- Where does Aatman reside in the body?
hṛidi hyeṣha ātmā (Praśhnopaniṣhad 3.6)
sa vā eṣha ātmā hṛidi (Chhāndogya Upaniṣhad 8.3.3)
Vedas say that Aatman is seated in the region of the heart. Yet, consciousness, the symptom of Aatman, spreads throughout the body.
- How does this happen? Ved Vyas explains as follows:
avirodhaśhchandanavat (Brahma Sūtra 2.3.23)
“Just as applying sandalwood to your forehead cools the entire body, similarly, the aatman, although residing locally in the heart, infuses its consciousness throughout the body.”
- If consciousness is a characteristic of the soul, then how does it spread into the body? Ved Vyas explains:
vyaktireko gandhavat (Brahma Sūtra 2.3.26)
“Fragrance is a quality of the flower. But the garden where the flower grows also becomes fragrant.”
