We all live until we keep breathing, which is why the phrase “till the lastbreath” is often used in our day-to-day lives. However, we tend to forget the very important fact that the body remains alive only as long as the soul resides in it. The presence of the soul automatically sustains the functioning of the body, so much so that the breathing process continues even while the person is in deep sleep.
Therefore, in the truest sense, it is the soul that performs all activities through the body. The body and its organs are merely agents or instruments to carry out the soul’s directives. It is not the mouth that speaks on its own, but the soul that speaks through the mouth, using the body as a tool.
The soul sees, hears, speaks, feels and acts through the body. These functions are performed via the five senses of sight, sound, speech, smell and touch. These senses operate through their respective organs in the body by receiving and conveying messages to and from the brain.
When the soul leaves the body, the event is called “death”. Then, it is said, “the light has gone” or “the soul has departed”. After death, decomposition starts in the body, and it begins to emit a foul smell after some time, which is why different cultures have different ways of disposing of the body.
In short, the body has value and significance only as long as the soul inhabits it. Just as electrical appliances are useless without the supply of electric current, the body is completely ine.
