Logo

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

Last Updated: 22.06.2025 07:24

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

Krishna sums the relationship up in two verses:-

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.

Be a super-ager — and join the ‘wellderly’ - The Times

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:-

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.

Priyam = Love.

Cholesterol: Daily cup of beans may lower levels, improve heart health - MedicalNewsToday

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

Asti = being

Bhāti = illumination - consciousness

Gut microbiome study links Parkinson's disease to environmental chemicals - Medical Xpress