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Glossary

Sanskrit and Vraj philosophical terms used across the Vachanamrut, Shikshapatri, and Bhaktachintamani, sourced verbatim from Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Bhuj-Kutch's own published Vachanamrut glossary appendix — not written by us.

41 resultsfor “Ãtmã” · clear

akshi-vidyã: Knowledge of the eyes. A type of brahm-vidyã by which a person sees his ãtmã and the murti of Bhagvãn through his eyes. [Loyã 15].
amrut: Nectar. A magical liquid churned from the ocean by the devs and the demons, and it was known to grant immortality to those who drink it. However, this means the ãtmã is unable to break free from the cycle of births and deaths.
ãtmã: 1) The pure jeev, which is distinct from the three bodies and three mental states, and distinct from the indriyas, the antah-karans, worldly desires, or any other traces of Mãyã. It is imperishable and eternal, does not undergo births or deaths, and it leaves a physical body after that body dies and assumes another physical body. Infinite in number. 2) That which pervades, inspires, and controls.
ãtmã-nishthã: Knowledge of the jeev. The belief that a person is an ãtmã, which is imperishable and eternal.
ãtmã-nivedi: A person who offers ãtmã-nivedanam, the ninth type of bhakti. A bhakta who has totally surrendered jeev to Bhagvãn. A person whose every action is an offering to Bhagvãn and who has Bhagvãn at the centre of his every action.

Badrikãshram: 1) An ãshram with orchards of badri-trees – trees bearing small, slightly sour apple-like fruits, called badri-fruits in Sanskrit. 2) The dhãm of Nar-Nãrãyan. Considered to be full of orchards of badri-trees. 3) The muktas that reside in this dhãm are ãtmãs who have been freed from the cycle of births and deaths, but have not yet attained Akshardhãm. So, they perform continuous tap, in order to attain ultimate moksh.
Bhagvãn: God. Supreme being. Lord of all. Bhagvãn is unparalleled, omnipotent and the all-doer, omniscient, omnipresent, the ocean of all forms of bliss, does not have any attributes of Mãyã, is divine, and is always taking birth on earth for His bhaktas. Resides within the ãtmã. Also called Parbrahm, Paramãtmã, Purushottam, Krishna Nãrãyan, and Swãminãrãyan.
brahm-agni: Bhagvãn. When a person performs a sãttvik yagna by withdrawing the ten indriyas and the mind (the eleventh indriya) from whichever vishays they have become attached to, he offers them into brahm-agni. The ãtmã and Bhagvãn then become one.
brahm-sattã: 1) Formless svarup of Brahm. 2) Also refers to the ãtmã, which is eternal.
brahmvetta: A knower of Brahm. One who has realized their own ãtmã as brahm-swarup.

chaitanya: Consciousness. The substance of the ãtmã. A higher consciousness that is beyond the physical world, which is jad and mãyik. It is indestructible.

drashtã: The seer. Generally refers to the ãtmã as the observer, but can also refer to Bhagvãn as the observer within each ãtmã.

gnãn: 1) Knowledge. Spiritual knowledge leading to kalyãn. In particular, the knowledge of the ãtmã, and Bhagvãn’s svarup and His greatness. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. 2) Also used to mean ãtmã-nishthã or ãtmã-gnãn.

