05

After understanding the four fundamental principles –the One Indivisible Whole, Universal Unity, the Eternal Law of Change and Ahimsa (non-violence) as the highest human value, the most significant concept that emerges in the Sanatana Dharma is that of the Atma –Atman (Soul), which is the most prominent theme of the Upanishads; in the Upanishads, it is the underlying fundamental reality, which is the eternal element that does not get destroyed even after death.) The Soul –in fact, the Jeevatma, occupies the most important place in the cosmic order –Jagata, after the Indivisible Totality –represented by the Supreme Soul or Brahman. This is consciousness –the basis of life. Starting from the Vedas to the Upanishads, the Shrimadbhagavadgita and almost all other major texts of the Sanatana Dharma, there have been references to the existence, state and goal of the Jeevatma (Soul) in the ambit and order of the Indivisible Whole. Along with discussions about the Supreme Soul, i.e., Paramatma, there are also explanations about the reality of the Soul, its involvement in Karmas, and especially the state of the human Soul after death. There are also interpretations and views of interpreters of the Dharma and philosophers on all these references and descriptions. We know that in the Upanishads, which are related to the Vedas, there are references like “Ayam Aatmaa Brahman”, i.e., “This Soul is Brahman” (the Atharvavedic Mundakopanishad, Shloka-2), “Prajnaanam Brahman”, i.e., “This wisdom (Ultimate Reality –Consciousness) is Brahman” (the Rigvedic Aitareya Upanishad, Shloka 3: 1: 3), “Aham Brahmaasmi”, i.e., “I am Brahman” (the Yajurvedic Brihadaranyakopanishad, Shloka 1: 4: 10) and “Tattvamasi”, i.e., “That Brahma is you” (the Samavedic Chhandogyopanishad, Shloka  6: 8: 7). In this regard, a verse from the Shrimadbhagavadgita (2: 23), “Nainam Chhidanti Shastraani Nainam Dahati Paavakah/ Na Chainam Kleyantayaapo Na Shoshayati Maarutah”, i.e., “This Soul cannot be cut by a weapon, fire cannot burn it, it cannot be wetted by water and it cannot be dried by air”, also comes before us prominently.

The essence of all these references from the Vedanta –the Upanishads and the Gita, is that the Soul is Brahman-roopa, (Indivisible Totality-form; Sarvatra Brahman=all originating source+all inclusive, Mundakopanishad, 1: 1: 7); it is eternal and everlasting and capable of realizing the Swabodha, i.e., knowledge of self, familiarity with the Absolute Truth and uniting it with the human body. The Soul is capable of realizing its divine nature by the Satya of Universal Unity existing within the ambit of the Indivisible Whole –Brahman. “Vidyaam Chaavidyaam Cha Yastadvedobhayam Saha/ Avidyayaa Mrityum Tiirtvaa Vidyayaamritamashnute// –One who knows both Vidya and Avidya simultaneously, transcends death through Avidya and attains immortality through Vidya.” (The Ishavasyopanishad, Verse-11)

Brahman and Atman are the most important topics of the Upanishads. The Upanishads are the last part of the Vedas. That is why; the Upanishadic philosophy is called the Vedanta.

There are many branches of the Vedanta philosophy. Three of them are the Advaita centred on the thoughts of Adi Shankaracharya, the Vishishtaadvaita propounded by Ramanujacharya and the Dvaita presented by Madhvacharya. The Advaita accepts the only truth of Brahman. It considers the world to be false. It does not accept the difference of the Soul from Brahman and calls this the true declaration of the Vedanta. “Brahman Satyam Jaganmithyaa Jiivo Brahmaiva Naaparah/ Anena Vedyam Sachchhaastramiti Vedaantadindimah// –Brahman is the Truth; the universe is false. The living being is Brahman and is not different from Him. This is what should be understood as being in accordance with the scriptures. This is what is declared by the Vedanta.”

Ramanujacharya’s Vishishtaadvaita philosophy accepts both Brahman and the Jagata as true; but does not consider the Jagata as separate from Brahman. Brahman is accepted as the Omnipresent Supreme Truth or the reality, and the Soul is dependent on it. In other words, according to the Vishishtaadvaita, Atman or the Soul is also eternal and distinct from the Supreme Being, but it is, nevertheless, dependent on Brahman for existence and welfare.

Madhvacharya, unlike Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya, presented his dualistic views. He talked about the separateness of God and the Soul (with separate or independent existence), the separateness of God and matter, the separateness of the living Soul and matter, the separateness of the one Soul from another (separate existence of many souls) and the separateness of one physical object from another. Along with this, he also offered ideas like the complete independent status of God and the dependence of the living world on Him and also the control of Brahman over it.

The Brahmasutra (also known as the Vedanta-Sutra by Badarayana who calls upon man to know his true nature and also guides him in this direction), which organizes and synthesizes Vedic-Upanishadic knowledge, is the basis of all three schools of thought –the Advaita, the Vishishtaadvaita and the Dvaita. The Brahmasutra, as I have myself been able to understand from it, accepts Brahman as the only root of all movable-immovable and visible-invisible things present in the universe. Brahman is the Indivisible Totality, the Creator of Universal Unity. Adi Shankara, Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya, all three have interpreted the Brahmasutra. Through their respective commentaries, they have presented their own conclusions regarding the Advaita, the Vishishtaadvaita and the Dvaita. Despite the doctrinal differences, all three schools of thoughts believe in the Supremacy of Brahman existence –the Indivisible Totality. After Brahman, they accept the importance of the Soul the most. All of them make the actions of the Soul the basis of the results. They propound that human life can be made meaningful only through Satkarmas –righteous acts.

The Sanatana Dharma –the Vedic philosophy is dedicated to theism. All the schools of thoughts associated with this, directly or indirectly, believe in the truth of the Indivisible Totality and Universal Unity. They accept the existence of the Soul. Nevertheless, the analysis of the Vedanta-thought regarding Brahman and the Soul is the best and accurate.

The Soul itself is a subject of realization. Consciousness is the essence of realization of the Soul. The realization of eternal-impermanent, true-false or good-bad is definitely done through the Soul or Atman and I myself accept this.

The Vedanta school of thought also highlights this reality. Accepting the Soul as a power, it considers this to be the true form, the pure light –the self-illuminating, true self. Therefore, in my opinion, after having familiarity with the Vedanta perspective regarding the Soul, there is no special need to go into the details of the related perspective of any other school of thoughts in this regard as the Vedanta idea itself represents as the best thought or philosophy of the Sanatana Dharma.