Paramatma

''Paramatman'' (Sanskrit: परमात्मन्, IAST: Paramātman) or ''Paramātmā'' is the Absolute ''Atman'', or supreme Self, in various philosophies such as the Vedanta and Yoga schools in Hindu theology, as well as other Indian religions like Sikhism. ''Paramatman'' is the "Primordial Self" or the "Self Beyond" who is spiritually identical with the absolute and ultimate reality. Selflessness is the attribute of ''Paramatman'', where all personality/individuality vanishes.

Etymology

The word stem ''paramātman'' (परमात्मन्, pronounced , its nominative singular being ''paramātmā'' — परमात्मा, pronounced ) is formed from two words, ''parama'', meaning "supreme" or "highest", and ''ātma'', which means individual self.

The word '' Ātman'' generally denotes the Individual Self, but by the word ''Paramatman'' which word also expresses Boundless Life, Boundless Consciousness, Boundless Substance in Boundless Space, is meant the ''Atman'' of all ''atmans'' or the Supreme Self or the Universal Self. The word ''Atman'', which literally means non-darkness or light , is Brahman the subtlest indestructible Divine existence. The word ''Paramatman'' refers to the Creator of all.

Jainism

In Jainism, each ''atman'' or individual self is a potential ''Paramatman'' or God, both are essentially the same. It remains as ''atman'' only because of its binding karmic limitations, until such time as those limitations are removed. As ''Paramatman'', the ''atman'' represents the ultimate point of spiritual evolution.

Even though Jain mysticism centers around ''Atman'' and ''Paramatman'' because it believes in the existence of soul, in Jainism, which accepts neither Vedic authority nor Monism, all enlightened souls are referred to as ''Paramatman'' and regarded as gods. Jainism honours the soul of each man as its own eternally distinct savior. Since the ''Paramatman'' of Jainism is unable to create and govern the world, there is no place of God as a creator and bestower of fortune.

Buddhism

Hinduism

Hindus conceptualize the ''Parabrahman'' in diverse ways. In the Advaita Vedanta tradition, Nirguna Brahman (Brahman without attributes) is ''Parabrahman''. In Dvaita and Vishistadvaita Vedanta traditions, Saguna Brahman (Brahman with qualities) is ''Parabrahman''. In Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shaktism, Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti respectively are ''Parabrahman''. Mahaganapati is considered as ''Parabrahman'' by the Ganapatya sect. Kartikeya is considered as ''Parabrahman'' by the Kartikeya sect.

Description in the Upanishads

The sage of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV.4.2, although not using the word ''Paramatman'', explains that at the time of release the portion (aspect) of the ''Paramatman'' and the portion (aspect) of the ''Jiva'' presiding in the right eye become unified with the ''Paramatman'' and the ''Jiva'' presiding in the heart, then the ''Jiva'' does not see, smell, taste, speak, hear, feel, touch and know; when ''Paramatman'' goes out, the Chief ''Prana'' goes out after him, followed by the Lower Prana. ''Paramatman'' goes out riding on the ''Jiva'' following consciousness and work, knowledge of former life or natural capacity. In the Prashna Upanishad IV.11 the word ''Atman'' cannot refer to ''Jiva'' because the ''Jiva'' cannot of its own accord throw off its body or understand ''avidya'', therefore, it refers to ''Paramatman''. The Jiva attains Moksha when he actually knows the ''Paramatman'', the Asarira Prajnatman, to be thousand-headed, to be the governor of all and to be superior to all. Thus, ''Paramatman'' is one of the many aspects of Brahman and has all attributes of Brahman. ''Atman'' (Spirit) and ''Paramatman'' (God) are one, some say they are distinct as well as one, they are one with reference to Shakti but distinct with reference to that power.

Parable of the two birds

The word ''Paramatman'' is not to be found in the Rig Veda but through allusion referring to ''Paramatman'' as ''Isha''. This distinction is made because all of its mantras which in the form of prayers are addressed to gods. In its great Riddle Hymn (Sukta I.164) is the famous mantra - R.V.I.164.20, that was revealed to Rishi Deergatamaah Auchathyah and borrowed by Mundaka Upanishad III.1.1-3, which belongs to Atharva Veda, to weave the parable of the Two Birds:-Two birds.

Aurobindo makes the Spirit or ''Purusha'' the Source of everything, including Brahman. He makes ''Purusha'' more fundamental. Thus, he does not have to say Brahman to be the source of inferior Brahman, and he also dismisses the sense of Reality revealed in imaginative and emotional build-up.

