The Atman cannot be cut, burnt, suffer any decay or be dried out. The five forces of nature which are capable of destroying physical elements by their combined actions have no influence on the Atman. That is why it is referred to as nitya or permanent or unchangeable.
The soul or Atman casts off its worn out physical body and takes residence in a newer physical body at regular intervals in time. Just like the clothes that we wear do not represent the real state of our physical body, the state of our physical body (which deteriorates over time and is hence impermanent) does not represent the truly unchangeable and permanent nature of the soul that resides within it.
The omkaaram mantra is chanted to acknowledge one of the most powerful principles of hinduism which is OM. The Upanisads say that the word OM represents the inter-breath, i.e. the gap between the in-breath and the out-breath. OM is the same entity as Brahman.
“Helping others physically, by removing their physical needs, is indeed great; but the help is greater according as the need is greater and according as the help is far-reaching. If a man’s wants can be removed for an hour, it is helping him indeed; if his wants can be removed for a year, it is more helpful; but if his wants can be removed forever, it is surely the greatest help that can be given him.” – Vivekananda in “The Secret of Work”
The full moon day in the month of May, also known as purnima or poornima marks Buddha Purnima. But this is no ordinary purnima, as it is observed worldwide as the day that Gautam Buddha achieved full enlightenment after years of meditation under the Bodhi tree.
