# The Subtle Body *On the mind, intelligence, and false ego - the invisible covering that carries the soul* --- ### Two Bodies: Coat and Shirt > We have got two bodies: this gross body and one subtle body. Just like you have got your coat, and within the coat there is shirt; similarly, within this gross body there is another, subtle body. This gross body is made of the material elements, earth, water, air, fire, ether, these five elements. This is the covering, coat. And within this, there is another body. What is that? Mind, intelligence and ego. — [[spoken/1975/750521sb.mel|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lecture, Melbourne, 1975]] --- ### The Subtle Body Carries the Soul > We simply see the gross body, but we do not see the subtle body. When death takes place—that means this gross body is finished—then the subtle body is there. And the subtle body carries the soul to another gross body. That we cannot see. Therefore we do not understand how this spirit soul is migrating, transmigrating from one body to another. — [[spoken/1975/750521sb.mel|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lecture, Melbourne, 1975]] --- ### Twenty-Four Elements > Then subtle elements, just like manaḥ, buddhiḥ, ahaṅkāra: mind, intelligence and false ego. False ego. So sixteen and three. Nineteen. And five, I mean to say, sense objects. In this way, the sāṅkhya-yoga, they have analyzed the whole material world into twenty-four elements. That is sāṅkhya-yoga. — [[spoken/1966/660824bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 5.4, New York, 1966]] --- ### The Dream Body > As soon as you dream, you get a body, you forget this body, so how you can remember your past body? Dream also changes, just like this is also another dream. You are thinking that you are awakened, but so long you are conditioned by the modes of material nature, surely you are dreaming. This is another kind of dream. — [[spoken/1970/701231sb.sur|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.49, Surat, 1970]] --- ### The Subtle Body Is Invisible > Everyone has got his mind, everyone knows. But we cannot see. The intelligence... Everyone has got intelligence, but we cannot see. Similarly, subtle body is invisible. Ghost means when the living entity remains in the subtle body, do not get another gross body—they are very sinful—they create disturbance. But we cannot see. — [[spoken/1975/750521sb.mel|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lecture, Melbourne, 1975]] --- ### False Ego: The Root of Bondage > The false consciousness is exhibited under the impression that "I am one of the product of this material nature." That is called false ego. The whole material activities... One who is absorbed in the thought of bodily conception. Now, the whole Bhagavad-gītā was explained by the Lord because Arjuna represented himself with bodily conception. — [[spoken/1966/660219bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 4.24, New York, 1966]] --- ### Gross Body: Ash, Stool, or Earth > The gross body is finished. Gross body becomes ash, stool or earth. Those who are burying the gross body, it becomes after some times earth. And those who are giving this body to be eaten by other animals, it becomes stool. And those who are burning this body, the body becomes ash. So gross body, there are three ultimate goal: either to become ash or stool or earth. — [[spoken/1975/750521sb.mel|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lecture, Melbourne, 1975]] --- ### Liberation: Freedom from the Subtle Body > So long you are encircled by the subtle body, there is no question of liberation, because the subtle body will take you to another gross body. When we are free from the subtle body, then we are liberated. We go back to home, back to Godhead. — [[spoken/1975/750521sb.mel|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lecture, Melbourne, 1975]] --- ### The Mind Works Even in Sleep > When you sleep your gross body is not working, but the subtle body, the mind, intelligence and ego, is working; therefore you dream. Your subtle body is lying in some apartment, and you have gone to the seaside by the mental body. So, so long this gross body is able, you again come and enter into this gross body; but when it is not workable, then you have to find out another gross body. — [[spoken/1975/750521sb.mel|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lecture, Melbourne, 1975]] --- ### Dissolving Both Bodies > Anyone who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service, he is two kinds of external body, namely the gross body—this gross body made of earth, water, fire, air and sky—and the subtle body made of mind, intelligence and ego. These two kinds of body becomes dissolved. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, spiritualized, the material activities will have no effect. It is dissolved. — [[spoken/1974/741214sb.bom|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.33, Bombay, 1974]] --- *10 quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on the subtle body* [[wiki/quotes|Back to Quotes]]