Asserted Topics:
- Each body has a different soul
- Each body has a unique soul
Key Points:
Family relationships are based on past actions/Indebtedness; hence one should not be more distressed by that.
Explanation
In this Vachanāmrut, Sadguru Shri Nityānand Swami asked, Is there one soul residing in different bodies, or are there as many souls as there are bodies? The possible answer is that each body has a unique soul. Assuming this, the second question is, Is the soul divisible or fragmented? The possible answer for this could be, No, the soul cannot be fragmented; the soul is indivisible and indestructible. Assuming this the next question is asked, If that is true, then When we cut a branch off of a tree, such as a banyan or a peepal tree, and plant it somewhere else, it grows into a tree that is the same size as the original tree. How to understand this? Here the soul appears to be divided into two and if we consider the soul as indivisible and indestructible (according to scriptures) then how does the soul come to the second tree? That is to say: By what medium/means does the second soul enter the tree?
There are many well-known procreation systems in the world today. Atma (soul) manifests itself into the human body while developing in a mother’s womb for mammals, eggs for other animals, and seeds for plants. In this case, the procreation system of trees is quite different. Shreeji Maharaj replies that once the banyan tree is planted a different soul enters each branch so that when it is cut a new tree with a new soul is created.
Reproductive cycles differ across different species. For example, insects can be created from human sweat or through a more physical reproductive selection. Different species also have different habitats which impact their reproductive cycles. For example, trees are grown in the forest whereas insects can be born in water, land, and sometimes even within an organism.
These natural creations are all arranged by Purush and Prakruti, a twin faculty of God, as per the individual actions of the soul and the will of God. Even though people sometimes express doubts in the phenomenon of creation, it is a proven concept that exists despite not being well understood and popular among current science. Therefore, Shreeji Maharaj has mentioned in this Vachanāmrut that Purush and Prakruti, create the universe per God’s will and not according to their own will.
Relationships between one body to another are based on individuals past karmas (actions). This world is like a “clearing house” in which people clear their assets and liabilities. In the same manner, infinite souls have taken birth in this universe and are related to each other based on their past actions, and express relationships in the current life because of these actions. Scriptures say:
Shravan mahinani vadalio vayuthi veraye re…
Te rite saga sahodar thaaye ne vali jaye re….
Relationships appear and disappear like the clouds during the months of Shravan (Monsoon season), similarly relatives and relations happen and go.
The ancient scriptures have mentioned five kinds of relationships by giving an example of a parent-child relationship.
- Nyāsvānu bandhi (relation because of deposit): In the previous life if someone had deposited an asset with someone else, and if the receiver did not return back the asset, then by this action he suffers in hell, and then the depositor takes the birth as a child to the receiver in the next life and inflicts pain on the receiver by needing too much care during its upbringing and in this way takes the loan or the asset back.
दुःखं दत्वा प्रत्ययात्येवं भूत्वा भूत्वा पुनः पुनः।
“Duhkham datva pratya-yatyev bhutva bhutva punah punah” .
For example, parents will take care and raise their children and work hard. While the child may be virtuous, when the child grows up, they may die prematurely or go against the parents, causing the parents to experience pain. This is called Nyāsānu bandhi (relation clearing of deposited things).
- Runānubadhi (loan): When someone takes a loan and refuses to repay it even though they can do so. In such a situation, the lender takes birth in the borrower’s house to have that debt repaid.
For example, the son may disrespect the parents, speak harsh words, harass the parents, speak illicit words, or show no mercy or kindness despite all the care and time the parents invest into him. After the parents’ death, he does not perform any ritual for the dead. In this way, he is paid back the debt owed to him. The scriptures say that
एवं विधाश्च वै पुत्राः प्रभवन्ति महीतले ।
“evaṃ vidhāśca vai putrāḥ prabhavanti mahītale”.
- Vairānubandhi (relation through animosity): If one had harassed someone in a previous life then he is born as a son to retaliate. This child behaves like an enemy of parents, harasses and beats them in fun and runs away, insults their parents and has no feelings for them. This child never lets their parents have peace.
पितरं मरयित्वा च मातरं च ततः पुनः ।
प्रत्यात्येवं स दुष्टात्मा पूर्व वैरनुभावतः ॥
pitaraṃ marayitvā cha mātaraṃ cha tataḥ punaḥ |
pratyātyevaṃ sa duṣṭātmā pūrva vairanubhāvataḥ ||
- Upkārānubandhi : If one helps another person with good intentions in the previous life then the receiver becomes a son in the next life and pays that back. This child makes parents happy in every way. They are soft-spoken, serve parents, perform all rituals like Shrādha etc. after the death of parents, and propagate social credits of the father.
पुत्रो भूत्वा महाप्राज्ञ अनेन विधिना किल ।
putro bhūtvā mahāprājña anena vidhinā kila |
- Udāsin (intention free): An intention-free child, who neither owes nor expects to receive anything in return and is simply present to work on their own personal salvation. This child neither makes his parents happy nor allows them to suffer. They behave as if they are not interested in the material world.
उदासीनेन भावेन सदैव परिवत ते ।
udāsīnena bhāvena sadaiva parivata te |
It is mentioned in the scriptures:
यथा पूत्रस्था भार्या पिता माता च बांधवाः ।
भृत्याश्चान्ये समाख्याताः पशवस्तुरगास्तथा ।
गजाः महिषयो दासाश्च… ॥
yathā pūtrasthā bhāryā pitā mātā cha bāṃdhavāḥ |
bhṛtyāśchānye samākhyātāḥ paśavasturagāstathā |
gajāḥ mahiṣayo dāsāścha… ||
Just as human relations and interactions happen, so do human and animal relations. For example, some farmers have cattle that provide more milk than their capacity after little feeding while others will not receive much despite having cows treated with high care. Such relations are due to past karmas. Maharaj has explained the same thing in the Vachanāmrut that one body is created by another. Which is based on their past deeds yet the process of creation/taking birth vary from species to species. Such is the rule of the Almighty.
-Swaminarayan Chintan