Atma – paramAtma i.e., Soul and Supreme Soul - a New Hindu view.

(Use Baraha6-0 for transliteration of sanskrit words)

Atma i.e., Soul is universally accepted concept but for different angles of viewing at it.
Here, a New Hindu angle is presented. Atma is a sanskrut word and is composed of two
words – Ah [an exclamatory warning note] and tama [dark cesspool] (Ah+tama = Atma)
which means it is that which warns of impending pit fall of dark cesspool if tread in that
path. This is Nature’s gift to conscientious beings developed in Her continuous endeavor
of self preservation and improvement. It is correct scientifically too.

In conscientious beings, in the path of biological development of conscience as the

memory of the most generalized conditioned reflexes while in dialectical relationship
with environment, survival of the fittest is the governing rule. Thus, anything which is not
conducive to self preservation and improvement - a basic rule of Nature, will not survive
for long and will lead to its elimination. As a reflex reaction while in danger of self
destruction a warning note is generated which we call it as Atma - ‘soul ’. This generates
imprint in the genetic coding too and will be carried further in procreation as a trait. So,
can it be destroyed? Can it be drowned? Can it be burned? No. It can only be developed
further according to the principles and laws of Nature. That is what is said in the Hindu
scriptures about Atma, the ‘Soul’. Further, correct understanding of Laws of Nature will
lead to enhancement in the security and well being of the Being and accumulation of such
traits will lead all of a sudden to the birth of an entity, a class apart, whom we call a
messiah (avatAra puruSha). This is in accordance with the Nature’s principle of
‘accumulation of quantitative changes will suddenly lead to qualitative change’. He will
clear misconceptions and will be able to block wrong doers. He will be an accomplice of
Nature. He is called ‘parama puruSha’ a great soul personality in the ‘prakRuti-puruSha’
duo. Thus, it further leads to a notion that he who with correct understanding of laws of
Nature can even move at times ahead of ‘Nature with her experiments in Evolution’ as
Nature is heavily involved in totality of Laws of Nature including the law of ‘Negation of
negation’. This develops at times into the era of ‘prakRuti – puruSha’ – Nature and the
Lord duo which leads into ‘yugaMtara’ - an Epoch. This usually occurs when in the
social environment of conscientious Beings there is a surge in the numbers of ‘a dharmi’
non-followers of laws of Nature. Hence there is a saying in ‘Bagavatgeeta’ - ‘yadA yadA
dharmasya glAnirBavati BArata! aByuthanaM adharmasya saMBavAmi yuge yuge’. One
thing stands out, though Nature appears to be slow in progress in evolution because of
holistic approach in consideration of Laws of Nature in totality the result will always be
correct, good and eternal. However, because of compunctions of social pressures actions
of even the Lord – ‘parama puruSha’ however good he may be, he will not be perfect
and hence there will be a discontinuity - an end to epoch but, Evolution continues.
Hence, ‘yugaMantara’.

advait, dvaita , and viShiShTadvaita.

Views of shankara, madhva and rAmAnuja AchArya.

In the above exposition it can be seen that materially the souls of a Commoner and the
Lord are same. Hence, they are not different basically as such. This is advaita – the
essence of preaching of shankaracarya. But this leads to ‘ahaM brahmOsmi’ – I am the
Lord concept.
Though they are same materially, the Lord and Commoner can not be equated because
they are different like ocean and a drop of water - one is infinity and another is negligible.
However large can be an entity it can not be equated with infinity. Mathematically,
maxima != 1/0 which means, however great may be an Entity it can not be equated with
‘paripurNa ’ the whole some. This is the essence of madhvAcArya’s dvaita sidhAMta.
This leads to defeatist attitude.

rAmAnija held a view that though Atma and paramAtma are materially same they can
not be equal or equated as one drop of water can not be equated with ocean though they
are of same material. But in the end, due to accumulation of quantitative changes,
however small be in quantity they can become one by merger. This stresses continuous
struggle for improvement to achieve ‘merger with Lord in the End’ – nirvANa.
Mathematically, though infinity!= maxima, infinity + maxima = infinity.