Concepts of Parmatma Antaratma Anatma in Philosophy of Dada Bhagwan

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

Page 13

(delusion) which makes him mudhatma (Aptavani, II p. 279). It comes under the sway of prakrti which is anatma, which is pudgala and which puts the jivatma under bondage. Atma is not a doer and enjoyer of fruits of actions but jivatma becomes so due to ahamkara and acquires will to do. Jivatma behaves like a toy-top or bay-blade (bhamarada). Dadaji has discussed this facet of jivatma at length since it is this which needs to be known to get rid of it. He says that it is both a friend and an enemy depending upon the role it performs.
The concept of pratisthitatma is an innovative revelation of Dadaji. It is very much significant to understand its subtlety. Pratisthitatma is bi-faceted. One facet is S'uddhatma which is present in jivatma as saksi and antaratma and the other facet is that it is the adhisthana (substratum) of the jagat (world). Pratisthitatma renders jivatma as aropitatma, vikari atma, vyavaharatma, mechanical atma etc. These are cognate terms. In each jivatma there is distinct pratisthitatma due to past karmas of previous lives and is responsible for a specific psycho-physical complex. (Aptavani, I, p. 104) So long as S'uddhatma is not realized all jivatmas are pratisthitatmas. Pratisthitatma is not Mulatma (Original Self) or S'uddhatma (Pure Self). It is a mixture of atma and anatma. It is pudgala having acquired reflected consciousness. All empirical knowledge and actions belong to it. S'uddhatma only witnesses all this. Pratisthitatma is the master and controller of antahkarana.
It is the pratisthitatma which is the doer and enjoyer. It is the vyvaharatma, aropitatma, mudatma , relative atma or mechanical atma as stated earlier.
All jivatmas are pratisthitatma. Human soul is the most evolved pratisthitatma. It alone is capable of attaining moksa by realizing the discriminatory knowledge of "na me nasmi naham" ( to use Samkhya terminology) in relation to prakrti which is a network of pudgalas.
Pratisthitama along with its companions and offshoots can be regarded as bahiratma. The S'vetas'vatara Upanisad very beautifully puts it as, "Navadvare pure dehi hamso lelayate bahih. Vasi sarvasya lokasya sthavarasya carasya ca."
THE CONCEPT OF ANTARATMA
The S'uddhatma in every jivatma/pratitsthitatma is antaratma. It is the indwelling principle situated in all (sarvabhutasthita), though may not be visible to all. The Brhadaranyaka Upanisad and the S'vetas'vatara Upanisad deal with this in great detail. In the Bhagavadgita we have its illuminating account. Dadaji also dwells upon this in a very instructive way. He says that "I am seated in you but you can experience this if you are straight and not crooked.” (Aptavani,I, p.16) It is the inner light in all living selves, their inner controller and driver. It is also the witnessing consciousness. Body is a 'packing' and Paramatma is positioned within it as an enlivening and animating principle. Dadaji says that "God is in every creature whether visible or invisible." "He is the “Dada