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आत्मा को खा गए, इसलिए परमात्मा बनाना पड़ा || आचार्य प्रशांत, वेदांत पर (2021)
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4 years ago
Atma (Self)
Paramatma (Supreme Self)
Jivatma (Individual Soul)
Ego
Love (Prem)
Shri Krishna
Bhagavad Gita
Narada Bhakti Sutra
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that whatever one possesses is not for accumulation but for utilization to move forward on one's journey. He emphasizes that one must never stop completely at any point in life, as life itself is a continuous movement, unafraid of storms. The more one is willing to lose, the more one will gain. If one does not walk, the paths will move on, and one's eyes will yearn for the destination, so one must keep walking. He clarifies the concepts of 'Atma' (Self) and 'Paramatma' (Supreme Self), stating that 'Paramatma' is, in reality, just 'Atma'. The term 'Paramatma' was introduced because the word 'Atma' was widely misused, with people referring to the mind or the 'Jivatma' (individual soul) as 'Atma'. To distinguish the true Self, the term 'Paramatma' was coined, creating the illusion of a small self and a supreme Self. However, he asserts that there is only one 'Atma', and thus, 'Atma' and 'Paramatma' are the same. To illustrate this, Acharya Prashant draws an analogy from the Narada Bhakti Sutras, which discusses 'Param Prem' (Supreme Love). This distinction arises out of necessity because people mistake their ordinary attachments for love. Consequently, sages had to introduce 'Param Prem' to denote true love. Similarly, when the false self was being called 'Atma', the term 'Paramatma' became necessary. He explains that common phrases like "my soul is yearning" or praying for a departed soul's peace are misuses of the word 'Atma', as the Self is the ultimate truth and cannot be in turmoil. He points out that in the Bhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna uses the term 'Jivatma' to refer to the mind. A significant tragedy in Indian thought has been the equation of 'Jivatma' with 'Atma'. 'Jivatma' is another name for the ego, which is a lie, whereas 'Atma' is the truth. The English word 'soul' is a foreign and corrupted concept in Indian spirituality, which recognizes either the mind or the 'Atma', the world or Brahman. He advises the questioner not to settle at any stage, as every state is a resource for further progress. The journey continues until the self is completely worn out, which is the true destination. The ego, which mistakenly calls itself 'Atma', must be dissolved. The ego's attachment to another's body, which is often called love, is a form of dishonesty. True love is the highest function of the ego, whereas the 'Atma' is unattached and non-dual.