* Inspired by the Book “Autobiography of the Soul” – An Epic of the end of times (Tamil book) (Authors: Valmeegi, Agasthyar / Gnanalayam Pondy)*
Where is the Soul?
If the Soul is taken to exist, where is it inside us?
Is it in our heart - most people believe that the sense of "I" comes from the place near the physical heart.
Ramana Maharishi has also explained similarly (i forget in which work I read this).
Here is an extract from https://www.arunachalasamudra.org/teachings_ramanamaharshi.html#SearchingtheSourceofIThought
Sri Ramana often said that one should read and study the Ribhu Gita regularly. He once remarked that in the Ribhu Gita it is said: "That idea 'I am not the body, I am not the mind, I am Brahman, I am everything' is to be repeated again and again until this become the natural state." Ramana also said that such repetitions were a powerful aid to Self-enquiry.
The Ribhu Gita is a spiritual text extensively used by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. It was one of the first books he read after self-realization after he came to Arunachala and one whose message clearly accorded with what he had realized within himself. During his life it was recited at Ramanasramam and it is still read at Ramanasramam today. Ramana's use and recommendation of this text has brought it into much wider visibility among those interested in his teachings and Advaita Vedanta. According to Annamalai Swami, "Bhagavan often said that we should read and study the Ribhu Gita regularly.
The origins of the Ribhu Gita are uncertain. It is contained within the Sivarahasya, an ancient Sanskrit epic devoted to Siva. It has been compared to the better-known Bhagavad Gita, contained within the epic Mahabharata. Similar dialogues between Ribhu and Nidagha on the Self and Brahman are also found within the traditional 108 Upanishads, so it appears that the origin of the Ribhu Gita dates from the Upanishadic period, generally thought to be about 600 BC. The Ribhu Gita exists in two forms, the traditional Sanskrit version, and a Tamil version rendered in the late 1800s by Bhikshu Sastrigal, also known as Ulagantha Swamigal. The Tamil version follows the Sanskrit original in essential contents. It was rearranged by Ulagantha Swamigal and placed in eight-line verses of great beauty. The Tamil version was the one primarily used by Sri Ramana. Both the Sanskrit and Tamil versions have now been translated into English in complete translations. This was done by Dr. H. Ramamoorthy, a Sanskrit and Tamil scholar, and Nome, a spiritual teacher in the United States.
The Ribhu Gita is a spiritual text extensively used by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. It was one of the first books he read after self-realization after he came to Arunachala and one whose message clearly accorded with what he had realized within himself. During his life it was recited at Ramanasramam and it is still read at Ramanasramam today. Ramana's use and recommendation of this text has brought it into much wider visibility among those interested in his teachings and Advaita Vedanta. According to Annamalai Swami, "Bhagavan often said that we should read and study the Ribhu Gita regularly.
The origins of the Ribhu Gita are uncertain. It is contained within the Sivarahasya, an ancient Sanskrit epic devoted to Siva. It has been compared to the better-known Bhagavad Gita, contained within the epic Mahabharata. Similar dialogues between Ribhu and Nidagha on the Self and Brahman are also found within the traditional 108 Upanishads, so it appears that the origin of the Ribhu Gita dates from the Upanishadic period, generally thought to be about 600 BC. The Ribhu Gita exists in two forms, the traditional Sanskrit version, and a Tamil version rendered in the late 1800s by Bhikshu Sastrigal, also known as Ulagantha Swamigal. The Tamil version follows the Sanskrit original in essential contents. It was rearranged by Ulagantha Swamigal and placed in eight-line verses of great beauty. The Tamil version was the one primarily used by Sri Ramana. Both the Sanskrit and Tamil versions have now been translated into English in complete translations. This was done by Dr. H. Ramamoorthy, a Sanskrit and Tamil scholar, and Nome, a spiritual teacher in the United States.
But I digress - where is the Soul. I am reminded of the hymns from Narayana Sukta, a prayer to the Universal being called Narayana.
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| Narayana Suktam with translation taken from internet |
The above hymn fixes the great consciousness, the parabrahman, in the centre of the heart. However, it does not call it as the Soul, atman, anywhere. However, the descriptions of the great and undecaying flame of fire suits the atman/soul description.
i had in my younger days, after i started to work, was inspired to recite the Narayana Suktam. It also helped that during that time i thought of myself as a Vishnu-bhakt, devotee of Vishnu and his various avatars like Krishna and Narasimha.
The Narayana Sukta hymn was in resonance with my underlying conviction (an undeveloped one at that time) that an undying and eternal consciousness pervades us all, either we call it as Vishnu or Shiva.
Thinking back, something in me had inspired, guided and aided me in the search for the ultimate truth, of why are we here, who are the Gods and what started it all.
Little did i know, that it will lead back to me, the real me - the atman that makes me what i am, i was, i will be.
The journey in search of the atman/Soul shall continue...
naiva strī na
pumān eṣa na caivāyaṃ napuṃsakaḥ / yad
yac charīram ādatte tena tena sa yujyate // 5.10 //
Meaning: Jivatma
in reality is neither male nor female nor neuter. Whatever body jivatma adopts,
the gender of that body becomes its gender. Jivatma is undifferentiated and
devoid of all attributes.
(Svetasvatara Upanishad, Chapter 5, The One Immanent God, Mantras on Jiva - credit: eSamskriti.com)
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