What does it mean for the Soul to move on?

To move on, as you would know, means to leave the present state and move ahead to the next state. In the same connotation, when we say, ‘the Soul moves on’, it could mean the Soul proceeds further in its journey, externally from one life-form to another and internally from one state to another.

Gnani Purush, the Enlightened One, explains how the Soul moves from the initial dormant stage into the world and finally moves on towards liberation from the world.

Before the living being enters into the worldly cycle, there is a stage wherein there is total covering on the Soul. In this stage, the Soul is not spoilt nor is it destroyed (non-existent). The Soul is there, but it is totally covered (with dense layers of coverings of karma sitting over it); So not a single ray of light of knowledge of Soul is able to come out. They (Such living beings) are called Nigod. There are infinite Souls in this stage, they are fully covered; not a single sense has been developed in these living beings, as yet; they are in dormant stage.

When only a little covering from over the Soul of the Nigod gets removed, little light of Soul comes out; and one sense is developed. With this, the particular living being moves on from the stage of Nigod and begins its journey in this world. Gradually, the Soul gradually moves on from one-sensed to two-sensed, then it moves onto three-sensed, to four sensed, thereafter the Soul moves onto the five-sensed and finally moves on to human life-form where his mind, intellect, ego gets developed.

And ultimately, when one gets Self-Realization, the worldly development completes there; new karmas stop being charged then; and when discharge of all old karmas finish, one attains liberation!

Thus,

1. The Soul begins its journey from a total dormant stage where there is no knowledge or vision exposed at all,

2. and then moves on from one-sensed to two, three, four, five-sensed living being

3. and therafter when in human form, it moves on to know who am I (Self-Realization)

4. and finally moves on to the state of liberation.

The Soul moves on in hunt of permanent happiness

As the Soul moves on from one sense till five sense and upto liberation, finally, the Soul gets totally uncovered. While in the journey, it is getting experience of the worldly things as it keeps hunting that where is the permanent happiness.

At each and every stage, the Soul is knowing and experiencing and finally deciding by the five senses that there is no happiness in this vision or taste or smell or listening, etc., then by the mind, intellect and ego, one is experiencing worldly things and one finds out that there is no permanent happiness in here, all this worldly happiness is temporary, worldly things are also temporary, they give temporary happiness; and lastly, the Soul is permanent, so when one realizes himself, ‘who am I’ (I am the pure Soul), he gets permanent happiness. Then slowly slowly, he comes out of the cycle of birth and rebirth.

The Soul moves on from the state of Jeevatma to Antaratma and finally moves to state of Parmatma

The Soul, with no covering remaining on it, such an Absolute Soul is called Parmatma (God).

Until the Soul is covered with veils of ignorance, it is called Jivatma. This signifies the state of ignorance the living being is in. And when all coverings shed off, the Soul is called Parmatma. This signifies the Absolute stage of Pure Soul. So, the same Soul is Jivatma until it is in the state of ignorance, and after Self-Realization, it becomes Antaratma having the knowledge of the Self, and the same Soul, upon attaining the Absolute state is called Parmatma.

Thus, for us as human beings, what is most important at this stage is, that we move on and meet the Living Gnani, from whom we can attain Self-Realization!!!