Where can I find Atma within me?

Question

As per my understanding,Atman is said to be my true self. When I die my gross body dies but my subtle body remains and reaps the fruits of karma in YamLoka. After which I take rebirth. However the Atman is unaffected by fruits of my actions.Atman neither takes birth or rebirth. Atman is self-existent. It is also said that Atman is one.

So my questions are :

Is Atman seated within me ?

If Atman is seated within me then to which dimension of me does it belong to? (for example does Atman belong to body or feelings or perceptions or mind or consciousness or awareness)

Is it true that Atman of every being is actually one?

@moonstar2001 Why don't you post that as an answer it will be better for those who will read this question in future? — Dheeraj Verma, Sep 22 '17 at 13:40
Atman is not seated within you. Atman is seated within your body. It's like asking 'Is body seated within body?'. Atman = you. you have a body around you. — ram, Sep 23 '17 at 00:27
@ram that is interesting but can you post that as an answer? — Dheeraj Verma, Sep 23 '17 at 00:52
BTW, Atma = Me only. Krishna during Bhagavad Gita has used these terms interchangeably. Some people translate Atma as "soul" and then "soul" is treated as "jiva". In that case it becomes different. — iammilind, Sep 23 '17 at 06:02

score 5 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 23 '19 at 16:33

The Nature of Atma is infinite. This infinite nature of Atman is stated In Svetasvatara Upanishad Chapter 3 -Verse 16 Page No.73 .Its said that Atma is pervading everything in the universe.

सर्वत: पाणिपादं तत्सर्वतोsक्षिशिरोमुखम् |
सर्वत: श्रुतिमल्लोके सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति ||16||

With hands and feet everywhere , with eyes , mouth everywhere ,with ears everywhere .That exists pervading everything in the universe.

But as you asked specific question regarding its location , the answers are provided in Upanishads.
Here in Svetasvatara Upanishad Chapter 3 -Verse 13 -Page 70 - the exact location of Atma is given – It resides in the space of the Heart.

अङ्गुष्ठमात्र: पुरुषोsन्तरात्मा|
सदा जनानां ह्यदये संनिविष्ट:|
ह्युदा मन्विशो मन्सभिक्लुप्तो|
य एतद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति ||13||

Assuming the size of the thumb by virtue of intellect , emotion imagination ad will the infinite being dwells in the hearts of the creatures as their inner self. Those who realize it become immortal.

Also see the Answer given by The Prashna Upanishad

हृदि ह्येष आत्मा ।
अत्रैतदेकशतं नाडीनं तासां शतं शतमेकैकस्या द्वासप्ततिर्द्वासप्ततिःप्रतिशाखानाडीसहस्राणि
भवन्त्यासु व्यानश्चरति ॥ ६ ॥

hṛdi hyeṣa ātmā | atraitadekaśataṃ nāḍīnaṃ tāsāṃ śataṃ śatamekaikasyā dvāsaptatirdvāsaptatiḥpratiśākhānāḍīsahasrāṇi bhavantyāsu vyānaścarati || 6 ||

6 This âtman is in the heart. Here, there are a hundred and one nerves. Every one of these has a hundred brandies; again, every one of these has seventy-two thousand sub-branches. In these, vyâna moves.

So is this why when everything else fails within the body we still can survive but if heart fails then we are gone...right? — Just_Do_It, Sep 22 '17 at 12:58
Atman is just the illuminator of indriyas. Atman do not get involved in Sense pleasures. He is apart from body. Atman is separate.Why we die ? the reasons are given in many scriptures. SO its just a saying . — SwiftPushkar, Sep 22 '17 at 13:02
Some say the Atman resides in between Eyebrows will try to find that also. And will update the answer later. — SwiftPushkar, Sep 22 '17 at 13:04
@SwiftPushkar If Atma is always in the Heart and Atma is imperishable then Heart must also be imperishable. — Dheeraj Verma, Sep 22 '17 at 14:45
@DheerajVerma the heart mentioned in the Upanishads is not the physical organ but the heart lotus (hrit padma). — Pradip Gangopadhyay, Sep 22 '17 at 15:29
@Just_Do_It - most of us misunderstand about heart. In Sanskrit it is, Hridaya. Hridaya means center. This heart refers to subtlest aspect of us which is center. What is the center of our body? That is the answer — Agamas Tantras, Nov 16 '18 at 14:58

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 22 '17 at 15:25

4

Atman is everywhere not just inside a body.

Astavakra Samhita:

The Self is witness, all-pervading, perfect, One, free, Consciousness, actionless, unattached, desireless and quiet. Through illusion It appears as if It is of the world (i.e. subject to the ever-repeating cycle of birth and death). I.12

My child, you have long been caught in the noose of body-consciousness. Sever it with the sword of the knowledge “I am Consciousness” and be happy. I.14

Just as a mirror exists within and without the image reflected in it, so the Supreme Self exists inside and outside this body. I.19

As the same all pervading space is inside and outside a jar, so the eternal all pervasive Brahman exists in all things. I.20

answered Sep 22 '17 at 15:25

Pinakin

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In Upanishads the following is said:"The Puruṣa (Self), of the size of a thumb, resides in the middle of the body as the lord of the past and the future, (he who knows Him) fears no more. This verily is That." – Dheeraj Verma Sep 22 '17 at 16:45
@DheerajVerma Adi Shankara's commentary is missing for that verse but here is another similar one: verse 3.6 - "In the heart, i.e., in the âkâsa of the heart, enclosed within a lump of flesh of the form of a lotus, is this âtman, i.e., the subtle body connected with the âtman." – Pinakin Sep 22 '17 at 17:21

Where can I find Atma within me?

2 Answers2