V — The soul

What does your soul need?

Each soul needs involution and evolution. When the soul descends, it is the soul’s involution. When the soul ascends, it is the soul’s evolution. The soul enters into the lowest abyss of inconscience. The soul evolves again into Sat-Chid-Ananda — Existence-Consciousness-Bliss — the Triple Consciousness.

The soul enters into inconscience. For millions of years it remains there, fast asleep. All of a sudden one day its eye is opened by a spark of consciousness from the ever-transcending Beyond and then the hour strikes for self-inquiry. “Who am I?” it asks. The answer is Tat twam asi, “That thou art”. The soul is thrilled. Then again, it falls asleep. Again it enters into self-oblivion. More questions arise after some time: “Whose am I?” I am of That. “Where have I come from?” From That. “To Whom am I returning?” To That. “For Whom am I here on earth?” For That.

Then the soul is satisfied. The soul now is fully prepared for its journey upward: high, higher, highest. Now the evolution of the soul starts properly. The soul, from the mineral life enters into the plant life, from the plant to the animal life, from the animal life to the human, and from the human into the divine life. While in the human, the soul brings down Peace, Light and Bliss from above. First it offers these divine qualities to the heart, then to the mind, then to the vital, then to the gross physical. When illumination takes place, we see it in the heart, we see it in the mind, in the vital and in the physical body.

What does your soul need? Your soul needs absolute fulfilment. It wants to achieve this absolute fulfilment not in Heaven, but here on earth. If you think it impossible, then you may continue to sleep for a few centuries. There is no harm in it. But if you feel that the divine life is possible, then the soul whispers in your ear, “Arise, awake!” And if you feel it is not only possible and practicable, then the soul smilingly tells you, “Walk, march, run.” Finally, if you feel that the absolute fulfilment or the divine life is not only possible and practicable, but also inevitable, then only will Immortality beckon you. Yours is the Goal, yours is the kingdom of Truth and Delight.

You are absolutely right when, on the strength of your present knowledge, you tell me that there is no soul. Had there been a soul, how is it that during your whole lifetime you have never had a glimpse of it? I humbly tell you that your experience is no proof against the existence of the soul. Can we see the microbe with our naked eye? No, never. Until we have a microscope, the existence of a microbe is pure imagination. But the microscope compels us to revise our proud opinion. In no time it shatters our firm conviction, illumines our unlit ignorance. Similarly, until we have an illumined consciousness or the power of spiritual vision, the existence of the soul may seem to be a giant mental hallucination.

You may wonder if the soul is a portion of your heart. No, it is not. A portion of your mind? Ridiculous. A portion of your sense organs? Absurd. An unseen portion of your physical body? Impossible. What is it then? What is your soul, after all?

It is the self effulgent messenger of God within you. It knows no birth, no decay, no death. It is eternal. It is immortal.

Your soul is unique. God wants to manifest and fulfil Himself within you in an unprecedented way. God has a particular divine mission to fulfil only through your soul. And to fulfil this particular mission of His, He will utilise your soul and no other soul as His chosen instrument.

Do you want your life to be of service to God so that you can fulfil His mission? If so, then here and now give the soul back its throne. You have driven the soul away and placed the ego on its throne. Do cordially welcome the soul and unite yourself with it. At that time, fear leaves you, ignorance leaves you; finally death leaves you. Eternity welcomes you, Infinite welcomes you; finally, Immortality welcomes you.