e. Is the soul of an ant bigger than the soul of a whale?

Soul or Atman is an eternal entity that animates the life of all living creatures. The divinity of the soul gives life (consciousness or life installed by the prana) to the creature. A soul is like a powerful small light, illuminating the entire dark room. All souls, that of an ant or a whale, are inherently the same.

According to Svetasvatara Upanishad (5.9) the size of the soul is ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair.

balagra sata bhagasya

satadha kalpitasya ca

bhago jivah sa vijneyah

sa canantyaya kalpate || 

Translation: When the upper tip of a hair follicle is divided into one hundred parts and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each such part is the size of the soul. 

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Relevant videos: Swami Nikhil Anand Hinduism Q & A: Is the soul of an ant bigger than the soul of a whale?, Hinduism Q & A: What is the size of the soul?

Contributor: Dilip Amin