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What is Brahm, Adhyatm, Karma? || Acharya Prashant, on Bhagavad Gita (2020)
Scriptures and Saints
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2 years ago
Brahman
Adhyatman
Karma
Adhibhut
Adhideva
Adhiyajna
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita
Self-inquiry
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that Brahman is the supreme indestructible reality that exists beyond the world of characteristics and time. While the material world is useful for daily business, it fails to provide absolute peace or security because everything in it is ephemeral and subject to cause and effect. Brahman is not a mere concept or fantasy; its existence is proven by the peace attained by those who have realized it, as seen in the lives of saints and the profound insights of scriptures that exceed mortal intelligence. To dismiss Brahman is to dismiss the possibility of one's own peace. Adhyatman is defined as the honest inquiry into one's own mind and daily life. It is not about esoteric rituals but about real-time awareness of one's actions and thoughts. While Brahman is the end point where the inquirer vanishes, Adhyatman is the process of inquiry itself. Karma, in its highest sense, is defined as right action or sacrifice that reduces the inessential self and liberates one from inner weaknesses. Acharya Prashant emphasizes that any action not aimed at this liberation is distorted. Using the example of Arjun, he explains that right karma involves fighting one's own attachments to uphold righteousness. Finally, the speaker clarifies the terms Adhibhut, Adhideva, and Adhiyajna. Adhibhut refers to the primal, unconscious elements of the physical world. Adhideva refers to consciousness itself, the 'shining person' that observes the unconscious. Adhiyajna is identified with the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate destination for all sacrifices and actions. Shri Krishna identifies himself as Adhiyajna, representing the supreme truth into which all offerings vanish. These terms together provide a framework for understanding the relationship between the individual, the material world, and the ultimate reality.