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Ātman
आत्मन्पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine) · अत् धातु (at — to move continuously) + मनिन् प्रत्यय
ātman
Fundamental Concepts
The essential self — individual consciousness identical to Brahman
Ātman is the real self of every being — not the ego, not the mind, not the body, but the pure consciousness that witnesses everything. The great revelation of Vedānta is 'tat tvam asi' (you are that): the individual ātman is, in essence, Brahman. Ignorance (avidyā) makes them appear different. Self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna) dissolves this apparent separation.
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