Dialogue between a Bhakta and Atheist.

[Guest guest]

Pranams to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Bhaktas ,

Jawahar ( Atheist ) : O Ram ! Can you give me a very simple, but very impressive proof for the existence of Soul ?

Ram ( Bhakta) : You say in daily life, `my Body', `my Prana' , `my Mind', `my Indriya'. This clearly denotes that the Self or Atma is entirely different from body, mind, Prana and Indriyas. Mind and body are your servants or instruments. They are as much outside of you as these towels, chairs, cups are. You are the possessor or proprietor of this body. The body is your property or possession. The body , the senses, the mind etc., are not the soul, but belongs to it .

Jawahar : I am quite satisfied now. O my beloved Ram, I am quite convinced. I was under a great delusion till now. I was sunk in utter ignorance. I am grateful to you for your valuable, cogent, convincing, spiritual instructions. You are my Guru. Please tell me now the method to attain Bhagavan-realization.

Ram : Purify the mind. Control the senses. Develop the four means. Hear the Srutis. Reflect and meditate on Bhagavan . You will attain Bhagavan realization .

( Jawahar did rigorous Tapas and meditation and eventually attained the Bhagavan realization . He now addresses Ram).

Jawahar : O Ram ! O my venerable Guru! You have saved me from this terrible samsara. I now rejoice in Bhagavan . My Atma is now like Amalaka fruit in the palm of my hand. I behold only Bhagavan everywhere. The glory of Bhagavan is ineffable. All my doubts, fears, worries, sorrows, delusion, pain have vanished in toto. I am bodiless, mindless. I am all-pervading intelligence. I am self-luminous. No words can adequately describe the state of illumination.

Ram : O Jawahar! Rest in Supreme Peace. Now roam about and discriminate this supreme knowledge throughout the length and breadth of the land, lift up your brothers from the quagmire of Samsara. You are no more a deceived person with perverted intellect. You are a blessed *Jivanmukta* now.

Bhagavan Sri Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita ( Sloka 2.55- 59) ;

 

When the *jivatma* gives up all material desires arising from the mind , his mind gets controlled from attachment, fear and anger. He becomes satisfied by the blissful nature of the Self alone. He is known as *Sthita-prajna* ( a person of steady intelligence).

One who is not disturbed by the three types of miseries (Adhyatmika, Adhibhautika and Adhidaivika), does not become elated in the presence of happiness, and he is called a steady-minded Sage.

One who is devoid of mundane affection, who neither rejoices in gain nor despairs in loss, is known to have fixed intelligence.

When a person can completely withdraw his senses from the sense objects at will, just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its shell, his intelligence is firmly fixed.

One who identifies himself with his body may artificially restrict his enjoyment by withdrawing the senses from their objects, but his taste for sense-pleasure still remains. However, in the case of *Sthita-prajna* who has realized Paramatman , his taste for sense objects automatically ceases.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev