it can be seen that cells do possess life. They can even be seperated from the body and continue to live and function for some short duration of their life. As Theist stated earlier, Srila Prabhupada gives six symptoms that establish the presence of life. Reproduction would be the clearest evidence of life, and that is part of the definition for a cell ("a self replicating unit").

 

I think it is beyond question that cells are living (as we can obviously have living cells and dead cells) , but whether that living cell is independently living or just alive from the presence of our one soul is debatable. In the two cases where Srila Prabhupada was presented with this idea of each cell having a soul he said "yes", but that isn't an absolute indication.

 

There are many cases of single cell living entities (such as bacterias), so a single cell can have a life of its own beyond doubt. What makes those cells any different from the cells of our bodies? They both perform the same basic actions. All cells can reproduce, take in raw material (food), build cell components, convert energy and release byproducts. These certainly come under Srila Prabhupada's six symptoms of life as mentioned in Bhagavad Gita As It Is.

[Ananta Sesa]

 

To answer your question concerning having someone of the calibre of Hrdayananda speak, we have that here. We have theist, gHari, guruvani, lowborn, and two muralis. There is six people there that are equal or even much greater authority than my obsessive godbrother who never shows any tolerance to the folks he speaks to.

 

Haribol, ys, mahaksadasa

 

PS If you dont mind my asking, by what authority is he deemed authoritative?

 

I just thought that he is an authority since he was nominated the reverential task to translate the continuation of the Srimad Bhagavatam which Srila Prabhupada didn´t finish...

[Guruvani]

 

Our bodies are made up of billions of other material bodies (cells). The cells are still made up of material energy, just as our body is made up of material energy.

 

If one analyses the symptoms of life, then it can be seen that cells do possess life. They can even be seperated from the body and continue to live and function for some short duration of their life. As Theist stated earlier, Srila Prabhupada gives six symptoms that establish the presence of life. Reproduction would be the clearest evidence of life, and that is part of the definition for a cell ("a self replicating unit").

 

I think it is beyond question that cells are living (as we can obviously have living cells and dead cells) , but whether that living cell is independently living or just alive from the presence of our one soul is debatable. In the two cases where Srila Prabhupada was presented with this idea of each cell having a soul he said "yes", but that isn't an absolute indication.

 

There are many cases of single cell living entities (such as bacterias), so a single cell can have a life of its own beyond doubt. What makes those cells any different from the cells of our bodies? They both perform the same basic actions. All cells can reproduce, take in raw material (food), build cell components, convert energy and release byproducts. These certainly come under Srila Prabhupada's six symptoms of life as mentioned in Bhagavad Gita As It Is.

 

well, I have seen several times when the disciple was talking one thing and Srila Prabhupada wasn't quite catching the drift and was talking on another wavelength.

 

In the conversation cited above Srila Prabhupada goes from the topic of cells to the topic of germs and worms - the parasites that live within the human body.

So, the fact that he didn't stick to the topic of cells shows to me that he shifted the discussion from cells to germs and worms that live in the human body.

 

I have seen lectures or something in the books where Srila Prabhupada said that the blood cells are given energy as they pass through the heart where the human soul is seated.

 

So, for me, I can still imagine that the residual energy from the human soul is giving energy to the cells of the body.

 

If there were jivas in each and every cell then in fact our bodies would not me made of strictly material energy as Krishna says in the gita.

 

The body has always been described as being made of earth, water, fire etc. etc.

If there were souls in each cell of the body then there would be a spiritual energy as a component of the body composition.

 

I am always open for good evidence, but I am not sure the issue can ever be perfectly resolved due to the fact the consicousness of the soul in the human form could be energizing the cells and giving them the appearance of life.

 

Removing cells from the body and causing cultures to grow in a lab is still not a proof of anything because the cells could be running off of residual energy. Also, tissue cells won't grow outside the body independently without creating an artificial environment.

 

Since it is said that the consciousness of the human soul spreads thoughtout the body. I don't see that each and every cell must have it's own jiva to sustain it.

 

Their are all sort of life forms that live off of sunlight that comes from an outside source.

The "life" of the tissue cell does not have to come from within.

It could be coming from outside the cell and being absorbed.

 

If we add jivas to every cell of the body then we have to add another element to the list of ingrediants that the human body is made of according to Bhagavad-gita.

 

Shastra has always said the body was made of material energy.

If there is a jiva in every cell, then that is not quite a proper description.

[Ananta Sesa]

 

All cells contain souls according to the following conversation with Srila Prabhupada...

 

Thank you for the research Jahnava Nitai Prabhu!

[Murali_Mohan_das]

The jiva is *in* the body, but not *of* the body.

