Feb. 3, 2025
The Role of the Soul
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XXII Spirit, pg. 164 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/02/01/the-role-of-the-soul/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:04,760
When we read in the Puranas of
India, we find that there are a
2
00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:08,160
host of beings who are
essentially non evolutionary
3
00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:13,560
static beings.
They may be gods, demons or
4
00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:18,440
animals, or occupy any number of
other positions in the scale of
5
00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:23,560
the manifested universe.
An interesting note, however, is
6
00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:28,040
that if they want to participate
in the evolutionary cycle for
7
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,600
any reason, they have to take
human birth.
8
00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,960
The human birth is considered to
be the key to the dynamic
9
00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:40,520
development of consciousness,
and that is why the human birth
10
00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,680
is treasured in virtually all
religious and spiritual
11
00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,720
traditions.
The soul is the unique element
12
00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,240
that sets the human birth apart
from other beings.
13
00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,960
For an extensive review of the
existence of and role of the
14
00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,800
soul in human life, the text
Rebirth and Karma by Sri
15
00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:06,840
Aurobindo is especially useful,
as also extensive chapters in
16
00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:11,400
The Life Divine specifically
focused on the issues of
17
00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:17,120
rebirth, The Mother provides a
brief yet elegant description of
18
00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:21,280
the role of the soul and how one
can differentiate it from the
19
00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,400
spirit.
The Mother writes quote.
20
00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:30,160
The soul is a kind of individual
concentration of this grace, its
21
00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,040
individual representative in the
human being.
22
00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,000
The soul is something particular
to humanity.
23
00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:41,520
It exists only in man.
The beings of the other worlds
24
00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:46,040
do not have a soul, but they can
live in the spirit. 1 might say
25
00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:50,920
that the soul is a delegation of
the spirit in mankind, a special
26
00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:55,320
help to lead it faster.
It is the soul that makes
27
00:01:55,320 --> 00:02:00,800
individual progress possible.
The spirit in its original form
28
00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,480
has a more general, more
collective action.
29
00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:09,360
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
30
00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:15,560
Mother Powers within, Chapter
22, Spirit, page 164.
00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:04,760
When we read in the Puranas of
India, we find that there are a
2
00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:08,160
host of beings who are
essentially non evolutionary
3
00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:13,560
static beings.
They may be gods, demons or
4
00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:18,440
animals, or occupy any number of
other positions in the scale of
5
00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:23,560
the manifested universe.
An interesting note, however, is
6
00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:28,040
that if they want to participate
in the evolutionary cycle for
7
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,600
any reason, they have to take
human birth.
8
00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,960
The human birth is considered to
be the key to the dynamic
9
00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:40,520
development of consciousness,
and that is why the human birth
10
00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,680
is treasured in virtually all
religious and spiritual
11
00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,720
traditions.
The soul is the unique element
12
00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,240
that sets the human birth apart
from other beings.
13
00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,960
For an extensive review of the
existence of and role of the
14
00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,800
soul in human life, the text
Rebirth and Karma by Sri
15
00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:06,840
Aurobindo is especially useful,
as also extensive chapters in
16
00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:11,400
The Life Divine specifically
focused on the issues of
17
00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:17,120
rebirth, The Mother provides a
brief yet elegant description of
18
00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:21,280
the role of the soul and how one
can differentiate it from the
19
00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,400
spirit.
The Mother writes quote.
20
00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:30,160
The soul is a kind of individual
concentration of this grace, its
21
00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,040
individual representative in the
human being.
22
00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,000
The soul is something particular
to humanity.
23
00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:41,520
It exists only in man.
The beings of the other worlds
24
00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:46,040
do not have a soul, but they can
live in the spirit. 1 might say
25
00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:50,920
that the soul is a delegation of
the spirit in mankind, a special
26
00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:55,320
help to lead it faster.
It is the soul that makes
27
00:01:55,320 --> 00:02:00,800
individual progress possible.
The spirit in its original form
28
00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,480
has a more general, more
collective action.
29
00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:09,360
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
30
00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:15,560
Mother Powers within, Chapter
22, Spirit, page 164.