Adhyatma Meaning
The word adhyatma is a mix of the prefix adhi and the word atma. The word atma is a short form of the word atman, which comes from from an, to breathe; at, to move; and va, to blow. The word atman implies the soul, principle of life and sensation, indwelling entity, self, abstract individual, the body, the person or whole body considered as one. Atma is not like separate parts of the body, intellect, mind, the highest personal principle of life, Brahman, effort, the sun, fire, and a son.
The prefix adhi is added to verbs and nouns and implies above, over and above, and besides. It could also be a different adverb or preposition and could also mean over, from above, from, from the presence of, after, for, instead of, over, on, at, in comparison with, over, upon, and concerning.
The word adhyatma means relating to the atma or Atman, the supreme Spirit, own, belonging to self, concerning self or individual personality. Adhyatma could also mean the discerning faculty that distinguishes the Real from the unreal. It also means spirituality or the discipline that leads to the realization of one’s true nature.
Adhyatma may also have the meaning of the nature of the individual self or self-hood, which is the presence of the supreme reality Brahman in every body as the indwelling Self. Adhyatma means the entity which as the indwelling Self, exists in the body. Atma, by making the body its place of dwelling, adhikarana, and which in the ultimate analysis is the supreme Brahman.
Adhyatma is also that area of knowledge which leads to spiritual wisdom and eventually to moksha or liberation. Adhyatma is considered to be the best kind of knowledge. This knowledge is adhyatma, pertains to the Self, and deals with the discernment between the Self and the non-Self.
Adhyatma is the knowledge relating to Atman and the path to be adopted in order to attain the knowledge of Atman. This knowledge is considered to be eternal.
Adhyatma also refers to theexplanation about the nature of the supreme reality, Brahman. Adhytama may also be interpreted as One’s leanings towards the study of scriptures and one’s effort to understand one’s true nature, Atman, is also called adhyatma. It also means complete surrender to God with total abnegation of the ego.
Anything that is related to one’s self, that is one’s body, mind, vital energy, is also called adhyatma. It also implies suffering created in oneself that arises in one’s body and mind, and is one of the three kinds of suffering a living being can get, the other two being adhibhautika, that created by other living beings; and adhidaivika, that created by natural or cosmic forces.