# The nature of the soul *Understanding the distinction between the temporary material body and the eternal soul is the foundation of spiritual knowledge. The Bhagavad-gītā begins with this essential teaching, explaining that the soul (ātmā) is never born and never dies.* ## Eternal, Indestructible, and Transcendental ![[bg/2/20]] ![[bg/2/23]] ![[bg/2/24]] ## Cannot Be Cut, Burned, or Destroyed ![[bg/2/23]] ![[bg/2/25]] ## Atomic in Size ![[bg/2/17]] ![[cc/madhya/19/140]] ## Different from the Material Body ![[bg/2/13]] ![[bg/2/22]] ## Eternal Servant of Krishna ![[cc/madhya/20/108]] ![[cc/madhya/20/108-109]] ## Part and Parcel of Krishna ![[bg/15/7]] ![[bg/7/5]] ## Related Articles - [[wiki/articles/The eternal function of the soul|The eternal function of the soul]] — Our constitutional position - [[wiki/articles/The conditioned soul|The conditioned soul]] — Bound by material nature - [[wiki/articles/The spiritual body|The spiritual body]] — Our eternal form - [[wiki/articles/The Supersoul within|The Supersoul within]] — Paramatma - [[wiki/articles/The science of reincarnation|The science of reincarnation]] — Transmigration ## From the Index - [[index/entries/souls|Souls]] — The living entities - [[index/entries/atma|Ātmā]] — The self - [[index/entries/jiva|Jīva]] — The individual soul - [[index/entries/spirit|Spirit]] — The spiritual spark