 

Similarly, the jiva is *in* the cell, but not *of* the cell.

 

The body can *contain* numerous pencil rays of the Divine and yet still be made up of mundane energy. There is no contradiction, and there is nothing deficient in the shastra--merely our understanding of it.

 

 

well, I have seen several times when the disciple was talking one thing and Srila Prabhupada wasn't quite catching the drift and was talking on another wavelength.

 

In the conversation cited above Srila Prabhupada goes from the topic of cells to the topic of germs and worms - the parasites that live within the human body.

So, the fact that he didn't stick to the topic of cells shows to me that he shifted the discussion from cells to germs and worms that live in the human body.

 

I have seen lectures or something in the books where Srila Prabhupada said that the blood cells are given energy as they pass through the heart where the human soul is seated.

 

So, for me, I can still imagine that the residual energy from the human soul is giving energy to the cells of the body.

 

If there were jivas in each and every cell then in fact our bodies would not me made of strictly material energy as Krishna says in the gita.

 

The body has always been described as being made of earth, water, fire etc. etc.

If there were souls in each cell of the body then there would be a spiritual energy as a component of the body composition.

 

I am always open for good evidence, but I am not sure the issue can ever be perfectly resolved due to the fact the consicousness of the soul in the human form could be energizing the cells and giving them the appearance of life.

 

Removing cells from the body and causing cultures to grow in a lab is still not a proof of anything because the cells could be running off of residual energy. Also, tissue cells won't grow outside the body independently without creating an artificial environment.

 

Since it is said that the consciousness of the human soul spreads thoughtout the body. I don't see that each and every cell must have it's own jiva to sustain it.

 

Their are all sort of life forms that live off of sunlight that comes from an outside source.

The "life" of the tissue cell does not have to come from within.

It could be coming from outside the cell and being absorbed.

 

If we add jivas to every cell of the body then we have to add another element to the list of ingrediants that the human body is made of according to Bhagavad-gita.

 

Shastra has always said the body was made of material energy.

If there is a jiva in every cell, then that is not quite a proper description.

[Guest guest]

 

I just thought that he is an authority since he was nominated the reverential task to translate the continuation of the Srimad Bhagavatam which Srila Prabhupada didn´t finish...

 

This story is much more complicated. Srila Prabhupada actually appointed Pradyumna Prabhu to finish translating Srimad Bhagavatam but Hridayananda M. has taken this service after Pradyumna was kicked out of Iskcon.

[Guruvani]

Cell division is an asexual process of binary fission.

We all know that sex is what makes the world go round and it is through sexual processes that living entities are born.

 

I am not so sure that an asexual process of binary fission can really be called "birth" of an organism.

Each cell type has specific genes "switched on" or "switched off" so that it can carry out its particular function.

This to me indicates a very high intelligence at work in these cells that I think should likely be attributed to Paramatma and not atma.

Something inside each cell is switching on and off specific genes for a specific purpose.

I don't think that any jiva with the body of a one cell organism is smart enought to know which genes to switch on or off....

[Murali_Mohan_das]

 

This story is much more complicated. Srila Prabhupada actually appointed Pradyumna Prabhu to finish translating Srimad Bhagavatam but Hridayananda M. has taken this service after Pradyumna was kicked out of Iskcon.

I can't say I know Pradyumna Prabu well, but I met him when I was living as an undergraduate in New York (well, no doubt he saw me as little rapscallion in L.A. years earlier). As a favor to his friend, he would occasionally fill in as professor for Sanskrit classes at Columbia. I met him one or twice at a cafe near the university.

 

Having my head pretty firmly inserted up my rear at that time (I think I've managed to wedge a bit of it free since then), I did not avail myself of Prabhu's association to the extent that I could have.

 

Still, despite my condition, it was very clear from the brief association I had with him, that Pradyumna Prabhu is a most humble, sincere, and sweet individual.

 

While I met his son Aniruddha at the time, we did not become closer friends until the later time we both lived in L.A.

 

Aniruddha Prabhu himself is a rather intelligent and scholarly person. The last trace of him I saw was a not-so-pleasant open letter he sent about Sripad Narayan Maharaj. It gave the impression that he is living a solitary life. I pray to have this good soul's association once again (and his illustrious father's as well).

[Guest guest]

 

...it was very clear from the brief association I had with him, that Pradyumna Prabhu is a most humble, sincere, and sweet individual.

 

Thanks for the update. The zonal acharya lobby had him kicked out of Iskcon shortly after Prabhupada's passing for having too much common sense and integrity (brahminical qualities). If I'm not mistaken, the above mentioned swami had quite a hand in it.

