Questions tagged [atma]

Atma or Atman means our soul (Jivatma) or the supreme soul (Paramatma)

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Are "antarAtmA" (inner self) and "antaryAmI" (inner controller) the same in vedAnta?

Answer might depend on the school of vedAnta. That is fine. I want to know the position of different schools.
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Can complete pure souls exist in Kali Yuga?

According to the scriptures, is there any mention of whether complete pure souls can exist in Kali Yuga?
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Who is actually learning? Is it Atman or me?

If I am learning something like learning physics or chemistry or maths means who is learning? Is it Atman or my brain? If Atman means why can't it (Atman) realize after death that I belong to this ...
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What happens to the soul when someone commit suicide?

What happens to the soul when one commits suicide? Does the rebirth takes instantly? Do the suicide soul try to make contact with family and friends? Is it true that the suicide soul has to stay in ...
Pre's user avatar
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Do clones have souls?

Do animal and plant clones have souls? (Such as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_(sheep))
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How can there be two individual selves in advaita?

If the Absolute reality is termed as Brahman from an universal POV and the same is termed as Atman from an individual POV, then what about Jiva. Doesn't that makes two individual selves, namely Atman ...
Greg Levenski's user avatar
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How does Brahman or Atman witness?

When Krishna says in Gita that Atman, the universal consciousness only witnesses but performs no action, what exactly did he mean by it? Does Atman needs to have a mind/body to witness everything or ...
Greg Levenski's user avatar
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How do Vishishtadvaitins interpret this passage from the Vishnu Purana?

Having thus spoken to Nidāgha, the Brāhmaṇa Ṛbhu went away, leaving his disciple profoundly impressed, by his instructions, with belief in unity. He beheld all beings thenceforth as the same ...
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Bondage of jiva according to Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya

In the Vishishtadvaita philosophy followed by the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya, the conditioned souls trapped in Samsara (the cycle of repeated birth and death) are referred to as Baddhas. How is the ...
Sahadev's user avatar
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Shankara's Gita Bhasya says that the Self transmigrates. Is this true?

Advaitins mostly believe that the Self doesn't transmigrate and that it's the subtle body (known as jiva/jivatma) that actually does. But then in Shankara's Gita bhasya it is mentioned that the self ...
The Crimson Universe's user avatar
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What exactly is dehi according to advaita and vaishnava school?

People of Advaita sect believe that Atman never remains locked or trapped IN the body. The same thing has been said by many hindoos in quora as well. (They are followers of advaita). If what the ...
Greg Levenski's user avatar
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The two definitions of soul. Which one is true? [closed]

The vaishnavas or dualists claim that souls/jivatmas are separate sparks of light that are distinct from the subtle body and resides within the cave of subtle body/antahkarana/hridaya and upon mukti ...
The Crimson Universe's user avatar
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What is a broad summary of the differences and similarities between Bhaktic and Vedantic Hinduism? [closed]

Eastern Orthodox theologian, David Bentley Hart mentioned during an interview that he is able to reconcile the Christian Trinity with "certain schools of Bhaktic Hinduism and Vedanta". This got me ...
TheIronKnuckle's user avatar
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is there any relation between Sperm and Human Soul? [duplicate]

is there any relation between human birth,soul and sperm? If there is no relation when Soul enters in human body during pregnancy?
Vivek Panday's user avatar
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Does the fragmental Atman travels?

Shankara in one of his verses gives the definition of jiva -""When the omnipresent Atman is limited or embodied by the mind,ego of subtle body, it is called jiva"". I think what he means is, once the ...
Greg Levenski's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
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On what basis do Hindu philosophies say Atman exist? [duplicate]

Hindu philosophies, especially Vedanta, say there is 'the Self' which is the reason for the existence of our human body. However, science hasn't proven the existence of that. Moreover, according to ...
Spark Sunshine's user avatar
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What is meant by hridaya or heart?

