In Hindu theology, Paramatman is Absolute Atman or Supreme Soul or Supreme Spirit (also Supersoul, Oversoul) in the Vedanta and Yoga philosophies of India. Paramatman is one of the aspects of Brahman: "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan." (Bhagavata Purana 1.2.11) Also known as the divine self or the one object, Paramatman is both part of an individual and part of the macrocosm. Upanishads compare Atman and Paramatman to two birds sitti ...

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• Paramatman - Etymology
• Paramatman - Descriptions

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Paramatman: (Sanskrit) "Supreme Self," or "transcendent soul." Parasiva, Absolute Reality, the one transcendent Self of every soul. Contrasted with atman, which includes all three aspects of the soul: Parasiva, Parashakti and anandamaya kosha.

See: atman, kosha, soul.

(See also: Paramatman, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

A Theosophical definition of Paramatman :

Paramatman

(Sanskrit) The "primordial self" or the "self beyond," the permanent SELF, the Brahman or universal spirit-soul. A compound term meaning the highest or universal atman. Parama, "primordial," "supreme," etc.; the root of atman is hardly known  - its origin is uncertain, but the general meaning is that of "self." Paramatman consequently means the "supreme self," or the summit or flower of a hierarchy, the root-base or source of that kosmic self.

Selflessness is the attribute of the paramatman, the universal self, where all personality vanishes.

The universal self is the heart of the universe, for these two phrases are but two manners of expressing the same thing; it is the source of our being; it is also the goal whither we are all marching, we and the hierarchies above us as well as the hierarchies and the entities which compose them inferior to us. All come from the same ineffable source, the heart of Being, the universal self, pass at one period of their evolutionary journey through the stage of humanity, gaining thereby self-consciousness or the ego-self, the "I am I," and they find it, as they advance along this evolutionary path, expanding gradually into universal consciousness  - an expansion which never has an end, because the universal consciousness is endless, limitless, boundless.

The paramatman is spiritually practically identical with what the theosophist has in mind when he speaks of the Absolute; and consequently paramatman, though possessing a wide range of meanings, is virtually identical with Brahman. Of course when the human mind or consciousness ascends in meditation up the rungs of the endless ladder of life and realizes that the paramatman of one hierarchy or kosmos is but one of a multitude of other paramatmans of other kosmic hierarchies, the realization comes that even the vague term parabrahman may at certain moments of philosophical introspection be found to be the frontierless paramatman of boundless space; but in this last usage of paramatman the word obviously becomes a sheer generalizing expression for boundless life, boundless consciousness, boundless substance. This last use of the word, while correct enough, is hardly to be recommended because apt to introduce confusion, especially in Occidental minds with our extraordinary tendency to take generalizations for concrete realities.

See also: Paramatman, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

The Absorption In Paramatman

23. Through the absorption of their respective Upadhis or vehicles all these in turn are absorbed in the Pratyagatma-the three aspects of consciousness, Visva, Taijasa, and Prajna in man, the three, Virat, Hiranyagarbha, and Ishvara in the universe, the egg of the universe, the egg of man and the seven worlds.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad: The Absorption In Paramatman

There are two kinds of souls, viz., the individual soul or Jivatman or the human soul, and the Supreme Soul or Paramatman. The individual soul is an image or reflection of the Supreme Soul. Just as the Sun is reflected in different pots of water, so also the Supreme Soul is reflected in different minds of different persons.

The death and dying and the life after death has always fascinated man. This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » What Is Death?: What Is Soul?

Experiencing Everything As Consciousness During Samadhi

76. The body of the Yogi attains very subtle state of the pure Brahman. By causing the body made of the elements to be absorbed in a subtle state in the form of the Paramatman or the supreme Deity, the body of the Yogi gives up its impure corporal state.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad: Experiencing Everything As Consciousness During Samadhi

'Atman or Self is one. There is one common consciousness in all beings. All Jivas are reflections of the one Supreme Soul or Paramatman. Just as one sun is reflected in all pots of water, so also the one Supreme Being is reflected in all human beings. One cannot become many. One appears as many. One is real. Many are illusory.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Oneness:Yoga of Right Conduct - Ethical Discipline

The main principle is that when awakened, Kundalini Sakti, either Herself or Her eject, ceases to be a static Power which sustains the world-consciousness, the content of which is held only so long as She sleeps; and when once set in movement is drawn to that other static centre in the Thousand-petalled Lotus (Sahasrara) which is Herself in union with the Siva-consciousness or the consciousness of ecstasy beyond the world of form. When Kundalini sleeps, man is awake to this world. When She wakes, he sleeps�that is, loses all consciousness of the world and enters his causal body. In Yoga, he passes beyond to formless Consciousness.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Kundalini Yoga: Essence Of Kundalini Yoga

What is a human being’s dharma?

