Question: I work as a nurse for newborn babies, and sometimes a baby will essentially die and we keep it alive with machines. Sometimes I want to stop the machines and allow the poor little child's soul to go on. Is this wrong? Is the child receiving any benefit from remaining in the physical, even though essentially the body is dead?

Sri Chinmoy: From the spiritual point of view, there is no hard and fast rule. I usually say that if there is a way to keep the soul on earth a little longer, it should be done. The best thing is to know God’s Will in each particular case. Always we have to remember that God Himself is having an experience in and through the person.

If you do not know what God’s Will is, then if there is a way to keep the soul on earth a little longer, you should try to save the person. Then your hope will increase, your faith in your own capacity will increase, and also God will get the opportunity to do the needful in and through that particular soul on earth.