at the moment when it breaks down. Only what is born. must also die; the soul therefore knows neither past, nor present, nor future. It is eternal and original. The soul does not age like the body either. Body changes do not affect the soul: it does not wither away like a tree or any other material object; nor does it generate offspring. Indeed, a man's children are also separate souls; if they seem to have been born of him, it is only because of the bodily bonds which unite them. Their bodies only develop in the presence of the soul. The soul, subject to no change, source of no descendants, does not obey any of the six laws of evolution of the body. The soul is always fully aware and knowing. Now consciousness is the perceptible manifestation of the soul. If we cannot perceive the presence of the soul in the heart, where it lives, we can always apprehend its existence by the consciousness which emanates from it.

Since a consciousness animates all bodies, humans, animals and plants, it must be present in everyone. The consciousness of the individual soul, however, differs from that of God, in the sense that the latter is supreme and has integral knowledge of the past, present and future. The consciousness of the tiny being, on the contrary, is limited and subject to oblivion. When he forgets his true nature, Krishna, who does not have this weakness, instructs him, enlightens him by his teaching. Krishna, God, the Supreme Person is the source of the Supreme Soul also called the Holy Spirit, and each of us is an infinitesimal soul, oblivious of its true nature.

All created things are originally unmanifest. They manifest in their transient state, and once dissolved, are found unmanifest.

There are two kinds of philosophers: one who believes in the existence of the soul, and one who does not believe in it. But neither have reason to mourn. Men who follow the principles of spiritual wisdom call those who deny the existence of the soul “atheists.” Now suppose for a moment that we accept atheistic philosophy; what reason could we have for complaining?

Before creation, in the absence of the soul, the material elements already existed, in an unmanifested state. From this subtle state comes later the manifested state, just as ether generates air, air fire, fire water, and water earth, which, in turn, gives birth so many phenomena. Take the example of a skyscraper, an assembly of earthly elements, which we demolish: from manifested as it was, it becomes unmanifested again, and finally decomposes into atoms. The law of conservation of energy continues to act; the only difference is that objects are sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested. However, whether they are in one or the other state, what reason to lament could we have?