UNITED STATES, February 2011: Padmaja Patel, a practicing internal medicine physician in Midland, presents an Introduction to Hinduism in three parts. Part I introduced the concepts of karma, reincarnation, dharma, an all pervasive deity, and Hindu scriptures. Part II explored the Nature of God and Part III the Nature of the Soul — this is the third installment of her series, available online.
What does Hinduism say about the soul? Hindu teachings on the nature of the self are as philosophically profound as they are pragmatic. We are more than our physical body, our mind, emotions and intellect, with which we so intimately identify every moment of our lives, but which are temporary, imperfect and limiting. Our true self is our immortal soul, the eternal, perfect and unlimited inner essence.
Our soul is the source of all our higher functions, including knowledge, will and love. It is neither male nor female. The essence of our soul, which was never created, is imminent love and transcendent reality, and is identical and eternally one with God. The Vedas teach that the Divine resides in all beings. Our true, spiritual essence is, like God, eternal, blissful, good, wise and beautiful by nature. The joining of God and the soul is known as yoga.
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