Atma the Self

Author(s): Punyadarshanvijay
Publisher: Sanmarg Prakashan

Page 92

.... ĀTMĀ
The Self....
THE CLIMAX
An agitated person under Sheer Stress, raised a query:
"It is my birth and it is my death, during the survival period, have I not the right to lead my life according to my desire and aspiration ?"
For right clarification and proper appreciation one should know that we are self-existent individual souls. Every soul is immortal and its attributes are inalienable and possess unlimited strength, omniscient knowledge and vision etc. All virtues remain dormant, the imprisoned soul from infinite past (it has no beginning) is impure with Karmic matter (similar to impure gold in the goldmine). The soul remains entrapped in the cycle of births and deaths for an indefinite period depending upon Karmic effects from time to time. It undergoes pleasant and sad experiences of happiness and unhappiness, bearable and unbearable. This is called "SANSAR" - the ocean of temporal life. The Ocean consists of 4 types of existences :
1) Deva (Angels) 2) Nāraka (Hellish being) 3) Tiryancha (Sub human) 4) Manusya (Human existence)
1) Deva Gati/Celestial Existence: Celestial beings in Heaven (Angels)
with subtle astral bodies and the life span of countless years (Minimum 10000 years) enjoy the most pleasurable and happiest conditions. The Status and material benefits throughtout remain the same, there is no increase or decrease, yet they are envious of others, who have higher standard due to more merits, which leads to anger and discontent. They are full of infatuation and have to obey superior angels. They rarely think of future life and thus squander away accumulated merits. Even they cannot live as per their own desires.
2) Nārki/Hellish beings (In Hell) : This is contrary to Angels in heaven,
also having life span of countless years (Minimum 10000 years).
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