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

Last Updated: 01.07.2025 00:30

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

Asti = being

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.

32.4 Patch Notes - Blizzard Entertainment

Bhāti = illumination - consciousness

Priyam = Love.

Krishna sums the relationship up in two verses:-

Nvidia Stock Chasing 5-Day Winning Streak. The AI Trade Is Back. - Barron's

Visiṣṭhādvaita Vedānta - (Qualified non-duality) They are one but ontologically distinct, like a flower and its smell or like a picture and its pixels.

Dvaita Vedānta - (Duality) God and the individual Self are absolutely distinct and separate.

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

Genetic variant tied to doubled dementia risk for older men - The Washington Post