Gita key verses course 2 – Who am I? Is there any scientific evidence for the soul? – Gita 2.13

Today, we will be discussing the second session on key verses from the Bhagavad Gita. In the first session, I started with verse 1.1, where I focused primarily on the context of the Gita and its relevance today. It addresses questions like: What is my purpose? What are we meant to do in life? The fundamental teaching of the Gita will be discussed in verse 2.13. I have prepared a list of 51 topics that we will cover, which I will share shortly after the class in the group.

Each session will focus on a particular question, whose answer we will seek. I will also be sharing my screen and sending a PowerPoint on WhatsApp, which you can use for reference. Today, we will focus on Bhagavad Gita 2.13, which states: “Dehino ‘smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara, tatha dehantara praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati.” This verse talks about the identity of the soul. It says that just as the body goes through stages like childhood, youth, and old age, the embodied soul undergoes the transition from one body to another. A wise person, who understands this, is not bewildered by such changes.

We will discuss this in three parts: the need for spirituality, the rationale for spirituality, and the result of spirituality. When I speak of spirituality, I don’t just mean a vague feeling; I refer to the non-material side of us—our true identity, which is spiritual in nature. The Gita teaches that there is a non-material side to us, which is the actual person, and understanding this is crucial. The first step is exploring whether this non-material aspect exists, and if it does, we need to understand how rational people can accept it. Once accepted, we can explore the results of this understanding.

Just as our bodies need physical nutrition, we also need metaphysical orientation. By metaphysical orientation, I mean that we need a sense of place and purpose, which is intrinsically tied to our identity. For example, right now, I am in Mumbai with a particular purpose. My identity is tied to this place and purpose. Some of you may be software engineers, and you may be in different parts of the world. Our identity shapes what we are meant to do. Arjuna, in the Gita, faced confusion because he could not understand his purpose and what he was supposed to do.

This sense of place and purpose can be abstract. For instance, you might identify as a software engineer, but beyond that, you may identify as a young professional seeking career growth or as someone working to achieve the American dream. Our identities can also include roles like being a mother, father, son, or daughter, and our sense of purpose often comes from fulfilling these roles. Without a clear sense of place and purpose, life can become disorienting. When we join a new organization, orientation programs are designed to help us understand our place and purpose within the organization, which is essential for growth.

Metaphysical orientation is important because it gives us a deeper sense of identity. If, for example, someone loses their job or a catastrophe happens, their sense of purpose can be shaken. This is a common challenge for athletes who identify themselves with their sport, and when they can no longer perform, they face emotional distress. Similarly, Arjuna was disoriented when his purpose in life was questioned. The Bhagavad Gita, through its spiritual teachings, provided him with a lasting orientation—one that cannot be easily taken away.

Spirituality offers this orientation, which remains constant even in times of crisis. Our sense of identity is what gives us a lasting sense of place and purpose, and it is this understanding that we will explore throughout the Gita.

So, what is the place that transcends the ordinary? You are a soul inside a body, and the purpose will be mentioned in the next verses. Ultimately, spiritual evolution is about spiritual growth and, ultimately, liberation. This place and purpose can never be lost because we, as souls, will always be souls. We might not have the same professional designations or national affiliations tomorrow. We might not have the same family situations either. There are various identities we have, such as functional identities, like our family, nationality, or gender. With today’s advancements, even gender identity might change, but these are superficial identities. Beneath these, there is a fundamental identity: we are souls. The soul is on a journey, which will be discussed later—the journey of spiritual evolution.

The first points Krishna speaks about in the Bhagavad Gita concern the philosophical concept of the soul, primarily to serve Arjuna’s need for reorientation. Krishna reminds him of his fundamental identity, and the idea here is that without being properly oriented, we will not be able to function at all. Arjuna is unable to function at the start of the Gita. He is paralyzed by confusion, saying, “I can’t fight” and expressing uncertainty about whether winning or letting his relatives live is the right choice. Krishna provides Arjuna with the reorientation he needs. This is the first point.

The second point is the rationale for spirituality, which we will explore through three things: consciousness, past-life memories, and near-death experiences. These provide scientific evidence supporting the idea of the soul.

From a biological perspective, we are often identified with our bodies. We experience pain when the body suffers, and we identify ourselves through our physical appearance. However, there are certain characteristics that cannot be explained if we are simply biological machines. These defining characteristics of the soul are sat (existence), chit (consciousness), and ananda (joy). These qualities characterize our overall behavior. We desire to live forever, we seek knowledge, and we ultimately seek joy. From a biological perspective, survival and reproduction are the primary drivers of life. Biology suggests we are essentially survival and reproduction machines, focused on eating, sleeping, mating, and defending.

But there’s more to us than this. Why do we want to live forever? Nothing in nature survives forever, not even the Himalayas. Everything is subject to decay, yet we long for eternal existence. Could this longing come from something non-physical, from the spiritual core of who we are? It’s similar to how a child in a remote African village, who has never heard of Pisa, could suddenly express a desire to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This curiosity suggests there is something beyond physical experience at play, pointing to our spiritual nature.

