When the soul leaves the body

Expressions researched:
"soul to another body" |"soul leaves" |"soul leaving the body"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

Transference of the atomic individual soul to another body is made possible by the grace of the Supersoul.

BG 2.22, Purport: Transference of the atomic individual soul to another body is made possible by the grace of the Supersoul. The Supersoul fulfills the desire of the atomic soul as one friend fulfills the desire of another. The Vedas, like the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad, as well as the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, compare the soul and the Supersoul to two friendly birds sitting on the same tree. One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird (Kṛṣṇa) is simply watching His friend. Of these two birds—although they are the same in quality—one is captivated by the fruits of the material tree, while the other is simply witnessing the activities of His friend. Kṛṣṇa is the witnessing bird, and Arjuna is the eating bird. Although they are friends, one is still the master and the other is the servant. Forgetfulness of this relationship by the atomic soul is the cause of one's changing his position from one tree to another, or from one body to another. The jīva soul is struggling very hard on the tree of the material body, but as soon as he agrees to accept the other bird as the supreme spiritual master—as Arjuna agreed to do by voluntary surrender unto Kṛṣṇa for instruction—the subordinate bird immediately becomes free from all lamentations.

SB Canto 4

Satī wanted to transfer her soul to another body or sphere.

SB 4.4.24, Purport: It is said that when a man desires to quit his body he dresses in saffron garments. Therefore it appears that Satī changed her dress, indicating that she was going to quit the body given her by Dakṣa. Dakṣa was Satī's father, so instead of killing Dakṣa she decided that it would be better to destroy the part of his body which was hers. Thus she decided to give up the body of Dakṣa by the yogic process. Satī was the wife of Lord Śiva, who is known as Yogeśvara, the best among all yogīs, because he knows all the mystic processes of yoga, so it appeared that Satī also knew them. Either she learned yoga from her husband or she was enlightened because she was the daughter of such a great king as Dakṣa. The perfection of yoga is that one can give up one's body or release oneself from the embodiment of material elements according to one's desire. Yogīs who have attained perfection are not subject to death by natural laws; such perfect yogīs can leave the body whenever they desire. Generally the yogī first of all becomes mature in controlling the air passing within the body, thus bringing the soul to the top of the brain. Then when the body bursts into flames, the yogī can go anywhere he likes. This yoga system recognizes the soul, and thus it is distinct from the so-called yoga process for controlling the cells of the body, which has been discovered in the modern age. The real yoga process accepts the transmigration of the soul from one planet to another or one body to another; and it appears from this incident that Satī wanted to transfer her soul to another body or sphere.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

When the soul leaves this body and accepts another body, the body was already dead, a lump of matter, and now it is left aside, and the soul has gone to another body.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973: This body, either in living condition of dead condition, it is not the subject matter of lamentation. This is the first education of spiritual life, that this body is actually dead body already. So long the soul is there, it is moving. So when the soul leaves this body and accepts another body, the body was already dead, a lump of matter, and now it is left aside, and the soul has gone to another body. So it is a lump of matter at the present moment, then, after death or after leaving, after the soul has gone from the body, it is the same lump of matter. So lump of matter, where is the cause of lamentation or jubilation? It is a lump of matter. This understanding is first required.

Living condition means so long the soul is there, it looks like very bright, beautiful, moving here and there. And when the soul leaves this body, then what it is? It has no value, a lump of matter.

name wrongly formatted Bhagavad-gita 2.11 -- Rotary Club Address -- Hotel Imperial, Delhi, March 25, 1976Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Rotary Club Address -- Hotel Imperial, Delhi, March 25, 1976: Living condition means so long the soul is there, it looks like very bright, beautiful, moving here and there. And when the soul leaves this body, then what it is? It has no value, a lump of matter. Just like a motorcar. So long it is moving, it is worth one lakh, and so long it does not move, it is simply lump of iron and copper and something. Who cares for it? It is thrown away. Same thing. The body has no value. It has value so long the soul is there.

This material covering, that forces him to get another body according to the mind desires. At the time of death the mind's desire—he gets the similar body.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

Indian man (3): When the soul leaves the body does it go with the intelligence and ego and...

