Departed Souls
Death is the total cessation of life processes that finally occurs in all living beings. Generally, people think that if a person dies, the soul has departed from the body and further believe that the invisible part of a person or spirit manifest in that body continues to exist in some other form after the body has died. Lord Sri Krishna gives a very clear definition of death in Chapter 2 Verse 27 as follows: "Jatasya hi dhruvo mrityur dhruvam janma mritasya cha tasmad apariharye 'rthe na tvam shochitumarhasi" One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore one need not lament for the unvoidable process of birth and death. The soul known as the Atman is the eternal and divine essence within each living body. It is considered to be the individual's true self, distinct from the physical body and the mind. Though many people have some knowledge about the teachings of Lord Srikrishna, with regard to birth and deat...