Consciousness is another defining trait. We are curious by nature, not just for survival, but for the sake of knowing. Consider the curiosity behind scientific discoveries, such as how Isaac Newton developed the theory of gravity after observing an apple fall. This curiosity transcends basic survival needs. Humans also engage with art, music, literature, and philosophy, pursuits that often have abstract beginnings but lead to concrete results.

Then there’s joy. While pleasure is a natural part of life, it can also become a hindrance. If we were just biological creatures, our search for pleasure would not get in the way of survival. But in many cases, the pursuit of pleasure, such as addiction to substances like cigarettes or alcohol, harms our survival. Why do we long for joy so desperately, even at the cost of our lives? This search for joy is something animals don’t experience in the same way, pointing again to the non-physical nature of our existence.

Finally, the scientific evidence for the soul includes near-death experiences (NDEs) and past-life memories. There are cases where people, after being clinically dead, report having experiences outside their bodies. For instance, one case involved a woman who, during a surgery where her body was completely without circulation, described events that occurred while she was clinically dead. These kinds of experiences suggest that consciousness may exist separately from the body and can continue beyond physical death.

So, she saw herself lying on the operating table and noticed that she was observing herself from above. The first thing she wondered was, “What happened to my hair? Why is it cut like this?” Then she realized it was supposed to be brain surgery, but the doctors were working on her thigh area. They were preparing for a bypass, aiming to induce a heart attack to stop the heart from functioning. She recalled the conversation between the patients and the medical staff. Biologically, it’s impossible, and yet the experiences she had weren’t as uncommon as some might think; they are quite well documented. The question arises: how can we be conscious when we are unconscious? This refers to when our brain is unconscious. The most reasonable explanation for this is that when the body is here, the source of consciousness, as described in the Bhagavad Gita, is the soul. Normally, the soul’s consciousness is routed through the body, but during traumatic or disorienting events, the soul and body may temporarily separate. Some people presume that the brain generates consciousness, but it might be the transmitter, not the generator. The brain could even reduce consciousness. This means that the soul has broader consciousness, but when it’s connected to the body, it can only perceive what the body’s senses allow. The soul’s senses are like windows, and there are cases documented in the book Mind Sight that describe people with out-of-body experiences during near-death situations. For example, there are cases of people who were blind, yet during near-death or out-of-body experiences, they could see for the first time.

The most reasonable explanation is that when the body is damaged in some way, the consciousness may not function normally, but if the soul exits the body, that sensory damage no longer impacts the soul’s perception. In cases of out-of-body experiences, there are also recollections of past lives. Children sometimes mention things about their previous families, such as, “Where is my other mom?” They may give specific details about their past life, such as places, people, and even behaviors. This is documented in cases where children have memories of their past life that include recognizable details, behaviors, and even birthmarks corresponding to injuries from their previous life.

One example involves a young boy in Turkey named Kieran, who described his previous life in a town called Merson. His parents were confused because he had never been there, but he guided them to the exact house, where they met a widow who confirmed the details he had mentioned. The boy recognized her as his wife from a previous life, even describing details of a violent incident in which his past self was attacked with a knife. Remarkably, a birthmark on the boy’s body matched the location of the injury from his previous life. This has been documented in the research of Dr. Ian Stevenson, who studied past life memories and birthmarks linked to fatal wounds.

Such cases suggest that the soul may remember certain details or experiences from past lives, and this recollection is not just about recognition but also about behavior. For instance, the boy reacted angrily when he saw his former wife with another man. His behavior was more akin to that of an adult, not a six-year-old child. This phenomenon, along with birthmarks matching past-life injuries, points to the existence of a non-material aspect of consciousness—the soul—that may carry memories and experiences across different physical bodies.

If we consider the Bhagavad Gita’s explanation of the soul, Krishna says that the soul changes bodies, and these past-life memories are part of that process. This idea is supported by the findings of researchers who observe correlations between birthmarks and past-life events. In a study, the probability of a precise correlation between birthmarks and fatal wounds from a past life was found to be incredibly low, suggesting that there is something beyond coincidence at play. This aligns with the concept of the soul inhabiting different bodies across lifetimes.

Now, if spirituality is real, what is the result of practicing it? According to Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, we will become more tolerant and less disturbed by life’s ups and downs. Spirituality helps orient us in life, giving us a higher purpose beyond material pleasures. By orienting ourselves spiritually, we become less distracted by external challenges. Spiritual practices help us navigate life more peacefully, understanding that life’s struggles are temporary and that transcendence is possible.

In conclusion, the Bhagavad Gita teaches us that we are spiritual beings undergoing a journey of spiritual evolution. We must be patient with ourselves, recognizing that spiritual growth is gradual. Just as a firefighter learns to handle a fire with experience, we learn to manage the ups and downs of life through spiritual training. The soul’s consciousness is separate from the physical body, and when we experience pain or pleasure, we sometimes realize that our true identity is beyond the body. Through spiritual practices, we become aware of our non-material nature, and with time, we begin to understand our eternal existence.

This journey of understanding is not immediate; it requires patience and practice. While many distractions make life’s purpose seem unclear, if we maintain a genuine desire to understand, the answers will come. As the Bhagavad Gita states, we are not the body but the eternal soul, and our purpose is to reconnect with the divine and transcend the limitations of material existence.

In a future session, we can delve deeper into topics like the fate of the soul after death and the concept of ghosts. Thank you for your attention.