Atman vs. Paramathman vs. Brahman

Disclaimer: The views I have presented here has nothing to with Swami Sandeep Chaithanya or School Of Bhagavad Gita. They are my own views, interpretations and understanding but of course inspired by his discourse and writings. For whatever little I know about Gita and Vedas I am deeply indebted to him.

What follows was not part of the Gita discourse, but some information I have gathered from some other books.

So, we have been discussing about ourselves and that we are not what we are. It is clear from the common statements like “My Body”, “My Mind”, “My Brain” etc. It is exactly like saying “My Car” and what does this mean. The car is a different entity from me hence I say “My Car”. So since we say “My Body” or “My Mind”, it can be understood that I am different from this body or mind and hence to say I am not what I physically am is very apt.

Before we go further into Gita and its messages let us try to know more about ourselves and what Vedas have got to tell about the same. What we plan to discuss here are called the chaturvakyas (four statements) or mahavakyas in Vedas and they very well sum up the idea. Deeply indebted to the book “Hinduism – Frequently Asked Questions” by Chinmaya Mission for setting this very clear.

The chaturvakyas are in form a conversation between a disciple and his Guru and also the self declaration of the disciple.

The first vakya is “Prajnanam brahmanam” - Here the guru explains to the disciple that your “Consciousness itself is Brahman”. Our consciousness makes us do all our actions but itself does not do anything. It is aware of all actions but still does not do anything by itself. It is omnipotent and thus exists everywhere.It is the same Spiritual Core in all beings and things. This verse is taken from Aitareya Upanishad, Rig Veda. This is lakshana vakya - Statement of Definition

The second vakya is “Tatwamasi” – Here the guru says “That Thou Art” or “That Brahman is you”. This statment clarfies the doubt of the student and reinstates that "That Brahman is you". This also pushes the idea that the student is not merely the physical body that he thinks he is and thus his powers are unlimited. This also triggers the step of Self-enquiry as Guru says that Brahman is within you and yourself only. So you need not look for him outside as He is in you only. In fact, He is not either inside or outside but everywhere. I hope this vakya most of us has come across when ever we have seen an Ayappa Temple. Tatwamasi is the slogan that catches your eye when you climb the 18 steps at Sabarimala. Tatwamasi proclaims that each individual (though we cannot call it Individual after realizing the oneness, individual here refers to the bodily individual) is the same and one Brahman. We have heard of the song which goes as "swami thinthakathom, ayappa thinthakathom". Though now it is a rhyming lyrics that makes our feet tap but the real lyrics was "swami nintakatu OM, ayappa nintakathu OM". how wonderfully have our people twisted the lyrics and go the entire philosophical greatness go upside down. "swami nintakatu OM, ayappa nintakathu OM" - where one devotee (all devotees call each other swami, not by names which is a wonderful thought that all are swami or God or Brahman) calls other and says "it is OM that is in you" and that devotee replies "Ayappa it is the same OM in you too". This is one reason I always love to go to Sabarimala because there is no divide of caste or religion there. Any person practising any religion can go there. Perhaps, the only temple were you find Ayappa and his muslim friend Vaavar being worshipped - Tatwamasi. This verse is taken from Chhandogya Upanishad of Sama Veda. This is upadesha vakya - Statement of Instruction.

The thrid vakya is "Aham Brahma Asmi" - Here the student through Dhyana or meditation realizes that he himself is the Brahman. He frees himself from the burden of the thought that he is different from the Brahman and finds oneness with Him. The Atman and Paramatman are the same.This verse is taken from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of Yajur Veda. This is anubhava vakya - Statement of Experience.

The fourth vakya is "Ayam Atma Brahma" - The guru then tells the student to revel in Self as "This Self is the Brahman". Though these verses seems to be overlapping and hence may rise doubts in our minds, we need to understand all this tries to achieve the same and hence cannot be different at core. This verse is taken from Mandukya Upanishad of Atharva Veda and is called anusandhana vakya - Statement of Constant Practice

To summarize these vakyas,

1. Prajnanam Brahma - Lakshana vakya - Conciousness is Brahman

2. Tat Tvam Asi - Upadesha vakya - That Thou Art

3. Aham Brahma Asmi - Anubhava vakya - I am Brahman

4. Ayam Atma Brahma - Anusandhana vakya - This Self is Brahman

So our Vedas hit at the roots of the thoughts that man is different from others or even non-living objects. The Brahman is the same in all and we are that Brahman only. As explained in a previous post, we are not the physical body but Atman and Atman is nothing but Paramatman.

When we say Brahman here it does not refer to Braahman - one of the varnas is Chatur varnas. We will go more into details of these varnas when we discuss the Karma yoga chapter of Bhagavad Gita.