jad: Lifeless. Non-living. Has no ãtmã. Opposite of chaitanya. That which is without consciousness.
jãgrat: Awake. One of the three mental states. The jãgrat state is the result of the sustenance state of Virãt-Purush. It is full of sattva-gun and is located in the region of the eyes. In the jãgrat state, the jeevãtmã is known as vishva, and is conscious of its sthul body. [Sãrangpur – 6].
jav: A barley grain. A chihn on Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn’s right toe. Performing dhyãn on this chihn destroys all sins, purifies the mind, and grants a person with the knowledge of ãtmã and Paramãtmã. It also ensures enough worldly wealth and comforts.
jeev: 1) That which is living. Infinite in number. Individual, embodied ãtmã still bound by Mãyã and consequently undergoing the cycle of births and deaths. The jeev is not separate the three bodies (sthul, sukshma, and kãran) and the three mental states (jãgrat, svapna, and sushupti), whereas the ãtmã is distinct from everything. 2) First of the five eternal entities (jeev, ishvar, Mãyã, and Akshar, and Parbrahm). 3) Sometimes used to mean the same as ãtmã.
jeevãtmã: See jeev. jhãnjh Pair of small, cymbals – slightly larger than manjirãs - used in the accompaniment of other percussion
jignãsu: A person who seeks knowledge of the ãtmã (ãtmã-nisthã). One of the four types of bhaktas.

kaivalyãrthi: A person who worships only Bhagvãn in order to experience the ãtmã. He is of an intermediate level. [Ashlãli – 1]
kshetragna: Knower of kshetra. Often used with kshetra to describe a relationship similar to that between a landowner and his land – kshetragna is the owner, and the kshetra is the land. Used to describe the ãtmã as the master (kshetragna) of the three bodies (kshetra). Also used to describe Bhagvãn as the master (kshetragna) of all jeevs, ishvars, and Brahm (kshetra). [Panchãlã – 3].

niranna-mukta: A ‘food-less’ mukta. The muktas of Shvet-Dvip are called niranna-muktas, as they do not consume water (nir) or food (ann). Also, they are free from the shad-urmi (six physical and emotional feelings). The muktas that reside in this dhãm are ãtmãs who have been freed from the cycle of births and deaths, but have not yet attained Akshardhãm. So, they perform continuous tap, in order to attain ultimate moksh.
nishkãm bhakta: Superficially appears to be a sakãm bhakta, but inwardly, that bhakta has perfect nishchay and wishes for nothing except the murti of Bhagvãn. If inner enemies cause disturbances within, or a desire for pleasures other than the murti of Bhagvãn arises, he feels intense guilt. Even if he has only a slight amount of ãtmã-nishthã and vairãgya, such a bhakta still attains profound bliss in the dhãm of Bhagvãn after leaving his body.

Paramãtmã: Greater than the ãtmã. God. Supreme being. Bhagvãn. Lord of all. He is unparalleled, omnipotent and the all- doer, omniscient, omnipresent, the ocean of all forms of bliss, does not have any attributes of Mãyã, divine, always taking birth on earth for His bhaktas. Resides within the ãtmã.
Parbrahm: Beyond Brahm. God. Supreme being. Bhagvãn. He is unparalleled, omnipotent and the all-doer, omniscient, omnipresent, the ocean of all forms of bliss, does not have any attributes of Mãyã, divine, always taking birth on earth for His bhaktas. Resides within the ãtmã. Also called Paramãtmã, Parbrahm, Krishna Nãrãyan, and Swãminãrãyan. Highest of the five eternal entities (jeev, ishvar, Mãyã, and Brahm, and Parbrahm).
prãgna: Name of the jeevãtmã in the sushupti state, when it is conscious of its kãran body. [Sãrangpur - 6]

