THE NOTION OF SOUL: DISCUSSED THROUGH THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE SRĪMADBHAGAVADGITĀ AND THE KATHOPANIṢAD AND THEIR IMPACTS ON ADVAITA VEDANTA SCHOOL OF PHILOSOPHY

Abstract

The concept of Ātmā is found in so many perspectives in different sources of knowledge. There is a big controversy among the scholars of different schools of Indian philosophy about the existence of Ātmā. Some of them are accept its existence and some are not. But there are also seen some distinctive opinions among them, who accept the existence of Ātmā. The discussion about Ātmā has been continuing since the Vedic age and particularly in the Upaniṣads, this concept gets its significance in a high and depth way. Almost all the Upaniṣads talk about this concept of Ātmā in a very profound way. Among those, the Kathopaniṣad explains the concept of Ātmā with the help of a nice story of Yama and Naciketā. On the other hand, the Śrīmadvagavadgītā, which also bears a very deep philosophical significance, expresses the concept of Ātmā almost in the same way by the advices of Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. That means, quite similarities are seen between the Kathopaniṣad and the Srīmadvagavadgītā in establishing the concept of Ātmā. Again, there are nine schools of Indian philosophy divided into two groups as orthodox and heterodox along with their own doctrines. But each of them speaks in the concept of Ātmā and discusses on this. But the Buddhism and Cārvāka do not believe in the existence of Ātmā. But though they do not believe yet they are discussing about it and except this two, all the rest of the schools of Indian philosophy admit the existence of Ātmā. Soit can be said that, in Indian philosophy, the concept of Ātmā is a great matter of fact of discussion. The Vedanta philosophy of Orthodox group accepts the Ātmā; the soul is the God- ‘ayaṁ ātmā brahma’. So, it can be said that, the Vedanta philosophy keeps the concept of Ātmā in the uppermost position because they say as- except Ātmā there is no multiplicity in this world- ‘neha nānāsti kiñcana’. So, here in this present paper attempt has been made to highlight the thought and perception about Ātmā in Gitā and Kathopaniṣad and its impact on Advaita Vedanta school of Philosophy.