Prabhupāda: This material covering, that forces him to get another body according to the mind desires. At the time of death the mind's desire—he gets the similar body. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. Therefore we have to practice how to remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death. Then immediately we are transferred to the spiritual world.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

But how the mind, intelligence carry the soul to another body, how you can see? We see that this gross body is stopped, we say it is everything finished, because we have got gross intelligence, we have no sūkṣma. Therefore we have to approach guru, just like Arjuna approached guru.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974: Consciousness will go with us. At the time of death the consciousness carries me to another body. Sūkṣma, the fine, or the subtle body, the mind, intelligence, and ego, but we do not see that mind, intelligence, ego. And the soul, it is still finer. Mind is, we know you have got mind, you know I have got mind but you do not see. I know you have got intelligence, you know I have got intelligence but you can not see. But how the mind, intelligence carry the soul to another body, how you can see? We see that this gross body is stopped, we say it is everything finished, because we have got gross intelligence, we have no sūkṣma, in Therefore we have to approach guru, just like Arjuna approached guru.

When this gross body is finished, the subtle body is there. So at the time of your death the mental condition will carry you to a similar body.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- Mauritius, October 2, 1975:

Guest (3): What he wants to know is, when the soul leaves the body completely, what happens after that?

Prabhupāda: This soul is eternal. It is... The soul is covered by two kinds of body. One is subtle body. Just like you have got your mind; I have got my mind. Do you see your mind? Do I see your mind? (second guest translates into French) So the soul is carried by two kinds of body. One body is this gross, made of earth, water, air, sky, like that. And the other... They are like shirt and coat. This is the coating, and there is another body, shirt, which is made of mind, intelligence, and ego. So when this gross body is finished, the subtle body is there. So at the time of your death the mental condition will carry you to a similar body. (Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa translates) [break] This mental body you do not see. Therefore you say that this man is dead. It is not dead. The gross body is changed, and the mental body carries him to another gross body.

Philosophy Discussions

It can be taken figuratively, that when one forgets his position, that is a kind of death also. One forgets himself. But actually soul is eternal, and what Augustine says as spiritual death, that is his forgetfulness. The soul never dies, even after the annihilation of this body.

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: Then if he accepts another body, then he has to accept transmigration.

Hayagrīva: No, he doesn't. Now here's, here's the point. Augustine believed that God elected some men to everlasting happiness and others to everlasting suffering. With the fall of Adam, or the first man, man was subjected to death. For Augustine, however, death is of two types: physical death—the soul leaves the body—and soul death—the death experienced by the soul when God abandons it. The damned face not only physical death but spiritual, soul death as well.

Prabhupāda: So it may..., it can be taken figuratively, that when one forgets his position, that is a kind of death also. One forgets himself. But actually soul is eternal, and what Augustine says as spiritual death, that is his forgetfulness. Just like in unconsciousness one forgets his identity, but if he is dead then he cannot revive consciousness. Similarly, it is little difficult for the bodily concept of life persons, but there are many proofs and understanding that soul is eternal. He, of course, until he gets his freedom from this material existence, he is spiritually dead. Even though he is working in this material form, because he has forgotten his real identity, that is also a kind of death. Yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī. This śloka explains how one is dead and how one is alive. When one is forgetful of his spiritual consciousness, God consciousness, he is supposed to be dead, and when he, one is alive to the spiritual consciousness or God consciousness, he is alive. In this sense, it is a question of two stages, awakening stage and forgetful stage, but actually a soul is eternal. He never dies, even after the annihilation of this body.

As soon as the human soul leaves the body, it must immediately enter another body.

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Hayagrīva: He further writes on this... He says, "There is strictly speaking neither absolute birth nor complete death consisting in the separation of the soul from the body. What we call birth is development or growth, as what we call death is envelopment and diminution."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is transmigration. That is transmigration. He hasn't..., he is not dead, but he has developed into another body. That is transmigration. Then why does he deny that?

Hayagrīva: So he says, in other words, as soon as the human soul leaves the body, it must immediately...

Prabhupāda: Enters another body.