[theist]

 

This story is much more complicated. Srila Prabhupada actually appointed Pradyumna Prabhu to finish translating Srimad Bhagavatam but Hridayananda M. has taken this service after Pradyumna was kicked out of Iskcon.

This is why I read the verses of the 11th and 12th cantos but not the purports. Someone so ambitious and dishonest as to just toss aside Srila Prabhupada's expressed desire on who should finish his SB in such a way is not someone I want to hear from.

 

This caution proveed correct when just a couple years ago he spoke out in favor of Iskcon sactioned homosex marriage.

 

What? No way!

[mahak]

Appointed translator now, like appointed acarya then, is so foreign to me. I read canto one thru nine, then the krsna book. If I come to understand and act upon the first verse of canto one, Ill go fully back to godhead, without any so-called scholarly effort from sources than cannot be confirmed. I dont read books about spiritual life from anyone other than guru, be (s)he siksa, diksa, etc. The eleventh canto I have access to is the citations Srila Prabhupada placed in nectar of devotion and other compilations.

 

While Srila Prabhupada was physically present, he had disciples helping translate, like Goursundara and other scholarly types, and had proofreaders and editors, like Sri Jayadwaita Swami, and I have great respect for their assigned duties. But assigned purports? This is a surrendering process, and I choose to not go there.

 

I read other literature for the story line, like mahabharata and Ramayana, but I use the teachings of Srila Prabhupada to get the real drift of these transcendental literatures.

 

haribol, ys, mahaksadasa

[Guruvani]

 

 

This caution proveed correct when just a couple years ago he spoke out in favor of Iskcon sactioned homosex marriage.

 

Is there any limit to the mercy and grace of the pure Vaishnava?

 

Srila Prabhupada was very kind to homosexuals.

He showed them much mercy and grace.

 

These people are confused souls born into a body that doesn't suit them.

 

Kali-yuga is a bitch.

 

Other than their sexual preferences they can be really nice people.

 

Kali-yuga is the age of perversion.

Deal with it.

[Guest guest]

This is not my problem with Hrdayananda. I like the liberal minded approach that actually is following Srila Prabhupada, who didnt even discriminate against heroin addicts. Ive seen other devotees who have wierder politics than accepting the fact of a third gender. I had other problems with him, and cannot rectify these misgivings. Im sure he is a fine devotee, just not friends, which is both of our prorogatives.

[Guruvani]

 

This is not my problem with Hrdayananda. I like the liberal minded approach that actually is following Srila Prabhupada, who didnt even discriminate against heroin addicts. Ive seen other devotees who have wierder politics than accepting the fact of a third gender. I had other problems with him, and cannot rectify these misgivings. Im sure he is a fine devotee, just not friends, which is both of our prorogatives.

 

Honestly, I don't don't know him personally, but I remember that in the "good old days" he gave lectures that truly inspired me.

I think he is a genius.

If I had a fraction of his intelligence I would be quite well off.

[theist]

 

Is there any limit to the mercy and grace of the pure Vaishnava?

 

Srila Prabhupada was very kind to homosexuals.

He showed them much mercy and grace.

 

These people are confused souls born into a body that doesn't suit them.

 

Kali-yuga is a bitch.

 

Other than their sexual preferences they can be really nice people.

 

Kali-yuga is the age of perversion.

Deal with it.

As usually your preachy attitude "deal with it" is completely out of place.

 

Prabhupada was kind to everyone including his homo disciples without discrimination but when it came to the activity of homosexuals and especially so-called homosex marriage he spoke strongly against it.

 

Maybe you are Hridayananda should get your own homo branch going but it has no place under Srila Prabhupoada's roof.

 

Anyway let's stick to the thread topic or you can start another thread on homo's if you like.

[AncientMariner]

 

Is there any limit to the mercy and grace of the pure Vaishnava?

 

Srila Prabhupada was very kind to homosexuals.

He showed them much mercy and grace.

 

These people are confused souls born into a body that doesn't suit them.

 

Kali-yuga is a bitch.

 

Other than their sexual preferences they can be really nice people.

 

Kali-yuga is the age of perversion.

Deal with it.

I don't doubt that Prabhupada was kind to homosexuals but I have read a quote by Prabhupada that said how degraded the Christian priests etc. have become and now they are even granting man to man marriage so it seems there is some evidence that he thought it was degrading for a priest to grant man to man marriage. Don't know if he ever changed his views or anything.

[theist]

One thing that is apparent from this thread is the need for each of us individually to come to the platform of understanding how to sense the presence of the spiritual side individually, at first imtellectually and then directly.

 

We have been given the formula of observing life symptoms to detect the atma but if we don't even apply that intellectual approach what hope do we have of coming to be able to distinquish spirit from matter?

[muralidhar_das]

I believe there is one soul in a human body and that the cells are not individual jivas.

