आत्म शब्दः परे विष्णौ नाsन्यत्र क्वचिदिष्यते |
(Srimadacharya – in his Aitareya Bhashya – 2-2-7, quoting the Brahmanda and other puranas)
गुणपूर्त्यभिधायी सः नाsन्यत्र गुणपूर्णता |
अमुख्यात्मान एवाsतो ब्रह्माद्या सर्व एव हि ||
– (इत्यादि ब्रह्माण्डे ऐतरेय भाष्य २-२-७)
Atma shabdaH parE vishNau na anyatra kvachidishyatE |
guNapUrtyabhidhAyI saH na anyatra guNapUrNatA |
amukhyAtmAna eva atO brahmAdyA sarva eva hi ||
– (ityAdi brahmANDE aitarEya bhAshya 2-2-7)
The word ‘Atma’ does not fit appropriately with anyone else apart from vishNu. The word Atma conveys the meaning of guNapUrNatva – possessing infinite auspicious attributes. Apart from vishNu, no one else has this quality of guNapUrNatva. Therefore, brahma and all others are only secondarily addressable by the word Atma. They are not the primary focus of the word.