Every entity and idea has its own distinct characteristic which differentiates it from another. Water has the property of making things wet. As long as it has this property, people will call it water. Similarly, as long as fire has the property of burning things, it will be called fire. When it loses this property, it will no longer be called fire.

Human beings also have a dharma, which marks them as human. The corporeal body is not the limit of our consciousness.

(See also: Bhagavata Dharma, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The enormity of death is felt by people when they lose someone close to them. Knowledge and spirituality are often the light at the end of the tunnel in such moments of sadness. A human being who has died, is like a torch extinguished.

However, the flame of his life burns in his children, friends, work, and in his ideas. He has enriched the earth on which he has walked, the rivers in which he has bathed, and the living beings with whom he has been in communion.

(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul)

Lord Krishna's influence on our lives far exceeds that of any other God-incarnate. Krishna is depicted not only as an embodiment of wisdom and selfless action, but also as a humane liberal and practical philosopher with foresight.

Krishna's mysticism and activism have greatly inspired poets, painters, writers, dramatists and dancers. The advice he rendered to a disheartened Arjuna at Kurukshetra - immortalised in the Bhagavad Gita - greatly influenced philosophers and continues to inspire millions of people worldwide.

(See also: Krishna, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Death is separation of the soul from the physical body. Death becomes the starting point of a new and better life. Death does not end your personality and self-consciousness. It merely opens the door to a higher form of life. Death is only the gateway to a fuller life.

The death and dying and the life after death has always fascinated man. This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » What Is Death?: The Phenomenon Of Death

The pot is perhaps the most ancient of vessels. It is also the most universal. It is an intrinsic part of several rituals in many societies. It is difficult to imagine any Hindu religious ceremony without the holy kalash. Our gods partnered with demons to churn the ocean to obtain the pot of nectar. In ancient Europe, hydrio-taphia (urn-burial) was common. In Gond society, a married couple desirous of divorce carry together a mud-pot and drop it to 'break' their wedlock.

(See also: Kalash, Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak was a freedom fighter whose convictions stemmed from a deep and intricate understanding of Indian culture. He wrote a scholarly commentary on the Bhagavad Gita in his magnum opus, Gita-Rahasya and he lived its message in every sphere of his life.

As a child, Tilak was often told by some of his elders that the religious and philosophic life was incompatible with humdrum everyday existence. The only path to moksha or liberation, the highest attainable goal, was the renunciation of desires and material attachments, they said: "One could not serve two masters, the world and God."

(See also: Tilak, Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The orthodox systems of philosophy believe in the authority of the Vedas. The heterodox systems of philosophy do not believe in the authority of the Vedas.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Orthodox And Heterodox Systems: Vedic Philosophy - The Orthodox And The Heterodox Systems Of Indian Philosophy

Part III of III of Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad

The Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad is the eighty-sixth among the 108 Upanishads. It forms part of the Krishna Yajurveda. It deals with an exposition of Hatha and Lambika Yogas. It concludes with an account of the non-qualified Brahman. The Non-dual Brahman is the quest of all seekers.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Kundalini Yoga: Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad, Part III

Ethics or ethical science treats about Sadachara or right conduct, morality or duty. Ethics is the science of morals, that branch of philosophy which is concerned with human character and conduct.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Sadachara:Yoga of Right Conduct - Sadachara

Ethics as a Means to Yoga.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Yoga: Yoga of Right Conduct

Beginning with Vedantic Hindu philosophy, the Ātman — Sanskrit (masculine nominative singular: Ātmā) is regarded as an underlying metaphysical self. It is first seen in its current Hindu usage in the Upanishads, some of which date back to 1000 BC. The word “Atman” (pronounced in Sanskrit like “Atma”) is interpreted by some schools as the “Main Essence” of man, as his Highest Self. “A” in this word is a negative particle. One popular, albeit apocryphal, etymology has it that the 'tma' of "atma" “Tma” mea ...

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• Atman Hinduism - Non-technical uses of ātman
• Atman Hinduism - Buddhism

Read more here: » Atman Hinduism: Encyclopedia - Atman Hinduism

Collective unconscious is a term of analytical psychology, and was originally coined by Carl Jung. He distinguished the collective unconscious from the personal unconscious, which is particular to each human being. The collective unconscious refers to that part of a person's unconscious which is common to all human beings. It contains archetypes, which are forms or symbols that are manifested by all people in all cultures. Some have pointed out that this is essentially metaphysic ...

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• Collective unconscious - Collective unconscious in Fiction

Read more here: » Collective unconscious: Encyclopedia - Collective unconscious