Passage 6

Awareness is pure and unsullied consciousness

The Indian sages from ancient times have given the highest place of honour and esteem to the word Atma. This is also known as Eruka (Awareness or Consciousness). This awareness finds expression in the term Aham ("I"). When this Aham identifies itself with a bodily form, it becomes Ahamkara (the ego). This ego is not the natural state of Aham. It is by relating itself to a particular form that it becomes Ahamkara. It is pure and unsullied consciousness. It is the mind that comes in the way of the proper understanding of Aham. Just as the clouds that arise out of the vapours produced by the sun may hide the sun for a time, the mind veils the Aham by its thoughts and desires, though the mind arises from the Atma. The role of the mind in relation to the Athmik principle has to be properly understood. It operates as an obstacle to the awareness of the Atma. The term "I" (nenu in Telugu) originated in the Atma. The "I" is the form of Aham. Terms like Aham, God, Awareness and Atma are all synonymous. When the Aham ( "I") is rightly understood one becomes an Atma-jnani (knower of the Self). There is a fundamental principle to which the 'I' is related. The "I" has no basis in the body It has to recognise its 'link with its primary source.