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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
The Upanişads
long as he is under the spell of ignorance; and ignorance consists in misappropriation of the Karmas. He thinks that the individual soul is the doer and experiencer of the actions; that the actions and their results pertain to him; that he is the real doer of actions and the experiencer of their fruits. He attaches the actions and their results to himself, to the individ ual soul, when in fact, the real doer and enjoyer is his innermost Self, the Atman, which is situated at the heart of the reality and of himself.1 The Self governing the individual from within, as the (teftat) in the capacity of the antoryāmin prompts and inspires him to act and also to experience the fruits of them. In the Maitrāyani Upanişad it is clearly stated that the transcendental Self or the Ātman itself is the experiencer or enjoyer, not only of nature, but also of the lower Self, the bhūtātmā or the individual soul. It is the real doer of actions because it supplies energy to the mind and to the buddhi; it is the intiator and sustainer; but even though it does the actions it is not bound by them. It perceives and acts through the sense organs and motor organs, but itself remains behind them, as the invisible thread-puller. The results of actions do not stick to it (a foard ) as the drops of water on lotusleaf do not adhere to it. It is described by Yājšavalkya in the following manner - "He is the unseen seer, the unheard hearer, the unthought thinker, the ununderstood understander. Other than
1 Bịh. Up. 2.5.15. Maitrāyani Up. 6.10.
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