Case of Two souls

The Dualistic school of philosophy initiated by Anandatirtha draws its support from the afore-cited passage as well as from the passage of Katha Upanishad I.3.1 of an earlier Upanishad that speaks about two souls which taste the fruits of action, both of which are lodged in the recess of the human heart, and which are different from each other as light and shade, that carried the flaw—how could the Universal soul be regarded as enjoying the fruits of action? The followers of Madhava draw their support from the Bhagavad Gita XV.16 that speaks about two persons in this world, the Mutable and the Immutable; the Mutable is all these things, while the Immutable is the one who exists at the top of them, one is the Jivatman and the other, Paramatman. ''Jivatman'' is ''chit'', the sentient, and ''Paramatman'' is Isvara, both have the same attributes; they are inseparably present together on the tree which is ''achit'', the insentient, or the gross ''Avidya'' component of existence. ''Jivatman'' and ''Paramatman'' are both seated in the heart, the former is driven by the three modes of nature and acts, the latter simply witnesses as though approving the former's activities. The relationship between Paramātmā, the Universal Self, and 'ātma, the Individual Self, is likened to the indwelling God and the soul within one's heart. Paramatman is one of the many aspects of Brahman. Paramatman is situated at the core of every individual jiva in the macrocosm. The Upanishads do compare Atman and Paramatman to two birds sitting like friends on the branch of a tree (body) where the Atman eats its fruits (karma), and the Paramatman only observes the Atman as a witness (sākṣin) of His friend's actions.

Advaita

In Advaita philosophy, individual souls are called ''Jīvātman'', and the Highest Brahman is called ''Paramātman''. The ''Jivatman'' and the ''Paramatman'' are known to be one and the same when the ''Jivatman'' attains the true knowledge of the Brahman (Sanskrit ''Brahmajñāna''). In the context of Advaita, the word ''Paramatman'' is invariably used to refer to Nirguna Brahman, with Ishvara and Bhagavan being terms used to refer to Brahman with qualities, or Saguna Brahman.

Brahman and Isvara are not synonymous words, the apparent similarity is on account of similar looking attributes imagined with regard to the impressions these two words activate. According to Advaita, Isvara is Brahman associated with ''maya'' in its excellent aspect, as the empirical reality it is the determinate Brahman; Isvara has no reality apart from Brahman. The Svetasvatara Upanishad developed the conception of a personal God. The Katha Upanishad states that never has any man been able to visualise ''Paramatman'' by means of sight, heart, imagination or mind. The Anandamaya-kosha is the Isvara of the Upanishads. Gaudapada called duality ''maya'', and non-duality, the only reality. Maya is the Cosmic Nescience that has in it the plurality of subject and object and therefore, Isvara is organically bound with the world. Beyond the ''Prana'' or Isvara is the state of the Infinite limitless Brahman which is why in the Bhagavad Gita VII.24, Krishna tells Arjuna—"not knowing My unsurpassable and undecaying supreme nature the ignorant believe Me to have assumed a finite form through birth."

With regard to the cause of '' samsāra'', as to where it resides and the means of its removal, Adi Shankara in his Vivekachudamani.49. instructs that the individual self is the ''Paramatman'' in reality, the association of the individual self with ''ajnana'' i.e. with ''avidya'', which he terms as ''anatmabandhah'', bondage by the '' anatman'' or non-atman, makes it to identify itself with gross, subtle and causal bodies and from that arises samsāra which is of the form of superimposition of qualities of ''sukha'', ''dukha'' etc., on itself, the ''atman''.

Vaishnavism

''Paramatman'' is beyond knowledge and ignorance, devoid of all material attributes (''upadhi''). In Chapter 13 of the Bhagavad Gita, ''Paramatman'' is described as Krishna residing in the hearts of all beings and in every atom of matter. He is the overseer and the permitter of their actions. Paramatman is different from five elements (''pancha mahabhutas''), the senses, mind, ''pradhana'' and ''jiva''.

Vaishnava sects maintain that attaining knowledge of Brahman and identification of ''atman'' with Brahman is an intermediate stage of self-realization, and only Bhakti Yoga can lead to the next step of ''Paramatman'' realization as the indwelling God, ultimately leading up to liberation (''Mukti'') by God-realization.

The Viṣṇu or the deity of the ''quality of goodness'' in the material world is the ''puruṣa-avatāra'' known as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu or ''Paramātmā'


In Bengal, Vaishnava Krishna is viewed as one endowed with his essential ''svarupa-shakti''; he is Bhagawat in full manifestation endowed with ''Jivasakti'' and ''Mayasakti'', he the ''Paramatman'' and Brahman. Brahman, ''Paramatman'' and ''Bhagavan'' are 3 gradations of the ultimate reality.

Time

Time is described in the Bhagavata Purana:

See also

* Anima mundi
* Names of God
* Paramananda (Hinduism)
* Raja Yoga
* Sattva

References

External links

Usage of the term Paramatma in Puranic and Gaudiya Vaishnava literature

{{Indian Philosophy, state=collapsed

Forms of Vishnu
Hindu philosophical concepts
Hindu studies
Names of God in Hinduism
Puranas
Vedanta
Vedas
Yoga concepts