The 'Atma'

The atma,according to vedanta,is our higher nature or spirit,is of the nature of consciousness and is different from the mind-body complex.
According to tatvabodha,the atma has five features-

1.Consciousness is not a part,a product or a property of the body.
2.Consciousness is an independent,formless principle which pervades the body & enlivens it.
3.Consciousness is not limited by the boundaries of the body.It extends infinitely beyond this physical body,and hence,all pervading.
4.This formless consciousness principle will continue to exist even after the body dies or disintegrates.Hence,it is eternal.
5.After the fall of the body,the surviving pure consciousness is not accessible to us because there is no medium(body)to interact with it.Hence,it will not be available for any transaction.Consciousness

Vedanta says that this consciousness is our real nature.We are not the body having consciousness,but the consciousness inhabiting a body temporarily.The body is received by us at the time of birth and shall be renounced by us at death.I,the formless consciousness,shall exist before the reception and after the renunciation of the body.

This atma was described by Lord Krishna from the 12th to the 30th verses of the 2nd chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.He uses 6 words to describe the atma.They are

1.Nityaha-meaning eternal.

2.Satyaha-meaning that which lends existence to matter.Consciousness is called satyaha because it lends existence to matter(body),just like water lends existence to waves and the ocean and clay,to a pot.Body is called 'asatyaha' because it borrows existence from the atma.

3.Akartha-meaning not the doer of any action,good or bad.'Kartha' means doer.

4.Aboktha-meaning not the receiver of any consequences of actions.The consequences of the action shall be borne by the doer of the action.Since the atma does no action,it cannot reap any consequences either.

5.Sarvagathaha-meaning all pervading.Just like space,which is all pervading and accomodates all of us,so is the atma.

6.Aprameyaha-meaning it can never an object of experience.It cannot be observed,but is the observer.


The concept of atma is extra-ordinary and cannot be accepted and believed by everyone.Just like how a 5 year old boy cannot understand the subject matter of M.Sc mathematics,and needs to go through years of schooling and a bachelor's degree to b eligible to do so,we,cannot assimilate the concept of atma right away and need a tutorial to be able to uplift ourselves to a level where we can comprehend it.
This tutorial is called 'karma yoga'.The atma is described in the 'jnana yoga'.Hence,we need to go through karma yoga before being able to undergo jnana yoga.
Krishna,in forthcoming verses and chapters will give us the coaching we need to understand the concept of atma.

The jnana yoga is the panacea to all problems of life.Any other solution,though may alleviate us temporarily,will probably give rise to a couple of more problems,but will never get rid of it permanently.