Prabhupada in his Gita commentaries mentions the phrase "cave of the heart", where he says dwells the atomic soul. Even Ramana Maharshi said, that the godly atom of the Self is to be found in the ...
The Crimson Universe's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
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Does Bhagavad Gita state that "... Atmaa discards old bodies and assumes new bodies"? [duplicate]

While watching a famous hit Hindi movie Kudarat (1981), I came across a place where the protagonist states below in a court: "In Gita, the blessed lord has told that, how human throws away old ...
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If I born as male in this life can my soul transmigrate and became female in next life? [duplicate]

I have this question in my mind since when I knew about soul, can a person who is male and his soul in next life can be female? I hope its pretty clear, if not please let me know. My english might ...
user3743777's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
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In non-dualism does Atman reincarnate or transmigrate?

I've read that a small portion of the infinite spirit Brahman, becomes embodied. This embodied portion is called Atman. So does Atman reincarnate or goes from one body to another? Again, if Brahman ...
Destination Paravyom's user avatar
21 votes
2 answers
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When does a soul lose its memory of its previous birth?

I have studied in our texts that a soul will have the memory of its previous births after death, and before birth. My question is when does the soul lose its memory when entering into a body for a ...
Agamas Tantras's user avatar
12 votes
3 answers
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Is liberation for mind or Atman?

When we see all the practices from vedas, puranas, Yoga, and all scriptures, ithihasa, the theme has been to purify the mind and detach it from world. They never talked about on how to grow your Atman ...
Agamas Tantras's user avatar
4 votes
0 answers
160 views

Is it true that the total number of souls remains constant as per Bhagavad Gita? [duplicate]

According to Gita,is it true that the total number of souls remains constant?
Dheeraj Verma's user avatar
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What is the difference and connection between Atman and Nirguna Brahman [duplicate]

There is a question that asks for the difference between jiva atman, Atman and Paramatman and it does not answer my inquiry. I wish to know about the difference between Atmans Ananda essence and ...
Frank Hestermann's user avatar
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What scriptures talk of difference in leaving the body consciously and unconsciously which is death?

We have reference on what happens after death and before next birth of the soul. What will be the experience of us,as per ancient texts and how we will be if we leave this body at will, and leave this ...
Agamas Tantras's user avatar
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How did my existence is in place at first? Why am there as me and not as anyone? [duplicate]

This question could be a tricky one and may look confused but it's not so. Why my own existence is confined to "me" and why I did not exist as God or some other being? Why my existence came as my ...
Agamas Tantras's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
630 views

What is the difference between Nirvikalpa Samadi and Moksha?

When the jivatman unites with Paratman, Ananda of spirit is experienced is this Moksha or Nirvikalpa Samadi what is the difference?
Frank Hestermann's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
728 views

Does the individual soul actually feel pleasure or pain?

In Gita ch.13 v23 , the Lord says that the Supreme Purusha in this body is the upadrista (observer) , the anumanta (permitter) , bharta (supporter) and bhokta (the experiencer / the one who ...
The Crimson Universe's user avatar
9 votes
4 answers
1k views

Did Brahman split into multiple souls?

Here's a verse from Chandogya Upanishad , chapter six. "It (Being or Brahman) thought: ‘May I be many; may I grow forth." My question is, when Brahman, the supreme cosmic spirit , wished to ...
The Crimson Universe's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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Is the goddess Bhumi the Maya of Atman

Bhumi is the coat the dress of Atman so if all sentient beings are born. How did Atman become a jiva Atman ?
Frank Hestermann's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
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What separates the Avatar from Atman and Paramatman

As the Avatar is seen or has been seen in his physical or ethereal body, both without and within. What separates him from Atman and Paramatman ?
Frank Hestermann's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
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What is the Soul’s journey after death [duplicate]

What is the soul’s journey after the death? Where and how long does it travel? If a person was chanting Lord Rama’s name an hour before all his consciousness shut down and dying, where does his soul ...
S Maharaj's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
271 views

Is me and my body separate?

