24. Soul Replaces Old Bodies
K rishna says that atma neither dies nor is killed and the ignorant perceive otherwise. It is unborn, eternal, changeless and ancient. It goes through the stages of childhood, youth and old age in this body so does it pass into another body (2.13). He further says that atma changes physical bodies like we discard worn out garments to wear new ones (2.19, 2.20). In a scientific context this is well explained by the law of conservation of energy and the principle of inter-convertibility of mass and energy. For easy understanding if atma is equated with energy, Lord Krishna’s words become crystal clear. The law of conservation of energy says that energy can never be destroyed but can only be converted from one form to another. For example, thermal power stations convert thermal energy into electricity. A bulb converts electricity into light. So, it is just conversion and there is no destruction. A bulb has a limited lifespan. When it gets fused, it is replaced by a new b...