Does the soul exist in perpetual union with God,

 

                                   Does the soul exist in perpetual union with God,

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ISSUE UNDER CONSIDERATION ---

Does the soul exist in perpetual union with God, or are the soul and God two distinct entities that must be united or merged through Nam Bhakti and devotion?

Opinion: The prevailing spiritual view is that the soul and the Lord exist in Oneness. For example, the sun and its rays are inseparable. “A part of the infinite is infinite too”. Divine Energy cannot be separated, though it may appear in different forms according to Divine Will. The total energy remains constant and infinite.

Regardless of the device or method of transmission, electric current always remains connected to its power-generating source. Any disconnection between the supply and the appliance renders the system instantly inoperative. Similarly, if a separation were to occur between the soul and the Lord, the very notion of Existence would become untenable. Creation persists because the Divine permeates every aspect of the cosmos. As stated in the Treasury of Mystic Terms (Part 1, page 118): “God, the Creator and macrocosm, is commonly portrayed as an Ocean, with man, the microcosm, as a drop or part of that ocean; thus, there is no separation between the two. God is the whole, and each part of creation, in some way, reflects the whole; man is not merely a drop that can merge with the Ocean, but a drop that contains the Ocean—a microcosm that contains the macrocosm.”

Mystics, having explored the inner workings of spiritual experience, often find language inadequate when conveying transcendent truths. Consequently, they employ the terminology common in their era. For instance, in Gurbani, “Hukam” (हुक्म) should be understood not as an order or instruction, but as Nam or Shabd; “Sach” (सच) refers to Ultimate Reality, rather than truth as perceived by the human intellect. Similarly, frequent terms in the Adi Granth, such as “Mil,” “Milna,” “Milana,” “Pana,” and “Paya,” (“मिल”, “मिलना”, “मिलाना”, “पाना”, “पाया”) should be interpreted as referring to the experience or realization (सोझी) of the Lord, not as “meeting,” “merging,” “connecting,” “joining,” or “attaining.” All beings remain inherently connected to Nam; it is only that human beings may not be attuned to or aware of this Divine connectivity.

The soul, within the mind-body complex, operates under the illusion of time and space. As a result, individuals often do not perceive their inherent connection with the Divine. Although karmic entanglements may obscure the soul, its divinity remains unchanged, just as clouds do not diminish the sun’s intensity, even if the earth is in shadow.

The purpose of human life is to experience the unity of soul and Lord and to transcend the illusion of separation.

The soul, like the Lord, is powerful, enlightened, and blissful; however, its association with the mind and senses causes these innate qualities to be suppressed.

Generally, translated versions of scripts suggest that the soul must “merge” with the Lord, or that a drop must “merge” into the Ocean for liberation. The terms “merge” and “merging” appear many times, and the imagery of the “drop” merging into the “ocean” is common, often referring to the experience of the Lord or realisation of total consciousness. This can be confusing, as it implies the soul and Lord are two distinct entities rather than One. From the Sant Mat perspective, this is a misunderstanding: there is no merger or re-merger, as the soul and Lord are always united, though this unity may be unrecognised.

Take into consideration the following 

“आतम नें राम, राम में आतम, चीनस गुरु बिचारा// AG page 1153-

आत्म राम राम है आत्म हर पाईये शब्द विचार है// AG page 1030

सागर में बूँद बूँद में सागर// AG Page 878”

Rumi says, “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” This is the experience to be realised.

The Vedic concept of “Thou art That” also affirms the perpetual and fundamental unity of the Lord and the soul.

The Islamic Shahada, “La illah ill allah,” also expresses the same understanding of Cosmic Oneness.

Thus, the relationship between soul and God should not be described as one of separation or division, but as one requiring connection. Phrases such as “merging with God,” “returning to God,” “returning to the True Abode,” “uniting or reuniting the soul with the Lord,” or “soul becoming God” may not be appropriate in mystical concepts.  Instead, consider using terms like “experiencing the Lord,” “Divine realisation,” “awareness of the Lord,” “the soul is unaware of its divinity,” or “awakening of divinity,” which are appropriate to the context.