Page:Philosophy of bhagawad-gita.pdf/61

Rh goal towards which all evolution is progressing. It is only after this has been determined, that we shall be in a position to see whether any special rules can be prescribed for his guidance that are likely to render his evolutionary progress more rapid than it would otherwise be.

What happens in the case of ordinary men after death is this. First, the karana sharira and the astral body separate themselves from the physical body; when that takes place, the physical body loses its life and energy. Yesterday I tried to explain the connection between the three bodies and the energy of life acting within them, by comparing the action of this life to the action of a sunbeam falling successively on three material objects. It will be seen from this comparison that the light reflected on to the astral body, or rather into the astral body, is the light that radiates from the karana sharira. From the astral body it is again reflected on to the sthula sharira, constitutes its life and energy, and develops that sense of ego that we experience in the physical body. Now it is plain that, if the karana sharira is removed, the astral body ceases to receive any reflection. The karana sharira can exist independently of the astral body, but the astral body cannot survive the separation of the karana sharira. Similarly the physical body can go on living so long as it is connected with the astral body and the karana sharira; but, when these two are removed, the physical body will perish. The