आत्मा ātmā

Hindi is also shown in Latin characters, using an adapted form of ISO 15919 transliteration.

How to read the transliteration

This site uses transliteration based on ISO 15919, with a few adaptations to make reading easier: h is added after c, ś and ṣ, and i after the vowel r̥. These adaptations bring it closer to the Hunterian system used in India while retaining the distinctive marks of ISO 15919.

Adaptations used on this site
ISO 15919	On this site
c	ch
ś	śh
ṣ	ṣh
r̥	r̥i

A few reading pointers:

ā, ī, ū: the line above the letter indicates a long vowel.
ṭ, ḍ, ṇ: the dot below distinguishes retroflex consonants from t, d, n.
A tilde above a vowel indicates nasalisation.

sa · n. · f.

Documented definition

Usual or cultural meaning

Soul or self: the inner conscious principle of a being, often understood as animating the body and surviving its death. Its nature and relationship to the divine vary across traditions.

BK meaning

In BK teaching, the individual, imperishable conscious being, distinct from the body and the Supreme Soul, described as a point. The soul acts, learns and carries its sanskars from one body to another; its spiritual state can change. Considering oneself to be a soul is a fundamental practice.

Murli examples

The conscious being that acts

हम आत्मा हैं , इस शरीर द्वारा हम कर्म करते हैं .

Published translation
We are souls and we act through these bodies.

Murli · daily · 2023-09-23 · hi70

Continuity and sanskars

आत्मा संस्कार ले गई , जाकर दूसरे शरीर में बैठी .

Published translation
The soul carries his sanskars and goes and sits in his next body.

Murli · daily · 2024-06-25 · hi27

Imperishable identity

बच्चे समझते हैं हमारी आत्मा अविनाशी है , शरीर तो विनाश हो जायेगा .

Published translation
You children understand that souls are imperishable. Your bodies will be destroyed.

Murli · daily · 2024-12-19 · hi202

A spiritual state that can change

आत्मा ही पतित तमोप्रधान बनी है .

Published translation
It is the soul that is impure and tamopradhan.

Murli · daily · 2020-11-10 · hi105

Recognising oneself as a soul

देह को भूल अपने को आत्मा समझो .

Published translation
Forget the body and consider yourself to be a soul!

Murli · daily · 2020-11-10 · hi104

Usual translation

soul

Proposed translations

soul
conscious self
self

Origin of the definition

आत्मा ātmā [S.], f. (in cpds., आत्म-) 1. soul, spirit; the self, the individual; the mind, the heart. 2. the ultimate being. 3. the body. आत्मचिंतन m self analysis deep thought