Concepts of Parmatma Antaratma Anatma in Philosophy of Dada Bhagwan

Author(s): S R Bhatt
Publisher: S R Bhatt

Page 12

Paramatma is svayamsiddha, apodictic, as He is foundational reality. He is svasthita (self-situated). He is supreme luminosity. He shines by His own glory. He is svaparaprakasaka. The Svetasvatara Upanisad (VI.14) declares, "Na tatra Suryo bhati na Candratarakam, nemavidyuto bhanti kuto'yamagnih. Tameva bhantamanubhatisarvam. Tasya bhasa sarvamidam vibhati" (Also in Katha and Mundaka). Dadaji also parodies the same in respect of the principle of vyavasthita. (Ibid. I. p. 5)
According to Dadaji Paramatma is an ocean of compassion (karunasagara). He is pure love, dispassionate love. He has no 'will' and yet He energizes all.
Dadaji discusses different stages to finally reach this state.
THE CONCEPT OF JIVATMA
Different from Paramatma is jivatma (individual self) which has pratisthitatma. Pratisthitatma is Paramatma located and situated (avasthita) in the jivatma. Jivatma has pratisthitatma with its paraphernalia of antahkarana, senses and body which are all pudgala (material). It is very complex entity. Paramatma permeates jivatma as Saksi caitanya, as Antaratma, as Antaryami. Paramatma is asti or sat (pure existence), bhati or cit (pure consciousness), and priya or ananda (pure bliss) but in jiva Paramatma is conditioned by nama (name) and rupa (form) which constitute pratistha (psycho-physical conditioning enlivened by antaratma). Asti, bhati and priyam are atma (paramatma) and nama and rupa are anatma. Thus jivatma is niscetanacetana (materially conditioned consciousness). Jivatma is a mixture and not a compound of atma and anatma and therefore the two can be separated. (Aptavani,I. p. 109) Atma is pure (nirbhela) but as jivatma it becomes of mixed nature. Atma is jnata but as jivatma it becomes jneya.
Pratisthitatma is a complex which arises due to the past karmas in the previous births. All ahamkara and ego is due to this. It controls the antahkarana and entire mental world. But it is under the control of vyavasthta and scientific circumstantial evidence as we shall discuss later on.
Jivatma has three-fold coverings of mana (psyche), vacana (linguistic expressions) and kaya (body) (Aptvani, I.p.21). Jivatma has four-fold antahkarana-mana, buddhi, citta and ahamkara. Dadaji has dwelled upon these four in great detail. His delineation is not only interesting but highly useful.
Body (deha,sarira) is anatma. It is subject to change and mutation. It originates, grows, decays and gets destroyed. It transmigrates along with jivatma. There are three forms of body, viz., the causal, the subtle and the gross. With death only the gross body is destroyed and the other two migrate to determine the nama-rupa (psycho-physical dispositions) of the next birth. Body is 'fake'. It is a package. It does not belong to the Atma. About it the Atma should have the awareness of "na me nasmi naham" (it is not mine, I am not it and it is not me) to use the terminology of the Samkhya System. Dadaji also uses the same language. Jivatma suffers from dehadhyasa (Aptavani, I, p. 118), becomes ignorant of reality, and mistakes itself to be knowledgeable. This is bhranti