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Can you explain the difference between God and atma according to the Bhagavad-Gita?

Last Updated: 27.06.2025 03:15

Can you explain the difference between God and atma according to the Bhagavad-Gita?

One may ask which of these three views is correct - well each school argues its case in depth and prolixity. The summary and take away information is that Param-ātma and jīvātma are intimately and inseparably related to each other and share three qualities:-

Advaita Vedānta - (Non-duality) God (Paramātma) and the individual Self (jīvātma) are one and the same = identical.

Krishna sums the relationship up in two verses:-

Have you ever witnessed a remote beach show where hundreds of turtles crawling to the water?

Dvaita Vedānta - (Duality) God and the individual Self are absolutely distinct and separate.

Visiṣṭhādvaita Vedānta - (Qualified non-duality) They are one but ontologically distinct, like a flower and its smell or like a picture and its pixels.

So these verses affirm the identity of God and the Individual Self and there are three views according to the three major schools of Vedānta.

What does it mean when I have a dream where my friend died? I had this dream last night where one of my friends died in a shootout and I woke up crying.

Bhāti = illumination - consciousness

Priyam = Love.

Asti = being

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