Ownership of Papa and Punya

Another name for Atman is Vibhu - that which is all pervading. Atman exists everywhere and is the Lord of this entire creation. 

Vibhu, our own Self, is akarta and abhokta – neither the doer of actions nor the enjoyer of the results of actions. The Self does not do any good or bad actions nor does it become a sinner or a meritorious individual. It is the witness, the Consciousness in the presence of whom all actions - good, bad or ugly –take place. 

So, in reality, I am actually the non-doer Atman, but due to my present state of ignorance, strongly identifying with this individual entity of the body-mind-intellect and their activities, I feel, ‘I am doing’ and ‘I am enjoying’.   

Sense of Doership

Let us take the simple example of the moon and the clouds. Sometimes, when you see clouds moving, it appears that the stationary moon is moving with them. The movement of the clouds is superimposed on the motionless moon. 

Similarly, the body, mind and senses are functioning, but I have the notion that I am functioning. Firstly, the sense of doership is superimposed on myself when I see the body functioning. Secondly, the sense of knowership is superimposed on myself when knowledge happens through the buddhi. And finally, I superimpose the sense of enjoyership on myself when positive stimuli happen in the antahkaran. 

The Self is not a doer. But because of ignorance this superimposition is done.

What is papa and punya?

When there is a sense of doership, some actions are considered papa and others as punya. 

Sri Krishna clearly states that He does not take anybody’s punya nor does He take anybody’s papa. Punya or papa can never enter the pure Self. They are in the antahkaran only. There is no antahkaran in the pure Self. 

This experience is available to all of us in the deep sleep state. In deep sleep, you disassociate yourself with the body, senses or antahkaran. The senses and mind cannot enter deep sleep. Though we experience the deep sleep state, we are unable to talk about it as the intellect and mind cannot enter that state. 

The Atman is beyond the senses and mind. Papa and punya are in the antahkaran only. The Antahkaran cannot enter the Atman. 

Atman is Ever-Pure

We pray: 

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When we do puja, we offer everything to Ishvara. It is a wonderful spiritual practice. But, we do all this from a state of ignorance. We consider ourselves as the ‘doer’ only in the state of ignorance. Knowledge of all the beings is covered by ajnana. Therefore we get deluded with the notion: ‘I am doing this. I am eating, I am walking...’ These are the notions due to our ignorance of our true nature. They are all delusions of the jiva. 

The Atman neither does anything, nor propels anyone to do anything. The Atman neither takes anybody’s papa nor punya. It is untouched by all objects and actions. It is niranjana – ever pure.

That is the nature of our own pure Self. 

But, we do not know this. How can realize the Self? The Self can be realized only when we eliminate our ignorance through proper knowledge. 

The author Swami Nikhilananda is the head of Chinmaya Mission Delhi NCR.