THE NOTION OF SOUL: DISCUSSED THROUGH THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE SR?MADBHAGAVADGIT? AND THE KATHOPANI?AD AND THEIR IMPACTS ON ADVAITA VEDANTA SCHOOL OF PHILOSOPHY

Abstract

The concept of ?tm? is found in so many perspectives in different sources of knowledge. There is a big controversy among the scholars of different schools of Indian philosophy about the existence of ?tm?. Some of them are accept its existence and some are not. But there are also seen some distinctive opinions among them, who accept the existence of ?tm?. The discussion about ?tm? has been continuing since the Vedic age and particularly in the Upani?ads, this concept gets its significance in a high and depth way. Almost all the Upani?ads talk about this concept of ?tm? in a very profound way. Among those, the Kathopani?ad explains the concept of ?tm? with the help of a nice story of Yama and Naciket?. On the other hand, the ?r?madvagavadg?t?, which also bears a very deep philosophical significance, expresses the concept of ?tm? almost in the same way by the advices of K???a to Arjuna. That means, quite similarities are seen between the Kathopani?ad and the Sr?madvagavadg?t? in establishing the concept of ?tm?. Again, there are nine schools of Indian philosophy divided into two groups as orthodox and heterodox along with their own doctrines. But each of them speaks in the concept of ?tm? and discusses on this. But the Buddhism and C?rv?ka do not believe in the existence of ?tm?. But though they do not believe yet they are discussing about it and except this two, all the rest of the schools of Indian philosophy admit the existence of ?tm?. Soit can be said that, in Indian philosophy, the concept of ?tm? is a great matter of fact of discussion. The Vedanta philosophy of Orthodox group accepts the ?tm?; the soul is the God- aya? ?tm? brahma. So, it can be said that, the Vedanta philosophy keeps the concept of ?tm? in the uppermost position because they say as- except ?tm? there is no multiplicity in this world- neha n?n?sti kiana. So, here in this present paper attempt has been made to highlight the thought and perception about ?tm? in Git? and Kathopani?ad and its impact on Advaita Vedanta school of Philosophy.