98 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 2

Accepting that there are two classes of philosophers, one believing in
the existence of the soul and the other not believing in its existence,
there is no cause for lamentation in either case. Nonbelievers in the exis-
tence of the soul are called atheists by followers of Vedic wisdom. Yet
even if for argument’s sake we accept the atheistic theory, there is still
no cause for lamentation. Apart from the separate existence of the soul,
the material elements remain unmanifested before creation. From this
subtle state of unmanifestation comes manifestation, just as from ether,
air is generated; from air, fire is generated; from fire, water is gener-
ated; and from water, earth becomes manifested. From the earth, many
varieties of manifestations take place. For example, a big skyscraper is
manifested from the earth. When it is dismantled, the manifestation be-
comes again unmanifested and remains as atoms in the ultimate stage.
The law of conservation of energy remains, but in the course of time
things are manifested and unmanifested—that is the difference. Then
what cause is there for lamentation, in either manifestation or un-
manifestation? Somehow or other, even in the unmanifested stage,
things are not lost. Both at the beginning and at the end, all elements
remain unmanifested, and this does not make any real material
difference.

If we accept the Vedic conclusion as stated in the Bhagavad-gita (an-
tavanta ime dehah) that these material bodies are perishable in due
course of time (nityasyoktah Saririnah) but that the soul is eternal, then
we must remember always that the body is like a dress; therefore why
lament the changing of a dress? The material body has no factual exis-
tence in relation to the eternal soul. It is something like a dream. In a
dream we may think of flying in the sky or sitting on a chariot as a king,
but when we wake up we can see that we are neither in the sky nor
seated on the chariot. The Vedic wisdom encourages self-realization on
the basis of the nonexistence of the material body. Therefore, in either
case, whether one believes in the existence of the soul or one does not
believe in the existence of the soul, there is no cause for lamentation for
loss of the body.

In the Mahabharata it is said, adarsandd ihayatah punas cadarsanam
gatah. This statement could support the theory of the atheistic scientist
that the child in the womb of the mother has no life but is simply a lump
