Dear AC, I am very happy, your understanding is improving & there is no confusion. Let me repeat, Soul or Spirit is only the nearest English word to Atma.So, if you read all that is written about soul on the net & ask me doubts, I really cannot answer. That is why I just go by what I have learnt in class from my teacher & do not look into much outside literature. I do not want to go in for fresh doubts. Yes, we will progress gradually, with Krishna's explanation in the second capter. Thanks. Love' To AC From La C.
Dear Chithra.. Thanks for the clarification Thank God...at least Atma is always at peace, no matter what ) Love Pavithra PS: Where do you buy these books from? 'Giri Traders'?
Dear Pavithra, Yes, from Giri Traders. I also go to RK Mutt bookshop & Shastraprakashika where Dayananda ashrama books are sold. Love, Chithra.
Dear C, The new vision into the secret of living is enlightening....! I think I understand atma better now specifically when I contemplate on the air enclosed by a pot example re-inforced by you. This clearly explains why we should shed the ego - our feeling of I is like the space enclosed by a pot, so all Is are the same. Thanks to Vidhi and you for this clarification. 'The body-mind complex (and not the Self) throws away the present body (and so its present relationships) and rises to put on again the most appropriate body in the most conducive environment, so that It can exhaust the vasanas.' - This is a lucid explanation. Is it right to think that the appropriate body and the most conducive environment are determined by our karma? It is really very intriguing as to why the mind-body complex exists? In other words, what caused the omnipresent atma to be enclosed in small spaces of a mind-body complex? -Gayathri.
Dear Gayathri, Thaks. Yes, karma determines our present birth and the conducive environment. You ask what caused the omnipresent atma to be enclosed in small spaces of a mind-body complex? That is the jiva - you & I ! Agan how is a pot made? The same comparison - the clay making up the pot enclosing the space is comparable to the body-mind complex making up the individual enclosing the atma. I hope it is clear now. Love, Chithra.
Dear C Many thanks for your prompt clarification. However, I am still not clear with why the pot was made in the first place. Was there a time when there no vasana existing and it was only the all pervalent atma everywhere? -Gayathri.
Dear Mrs. C, Thank you for a lovely post on atma. I am happy to note that atma is always at peace. so, mind body complex that is self that has to work on the external factors such as ego. am I in the right track here.
Dear Gayathri, The question why the pot was made in the first place. Was there a time when there no vasana existing and it was only the all pervalent atma everywhere? does not arise. Our scriptures say it is all anaadi - cyclic. Just like you cannot determine the beginnng point of a circle, you cannot know or argue when it all started. Even during pralayam, as I had already explained, everything dissolves into Karana Sariram & continue in the dormant stage. According to our shastras, there is no beginning or end. Love, Chithra.
Dear Madhu, You are on the right track, except a small point to be clarified. Every Jiva(tma) or I is made up of 2 parts Higher Self - Atma Lower self - body-mind complex Higher Self is referred to as Self with a capital S & is unaffected. The lower self has the problem of external factors like ego etc. I hope it is more clear now. Love, Chithra.
At first, I thought it was another article from the Health forum, Mrs.Chith! Nice to know about the characteristics of Atma. Now I am getting to understand why they used to address a good person as 'Puniyaatma' and a bad person as "Pavaatma". sriniketan