Hayagrīva: ...enter another.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: But not nec..., but not in the case of ghosts.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Hayagrīva: With the exception of...

Prabhupāda: Ghost, he is already in the body.

Hayagrīva: Oh, uh huh, the subtle body.

Prabhupāda: The subtle body.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

But as soon as the soul leaves the body, as soon as it is gone, everything is finished. Why these rascals do not know? Why they cannot replace with chemicals to bring life again?

Morning Walk -- May 3, 1973, Los Angeles:

Brahmānanda: ...if the soul leaves the body...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: It looks nice...

Prabhupāda: But as soon as gone, everything is finished. Why these rascals do not know? Why they cannot replace with chemicals to bring life again? Why these rascals are accepted, I do not know. If the matter is the cause of origin of life... Now one dead man, such a big man, such a Professor Einstein, big brain, he is dying. Put another chemical. Let him come back to life and work again. So why these rascals talk like this? You cannot protest? You should protest. Your protest will be accepted because our, they say that "You are not scientist. We cannot talk with you." That's all right. But here is a scientist. Talk with him. Where is your that material chemical by injecting which...? What do they say? What is wanting in the dead body that the body is dead?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

The brain work stops when the soul leaves the body. Spirit soul, so long there is within the body, it works. You cut this tree and it will dry, it will not work.

Morning Walk -- January 15, 1974, Hawaii:

Devotee: ...in Time magazine yesterday, and the scientists are thinking now that man is his mind. They were talking about the brain.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: That if man only knew his mind he would know himself. What is actually the brain? And the mind?

Prabhupāda: Mind, that is also matter, material.

Devotee: They're saying that the mind or the brain is the source of man's consciousness.

Prabhupāda: No. Brain is the instrument for expressing consciousness. Otherwise, when the man is dead, why the brain does not work? Do you follow?

Devotee: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Why the brain work stops?

Devotee: The soul leaves the body.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Body is also material. Spirit soul, so long there is within the body, it works. You cut this tree and it will dry, it will not work. So long the soul is there, it is very luxuriant, very beautiful.

How you can explain that the soul also dies when it leaves the body? Why the body's hand is there, leg is there, head is there, why it stopped working?

Room Conversation with Mr. Deshimaru -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Deshimaru: But what do you know about the soul leaving the body? Maybe when the body leaves the soul, the soul also dies.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: The point is that body and soul are two things.

Deshimaru: I think it is same thing.

Prabhupāda: You think, but how you can prove?

Deshimaru: How you can prove that the body...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, you cannot prove. When the soul is gone...

Yogeśvara: He's asking how can we prove our point?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I can prove that the body is dead because the soul is gone. (French)

Yogeśvara: He says, "Oh, I can also say that when the body is dead, the soul is dead."

Karandhara: No, but at the time of death the body is still there. Just like your body is there, at the time of death your body will still be there, but it won't be the same, something is missing. Something's gone away. What's the difference between a dead body and a living body?

Prabhupāda: How you can explain? Why the body's hand is there, leg is there, head is there, why it stopped working? (French)

Yogeśvara: He says that when there is no longer any movement in the cells, scientific explanation.

Prabhupāda: So why don't you... If you know that, then replace that cell.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

After the spirit soul leaves, the old machine breaks down. You give up one machine and you take another machine.

Morning Walk -- July 2, 1975, Denver:

Ambarīṣa: When the spirit soul leaves the body, the body continues to change, it deteriorates?

Prabhupāda: No, no. Spirit soul is changing machine. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. So when this machine is finished, and another machine.

Ambarīṣa: The old machine continues to change after the spirit soul leaves, it deteriorates? The old machine deterior..., it breaks down.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. You give up one machine and you take another machine. [break]

Devotee (1): ...one goes into a subtle machine?

Prabhupāda: That example is given, vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya [Bg. 2.22]. Just like your dress, when it is useless, you throw it away and take another dress. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya gṛhṇāti naraḥ aparāṇi. You accept another set of dress. Clearly explained. [break] ...also very scientific. Just like according to your last life's desires, you have got this dress, this body. So it is going on, going on, going on. Now you are creating another set of desires in this life. So you require a different dress. Then you begin another satisfaction of your desires. This is going on.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

At the time of sleeping, when the soul leaves the body, the body not destroyed. Suppose you have left the car; does that mean it is destroyed? We are returning to the car because we know that it is usable.

