Applying Atman as a metaphor

Now the only question is: how to apply Atman to mean God in the sense of a metaphor? Atman happens to be the most important item in an individual. The Veda says, Atmanam Rathinam..., in which the Atman is compared to the owner of a chariot and the body of the person is compared to the chariot. In this model described, the owner of the chariot is the most important item. Thus in our body the most important item is Atman. In the same sense, the entire creation can be treated as a chariot and God can be treated as the owner of the chariot. Thus God is the most important item in this model. So, in the sense of the most important item, the word Atman can be used to indicate God metaphorically. Thus Atman, can be used to mean God, only in a metaphorical sense since it cannot be applied in this case on the basis of its root-meaning. Now coming to the point of knowability and unknowability of Atman, we have seen that this point is applicable to Atman even when Atman is used in the sense of God. Atman (Metaphorical God) is unknowable (Ajneya) in the sense that Gods nature can never be known. Atman (Metaphorical God) is knowable (Vijneya) in the sense that the existence of God (AstityevopalabdhavayahVeda) is known. The word Vijneya (knowable) pertains to knowing the existence of Atman ((Metaphorical God) and the word Ajneya (unknowable) pertains to the nature or characteristics (Swarupa) of Atman (Metaphorical God). In this way, the samanvaya or correlation of these two seemingly contradictory statements (unknowable and knowable) can be done whether Atman means the individual soul or God. Depending on the context one can interpret this point to apply it for the individual soul or for Metaphorical God. Written by His Holiness Shri Datta Swami website address: http://www.universal-spirituality.org e-mail address: swami@universal-spirituality.org Jai Guru Datta