If I survive after the destruction of my body then is it not true that me and my body are separate? If yes, then where do I live without the body? (Please answer according to the philosophical school ...
Dheeraj Verma's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
39 views

Is Guru-Shishya relation carry forward across multiple births? [duplicate]

Rebirth, a major tenet of Hinduism, is when the soul, which is seen as eternal and part of a spiritual realm, returns to the physical realm in a new body. There are multiple mentions of rebirth in ...
AADHinduism's user avatar
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1 vote
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Soul separation and diversification

When how and why did Atman separate from the greater Self and when how and why the diversification into the multitude of sentient beings ? Is this separation and diversification only an illusion ?
Frank Hestermann's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
1k views

What is the intention of the following Rigvedic verse to the Spirit

Rig Veda Book - 10 Hymn 58 is dedicated to Maanas which Griffith translates as Spirit. I am sharing the mantras here: 1 THY spirit, that went far away to Yama to Vivasvān's Son, We cause to ...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
8 votes
4 answers
627 views

In the Gita, the Lord said the soul does nothing. Then who does?

Krishna says in Gita that all the activities are done by the body and the soul does nothing. I find this statement hard to believe. We all know that without the soul, the body is nothing but a corpse. ...
The Crimson Universe's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
4k views

How many rebirths does a soul go through?

I heard that an Atma (soul) will take 7 births on the earth. Is it true? If it is true, then seven janma-s apply only for humans or animals or combinations of them?
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Do different forms of life have different value?

In an answer I recently read: Do you not think the karma of killing a small insect is less than the karma of contributing to the death of a human? I do not know. Life is life, correct? Is it ...
Rubellite Yakṣī's user avatar
15 votes
5 answers
813 views

How can we identify a self realized person?

What are the symptoms of a self realized person? How can I know whether I realized self or not?
Tat Tvam Asi's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Which schools prior to the Gautam Buddha gave the finite size of the atma (आत्मा )?

Gautam Buddha is said to talk about Self in his teachings later during third turning of wheel (or call it whatever). He said about the self like this which is Advaitic & in agreement with both ...
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
72 views

What is MANN and whom we say I (main). [duplicate]

i want to know what is mann. often we say mann nahi kar raha. either we say i don't want to do this. is I(main) and Mann are same.
manish's user avatar
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How many ways are there to realize self?

Can anyone list out the number of ways a person can realize his self? Apart from Bhakthi and Jnana, is there any other way to realize self?
Tat Tvam Asi's user avatar
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2 votes
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Different souls part of same Supreme soul?

It is said that all different souls are basically part of that one supreme soul and finally all merge into it. When a person is awakened he basically sees himself in everyone, hence doesn't criticize ...
Just_Do_It's user avatar
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Death Time for Grandmother

My Grandmother(Father's mother) aged 88 has passed away on Thursday 22/03/2018 inbetween 3PM to 3:15PM due to natural death inside the hall of the house. Strange thing is that she said at 3:10PM ...
harish's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
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How many souls are there in our universe?

When Lord Krishna was advising Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, Sri Krishna told that no one dies if we kill them.Those who are killed, start their journey as jiva and these jiva cannot be destroyed or ...
user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
788 views

What are the limitations of the Jivatma after death?

While living, a Jivatma through a body can think, walk, talk etc...but can it do such things after death? For 10 days, Jivatma remains at familiar places and afterwards is carried away to the abode of ...
Pinakin's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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What are the four Quarters of Purusha as per Purusha Sukta?

Can Somebody explain me, what are the four Quarters of Purusha? As mentioned in the Sukta, I've been searching for a valid concrete answer for a long time, However I've personally come to certain ...
Indranil Amal Dutta's user avatar
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Is Atman really Brahman? [duplicate]

Recently I am going through Adhvaita Vedhanta. It is said that brahman present in every one's body as Athman. Athman is nothing but consciousness. May be at the time of Adi Shankara, science is not ...
user2225190's user avatar
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2 votes
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Death of persons by God

There are many stories about Hindu gods killing bad persons(Asuras). When they are killed, do the bad persons feel pain? Or do they just vanish from the universe? What will happen to them after ...
VISWESWARAN NAGASIVAM's user avatar