Anil: Swami ji, I want to know what is atma? Where is it live in our body? What is difference in maan & atma? Please explain.
Swami Ram Swarup: Atma(Soul)
Atma consists of two meanings according to situation. For example when it is said that atma takes birth, then it means soul and when it is said that atma is Almighty and creates universe, then it means Almighty God. It is usually told nowadays that everything is atma which is false and not possible being against the Vedas. In Vedas, there are three eternal matters Almighty God, prakriti and souls. Almighty God and souls are alive matters whereas prakriti is non –alive matter. From Prakriti, all the matters of universe are created. But neither from God nor soul any matter is created. Soul can never be God being unchangeable and God can also never be soul being unchangeable. Soul due to the attraction towards prakriti is indulged in illusion and forgets his original form of immortal peace, purity etc. and has to face the birth and death again and again.
But Almighty being the commander of the souls and prakriti, is never attracted towards prakriti. He always remains purified. So, God cannot forget his original form and is never indulged in any kind of illusion. Therefore, everything like tree, tube light, stone, electric fan are made of prakriti and hence can never be God.
Chintan and manan is one and the same thing. When we study a Ved mantra then its shabdarth (i.e., words and meanings) are first known. Thereafter, by deep discussion with learned acharya, we try to know the idea of the mantra through discussion and questions-answers. For example- Rigveda Mantra 1/1/1 states “Agnim Eeday…………” Now, in the worldly context, meaning of agni is fire and Eedey means desire. When we will do chintan-manan i.e., when we will do deep thinking and discussion with acharya then we will find that here Agni means Almighty God and Eeday means desire, worship etc. So, without chintan-manan i.e., thought, deep thinking; real idea of the mantra cannot be known.
While awake, soul resides in left eye, while in stage of experiencing dreams, it is in throat and while taking sound sleep, it is in heart.
There are four antahakaran- Mann, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahankar. Mann does sankalp and vikalp i.e., always thinks on several matters etc. mann takes information from five senses and passes them forward onto buddhi to decide relevant action and to further send them to soul.
Faculty which receives knowledge from five senses and passes the same to intellect is called Chitta and Chitta stores the effect of various karmas to be faced by soul in future at a proper time.
Is Mann an agent of soul?
Mann is not agent of soul when I hear these words from some saints also then it shocks me that mostly the saints are not learned of Vedas. Mann, budhi, chitta, ahankar are made of non-alive Prakriti. Soul is alive matter so how can mann etc., which are non-alive matters, be agents of soul. Actually system of human body made by Almighty God is that Five senses (i.e., eyes, nose, tongue, ears , skin) get information of worldly pictures, affairs, deeds etc., and send the same to mann. Mann sends to intellect (budhi) and budhi sends to soul to get final decision. The said process is eternal.
Soul has forgotten his original form due to effect of illusion. Therefore soul acts according to the chitta vritti when Vedic knowledge is gained and aspirants follow the path of Vedas then soul knows himself and illusion gets over.
Mind and intellect
Mind i.e., mann collects the data from five senses and sends it to intellect (Buddhi). The buddhi then sends it to soul to decide action etc. So mind and intellect both are necessary to observe each matter of universe, to study, the Vedas, to do worship etc., to realise God.
Hriday is heart where palpitation occurs. Mann is the minutest matter which can’t be seen but whatever thinking is being created, is the job of mann and we can control the bad thinking, thoughts etc. since everybody knows about his/her good or bad thinking. The control is possible only by real worship of God based on Vedas especially practise of yoga philosophy.
P: Pranaam swamiji, mujhe pandit ji ne kaha tha ki aap har wednesday ko parvati ji ke aage saabut moong daal chadaiye , yeh upay karne se preshaniyan aur dukh dur hone lagenge ,toh kya yeh sab sach hai ? toh kya mujhe ye upay karna chahiye? aur bhagwaan ko agar hum kuch chadaye shaam ko , toh kya shaam ko chadana theek hota hai?
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. Aisa koi upaaye vedon mein nahin kaha gaya hai. Yajurveda mantra 7/48 kehta hai ki dukh aur sukh khud ke kiye karmon ka phal hai. Kyunki dukh and sukh hamare hi kiye karmon ke adhaar par khud bhagwan deta hai isleye dukhon se chchootne ka upaaye insaan kaisey bataa sakta hai. Who to bhagwan hi bataa sakta hai aur bhagwan vedon mein kehta hai ki mein papon ko kshma nahin karta balki kiye huy papoin kee sazaa deta huin. Isliye, vedon mein sirf nirakaar parmeshwar jisney yeh sansaar racha hai, uski palna karta hai and phir sanghaart karke punaha rachna karta hai, us ek parmeshwar ki hi pooja Yajyen, naam simran evam yogabhyas aadi ke dwara karney ko kaha gaya hai. Ab aap sochein ki nirakaar brahma jo hamein sab kuch dey raha hai, usey hum kya chadaa sakte hain. Ved uski vanni hain, Ved sunkar uskey anusaar shubh karma karke hi hum usey prasanna karein yahee uski pooja hai.
