Mukta-liṅgaḥ - Transmigration and the Subtle Ego

The spirit soul is covered by two layers of material energy: the gross material body (earth, water, fire, air, and ether) and the Subtle Body. The subtle body is the invisible psychological encasement of the soul, composed of the mind, intelligence, and ego. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the subtle body is the primary agent of transmigration, as it carries the soul's consciousness, desires, and ambitions from one material body to the next, like air carrying a scent.

Composition of the Subtle Body

The Subtle Body is one of the eight elements that comprise Kṛṣṇa’s inferior energy. It is referred to as the "finer dress" of the soul, and although it is invisible to ordinary vision, its effects are constantly felt.

• In the Bhagavad-gītā it is explained that the five elements earth, water, fire, air and ether constitute the gross energy of the Absolute Truth and that there are also three subtle energies, namely, the mind, intelligence and false ego.
• The internal, subtle senses are experienced as having four aspects, in the shape of mind, intelligence, ego and contaminated consciousness. Distinctions between them can be made only by different functions.

The subtle body is always working; even when the gross body is inactive during sleep, the mind, intelligence, and ego continue to function, which is the cause of dreaming.

The Agent of Transmigration

The moment of death is defined as the soul's separation from the gross body. However, the soul is immediately covered and carried by the subtle body to its next destination. The Subtle Ego is the carrier of the soul's material history—its desires and plans.

• At death the process of changing bodies takes place due to the subtle body; the mind, intelligence and ego carry the soul from one gross body to another. This is called transmigration of the soul.
• When the body is finished, I am not finished. When the gross body comes to an end, I am still present within the subtle body of mind, intelligence, and false ego, and this subtle body carries me to another gross body.

The subtle body creates an atmosphere of desires and ambitions that the living entity must seek to enjoy or suffer in his next life.

The Subtle Ego and Ghostly Life

When a person is highly sinful or excessively attached to their temporary material belongings, they may not receive a gross body after death. Instead, they remain stuck in their subtle body—a form of perpetual suffering known as ghostly life (bhūta-preta-piśāca).

• When one is very sinful, he does not get the material body. He lives in the subtle body: mind, intelligence & ego. That is ghostly life. And they display. Because they have no body, one cannot see, but they display so many mischiefs. That is ghostly life.
• An impious man who dies after sinful activities is sometimes condemned so that he cannot possess a gross material body of five material elements, but must live in a subtle body of mind, intelligence and ego.

Conclusion: Attaining Mukta-lingaḥ

The only way to end the cycle of transmigration and achieve liberation (mukti) is to transcend the subtle body entirely, achieving the state of Mukta-liṅgaḥ (liberated from the subtle body). By engaging in bhakti-yoga, the devotee directly bypasses both the gross and subtle encasements, becoming situated in the original, perfected spiritual body (siddha-deha).

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Subtle Ego. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.