Description of the Atman and How to Cognize It

Bhagavad Gita with Commentaries / Description of the Atman and How to Cognize It

Description of the Atman and How to Cognize It

8:3. … The main essence (of incarnate beings) is the Atman…

6:7. He who has cognized the Atman attains the full peace, for he takes refuge in the Divine Consciousness when he (his body) is in cold or heat, in situations of joy or grief, honor or dishonor.

6:10. Let a yogi be constantly concentrating in the Atman…

6:18. When he, as a refined consciousness free from all cravings, is concentrated in the Atman alone, then he is said about: “He is in harmony”.

5:17. The one who has cognized oneself as a buddhi, who has associated oneself with the Atman, who is devoted only to the Lord and takes refuge in Him — such one, purified by salvational wisdom, goes to Liberation.

15:11 Rightly aspiring yogis cognize not only the soul but also the Atman in themselves. But the unwise do not find the Atman.

2:58. If he takes his indriyas off the worldly objects like a tortoise withdraws its limbs and head into its shell — then he has attained the true understanding.

13:22. Observing, Supporting, All-receiving, the Highest Ruler, and also the Divine Atman — this is how called the Supreme Spirit in this body.

13:29. He who sees that all actions are realized only in prakriti and that the Atman remains in calm — he truly sees.

13:31. The eternal and non-bound by prakriti Divine Atman, though residing in bodies, does not act and cannot be influenced…

13:32. As the omnipresent void does not intermix with anything because of its subtlety, so does the Atman residing in bodies intermixes with nothing.

But these instructions cannot by themselves, without more details, ensure cognition of the Atman. This is the task of spiritual schools. Search for methods of solving this task is the possibility for seekers to develop the Wisdom. This is also the possibility for creating various paths; this is good, since it allows everyone to choose the most adequate path for themselves. The main concept of this searching Krishna outlined as follows:

10:8. I am the Source of everything; everything originates from Me. Having understood this, the wise worship Me with great delight.

10:9. Directing their thoughts to Me, devoting their lives to Me, enlightening each other, always conversing about Me, they are happy and content.

10:10. To them — always full of love — I gift buddhi yoga, by means of which they attain Me.