1. introduction to ATMA

Once upon a time...there was a

Rich King who had four wives.

He loved the fourth wife the

most and adorned her with

rich robes and treated her to the

finest of delicacies. He

gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the third wife very

much, and he was always showing

her off to neighboring kingdoms.

However, he feared that one day

she would leave him for another.

He also loved his second wife. She was his confidante

and was always kind,considerate, and patient with him.

Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her

to help him get through the difficult

times.

The King's first wife was a very loyal

partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth

and kingdom. However, he did not

love the first wife and although she loved

him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the King fell ill, and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and pondered, "I now have four wives

with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone.

Thus, he asked the fourth wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing,

and showered great care over you. Now that I'm

dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "Absolutely not!" replied the fourth wife and she walked away without

another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right

into his heart.

The sad King then asked the third wife, "I have loved you all my

life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No," replied the third wife. "Life is too good!

When you die, I'm going to remarry!" His heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the second wife, "I have always turned to you for help, and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow

me and keep me company?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time," replied the second wife. "At the very most, I can only send you

to your grave."Her answer came like a bolt of thunder, and the King was devastated.

Then a voice called out. "I'll leave with you and follow you

no matter where you go."

The King looked up, and there was his

first wife. She was so sad and thin, she

looked half-starved.

Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you

when I had the chance!”

In truth, we all have four wives in

our lives: Our fourth wife is our body. No matter how much time

and effort we lavish in making it look

good, it'll leave us when we die.

Our third wife is our

possessions, status, and

wealth. When we die, it will all go to

others.

Our second wife is our family

and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up

to the grave.

And our first wife is

our soul, often neglected in

pursuit of wealth, power, and

pleasures of the ego.

1. Soul 2. Friends & Relatives

3. Wealth 4. Body

However, our soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go. So

cultivate, strengthen, and cherish it now!

Welcome To

ATMA

Contents• Introduction - The Search for

Happiness

• Discovering the root

• Who am I? The Science of the

Soul.

• Who is God?• Why bad things happen to good

people? - The Law of Karma.•

• Demystifying Yoga

• Practical application of the

Bhagavad-Gita

What are we looking for in life?

Everyone wants to be happy!!!

Study Job

Freedom Marry!!

Catering to senses = Happiness?

In spite of all this advancement, Modern people are

dissatisfied full of anxiety stressed depressed & above all unhappy

Public Unrest

Communal Violence

Terrorism

Wars

Steadily increasing every year

Before finishing school an average child watches

8,000 murders

100,000 acts of violence

Before finishing school an average child watches

Common Problems in School

• 1950s– talking in class– chewing gum– making noise– running in the

halls– cutting into line– dress-code

violations, and – littering

• 1990s– drug abuse– alcohol abuse– pregnancy– suicide– rape– robbery and – assault

ALWAYS ON RISE

Murder

Violence

DrugAddiction

Rape

Unemploymen

t

Corruption

Mental

stress

SuicideDivorce

Common to All.No body Wants

themNo body can Avoid them

An alternate paradigm..

HumansV/sAnimals

EatingMating

Sleeping

Defending

Intelligence – Discriminate

Why am I Suffering?

Why am I being forced?

“If we do not explore this potential, we are simply well dressed, sophisticated, polished, 2-legged animals”

- Mahabharata

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.9.29

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.10.

BG 4.26api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ

sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛt-tamaḥsarvaṁ jñāna-plavenaiva

vṛjinaṁ santariṣyasi -

Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries.

Bhagavad Gita

Answers most fundamental questions of life

• Who am I ?

• Where to I come from ?

• Where do I go ?

• What is my relationship between me and things around me ?

• Why am I Happy some times and sad other times ?

• Why does bad things happen to good people ?

5. Karma (Activity)

Five Major Topics in Bhagavad-Gita

1. ISVARA(GOD)

2.Jiva (Living Entity)

3. Prakriti

(Material Nature)

4.Kala (Time)

Real inquiriesSearch for HappinessIncredible Material AdvancementStill a pinprick somewhere..Defining Real Problems

Common to All No one wants it No one can avoid it

What are these problems? Birth, Death, Old Age, Disease Miseries caused by

• Body and Mind• Other Living Entities• Nature

The special prerogative of Human Life Rise above the struggle for

Eating, Sleeping, Mating, Defending Being a sophisticated Animal

Athato Brahma Jijnasa Inquire into the real problems of life

Why is no one able to avoid these problems? Why is it designed this way? Do you want to know?