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rādhāvallabha: At the time of sleeping, when the soul leaves the body, why is the body not destroyed at that time?

Prabhupāda: Why? Suppose you have left the car; does that mean it is destroyed? You are going again.

Rādhāvallabha: But at the time of death it is destroyed when you leave it.

Prabhupāda: Death is different. When the car is no more usable, that is death. But we are returning to the car because we know that it is usable. And if we know that it is useless, we don't go to that car. That is death.

When you are dreaming, and the soul leaves the body, connection is there, just like you leave your car, you keep the engine going on—gug gug gug gug gug gug—but you are not there. The engine, you keep it started.

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: There's some connection still. When the soul is..., when the body..., when you are dreaming, and the soul leaves the body, but still there must be some connection between the soul...

Prabhupāda: Connection is there, just like you leave your car, you keep the engine going on—gug gug gug gug gug gug—but you are not there. The engine, you keep it started.

Rāmeśvara: Somehow the soul's influence is still there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You make that engine keeping—gug gug gug gug. If you like you can stop.

Transmigration means going on, simply changing. Atom is not manifested. May be one of the species, but the total is 8,400,000. What is the difference between the small atom and this body? The same thing, material. It's very small; it is a little bigger.

Morning Walk -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That is Darwin's theory. Motorcar is not developing to big motorcar. That is nonsense. Motorcar is motorcar, but I can change from this car to that car.

Hari-śauri: Yes, that's what he was wondering, whether the spirit soul leaves the atom to take another higher body.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is always.... Transmigration means going on, simply changing.

Rāmeśvara: Is that counted as one of the 8,400,000 species? Is the atom counted among the different species?

Prabhupāda: Atom is not manifested. May be one of the species, but the total is 8,400,000. What is the difference between the small atom and this body? The same thing, material. It's very small; it is a little bigger. That's all. And similarly, the universe is still bigger. After all, it is matter.

You note that sometimes we see that someone in very good health, youthful, all of a sudden they give up their body. The death may take from so many causes. It does not depend on your healthy body.

Morning Walk -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes we say, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that when the body is useless, then the soul leaves, just like giving up an old pair of clothes. But sometimes we see that someone in very good health, youthful, all of a sudden they give up their body.

Prabhupāda: You are very healthy. Is there any guarantee that you will not die?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No, there's no guarantee.

Prabhupāda: That is the life.(?) You may be very stout and strong. The death may take from so many causes. It does not depend on your healthy body.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: When you say that we are kicked out, is it literally that we are kicked out of this body?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Even if one is very attached.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

So after the destruction of this gross body, there is another body, subtle body—mind, intelligence and ego. So at the time of death, when finishing this body, mind works. So, according to that process, the mind carries the small spirit soul to another body.

Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:

Mike Robinson: Yes, I think I've got that far. Now if we could go on from there. And then we said, you said that it therefore made a difference in the life after death, how you lived, that there were natural laws that determined that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The process is that the spirit soul is invisible in our material eyes, very small. So after the destruction of this gross body, there is another body, subtle body—mind, intelligence and ego. So at the time of death, when finishing this body, mind works. So, according to that process, the mind carries the small spirit soul to another body. Just like the air carries the flavor. Nobody can see wherefrom this rose flavor is coming, but it is being carried by the air, very subtle. You cannot see, but it is being done. Similarly, the soul is very subtle. It is being carried by the mind. According to the mind, he enters into the womb of another mother through the semina of the father, and then he develops a particular type of body given by the mother. It may be human being, it may be cat, dog or anything.

Mike Robinson: So we will come back in another body.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then, that's when the body is developed, he comes out and his work begins.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Even if the brain has stopped functioning, if the heart is beating that means the soul is present.

Letter to Amarendra -- Bombay 3 January, 1977: Regarding your question as to when the soul leaves the body, it is when the heart stops beating. Even if the brain has stopped functioning, if the heart is beating that means the soul is present.