 

 

as the sun alone illuminates all this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminate the entire body by consciousness. (Gita 13. 34)

 

Worms in your belly are a different matter.

 

This then brings up the interesting fact that blood cells are kinda independent entities that bubble around inside our arteries and veins (and brain). If blood cells are not separate jivas, then maybe it can be argued that bacteria in the earth are not individual jivas but parts of "mother earth".

 

I tend to think this way about things.

 

I tend to think that there is a spirit in a forest, but that individual trees are not separate beings but instead hairs of the body of the forest. I will find the Bhagavat verses to support this, if someone wants.

 

Pure speculation on my part, I admit. But this is the way I tend to see things.

 

Trees don't seem to exhibit an individuality or ego, but then according to the Upanishads trees have feelings since trees bleed when you cut them. But are they conscious of their body or are trees in a state of consciousness like the deep sleep of a man who is unaware of sense perceptions entering his ears and nose?

 

Even mountains are said to be souls in the Veda, and apparently the souls in mountains are jivas who are yogis meditating on "Earth" chakra. This, I think, is Srila Sridhar Maharaj's opinion (I base this on the fact that he talked about this sort of thing but I didn't get to speak with him and clarify things).

[Guruvani]

 

I believe there is one soul in a human body and that the cells are not individual jivas.

 

 

Worms in your belly are a different matter.

 

This then brings up the interesting fact that blood cells are kinda independent entities that bubble around inside our arteries and veins (and brain). If blood cells are not separate jivas, then maybe it can be argued that bacteria in the earth are not individual jivas but parts of "mother earth".

 

I tend to think this way about things.

 

I tend to think that there is a spirit in a forest, but that individual trees are not separate beings but instead hairs of the body of the forest. I will find the Bhagavat verses to support this, if someone wants.

 

Pure speculation on my part, I admit. But this is the way I tend to see things.

 

Trees don't seem to exhibit an individuality or ego, but then according to the Upanishads trees have feelings since trees bleed when you cut them. But are they conscious of their body or are trees in a state of consciousness like the deep sleep of a man who is unaware of sense perceptions entering his ears and nose?

 

Even mountains are said to be souls in the Veda, and apparently the souls in mountains are jivas who are yogis meditating on "Earth" chakra. This, I think, is Srila Sridhar Maharaj's opinion (I base this on the fact that he talked about this sort of thing but I didn't get to speak with him and clarify things).

 

[Guruvani]

 

 

Pure speculation on my part, I admit. But this is the way I tend to see things.

 

 

 

what comes from the heart is never speculation.

it is the voice from above.

 

[theist]

 

I believe there is one soul in a human body and that the cells are not individual jivas.

 

 

Worms in your belly are a different matter.

 

This then brings up the interesting fact that blood cells are kinda independent entities that bubble around inside our arteries and veins (and brain). If blood cells are not separate jivas, then maybe it can be argued that bacteria in the earth are not individual jivas but parts of "mother earth".

 

I tend to think this way about things.

 

I tend to think that there is a spirit in a forest, but that individual trees are not separate beings but instead hairs of the body of the forest. I will find the Bhagavat verses to support this, if someone wants.

 

Pure speculation on my part, I admit. But this is the way I tend to see things.

 

Trees don't seem to exhibit an individuality or ego, but then according to the Upanishads trees have feelings since trees bleed when you cut them. But are they conscious of their body or are trees in a state of consciousness like the deep sleep of a man who is unaware of sense perceptions entering his ears and nose?

 

Even mountains are said to be souls in the Veda, and apparently the souls in mountains are jivas who are yogis meditating on "Earth" chakra. This, I think, is Srila Sridhar Maharaj's opinion (I base this on the fact that he talked about this sort of thing but I didn't get to speak with him and clarify things).

 

Let's see, You don't believe cells are indivudals and based on that belief blood cells are not individuals and based on that bacteria in the earth are not indiviuals but just part of Mother Earth. Same with the trees in the forest and then the forest themselves. Well expand that out and from a larger perspective and planets like earth are just cells in a galaxy and therefore have no individual souls either. Only the galaxy does. But Galaxies are just cells in a universe so only the universe has a soul and that soul is Brahma. But wait again this entire universe is just a cell in the totality of universes and there is only one soul for that totality of the material manifestation and that is Krsna or Brahman.

 

So what is thought to be an individual soul by the personalist school is really just based on their maya of individuality and as our consciousness expands we see the tiny illusions of individuality disolving into the larger ones until all that is left is Brahman.

 

A unique presentation with a familar conclusion, one soul and one soul only in all of existence.

 

Welcome to mayavadi philosophy.

 

As for myself I'll pass thank you.