sakãm bhakta: A bhakta who superficially appears to be a tyãgi and nishkãmi. However, he does not have wish for the murti of Bhagvãn, but instead has desires for the darshan of the ãtmã and the four types of mukti. Even if his nishchay is perfect, is a great tyãgi, has firm vairãgya, intense ãtmã- nishthã, and he is not disturbed by inner enemies, if he desires anything other than the pratyaksha svarup of Bhagvãn, then even if he is in the higher loks, he will certainly attain less bliss.
sãkshãtkãr: When that talk is recalled exactly as it was, with absolute clarity and sincerity. If a person engages in shravan, manan, and nididhyãs about the Bhagvãn and His svarup of the ãtmã, then he will attain sãkshãtkãr of the ãtmã. Sãkshãtkãr cannot be attained by doing shravan alone, without practicing both manan and nididhyãs. Also used to describe something that has been so well learned or understood that it becomes second nature.
satsang: 1) True company. The practice of associating with Bhagvãn’s sant, other satsangis, the ãtmã, and the sacred shãstras, and also observing vartmãns and niyams. 2) Also refers to the sampradãy, which is the presence of good company.
sharir: 1) Embodiment. That which is pervaded, inspired and governed by the ãtmã. 2) Refers to the physical and non-physical world, which is pervaded, inspired, and governed by Bhagvãn, its shariri.
Shvet-Dvip: The dhãm of Vãsudev Bhagvãn. The muktas of Shvet-Dvip are called niranna-muktas, as they do not consume water (nir) or food (ann). Also, they are free from the shad-urmi (six physical and emotional feelings). The muktas that reside in this dhãm are ãtmãs who have been freed from the cycle of births and deaths, but have not yet attained Akshardhãm. So, they perform continuous tap, in order to attain ultimate moksh.
sushupti: Unconscious. Deep sleep. One of the three mental states. The sushupti state is the result of the destruction state of ishvar. It is full of tamo-gun and is located in the region of the heart. In the sushupti state, the jeevãtmã is known as prãgna, and is conscious of its kãran body. [Sãrangpur – 6].
sutrãtmã: The subtle body of the three bodies of Virãt-Purush and other ishvars. Equivalent to the sukshma body of the jeevs. [Kãriyãni – 12].
svapna: Dream. One of the three mental states. The svapna state is the result of the creation state of Hiranyagarbh. It is full of rajo-gun and is located in the region of the throat. In the svapna state, the jeevãtmã is known as taijas, and is conscious of its sukshma body. [Sãrangpur – 6].

Taijas: Name of the jeevãtmã in the svapna state, when it is conscious of its sukshma body. [Sãrangpur – 6]
turyapad: Fourth mental state, which refers to Bhagvãn – who is beyond the three mental states of jãgrat, svapna, and sushupti. That which gives knowledge of the distinctions between the mental states to the jeevãtmã, and who gives the jeev the rewards of its karmas accordingly within those states, is known as turyapad, as the antaryãmi, as the drashtã, as Brahm, and also as Parbrahm.

Upanishad: Collection of philosophical texts written by the ancient rushis, that primarily revolves around the discussion of the nature of the ãtmã, the world, mãyã, and reality. Of the 108 Upanishads, ten are considered to be the ‘principal Upanishads’ upon which philosophers and ãchãryas have written commentaries.
upsham: When a person becomes absolutely unaware of the world while meditating Bhagvãn or his ãtmã. When his indriyas are presented with attractive objects, he focuses his attention within, and forgets about the attractive objects. As a result, he becomes tranquil and peaceful.

Vedãnt: A conclusion of the Veds. The principle of thought explained in the Upanishads, which reveals the conclusive teachings of the Veds. The principle centres on the nature of the ãtmã, the world, reality, and personal experience. Although different ãchãryas have written extensive commentaries upon the Upanishads and proposed their personal principles that can also be called Vedãnt, the term is often used specifically to refer to the Advait philosophy.
vishva: Name of the jeevãtmã in the jãgrat state, when it is conscious of its sthul body. [Sãrangpur – 6]
vrutti: Concentration. Focus. The jeev’s vrutti can be thought of as the jeev’s focus of attention. The jeev can experience the physical world (Virãt-Purush) through the indriyas. Similarly the jeev can think about, or have a desire about the world through the antah-karans. When the jeev’s attention is focused on a physical object through the indriyas, it can be said that the vruttis of the indriyas are focused on that object. Similarly, when the jeev’s attention is focused on an object via the antah-karans, it can be said that the vruttis of the antah-karans are focused on that object. Also, like the focus of attention, the vrutti can be focused on many things at once with different levels of intensity. Also, just as the jeev can focus its vrutti outwards, it can also focus it inwards on itself or on Paramãtmã residing within.