ATMA, Sanskrit at man, originally meant `breath`. Later the term came to connote `soul` or `principle of life`. The different systems of Indian philosophy gave it further semantic shades. Nyaya Visesaka considered atma a substance and endowed it with qualities of cognition, pleasure, pain, desire, aversion and effort. Sarikhya recognized it as an object of inference. Bhatta Mimansa held it as the object of internal perception (manaspratyaksa). Prabhakara Mimansa considered it to be the knowing ego revealed in the very act of knowledge and held it to be the subject and not the object of perception.
GANDHARBA (GANDHARVA) NAGARI They are in maze on seeing a mirage and abide in Gandharva Nagari (Utopia). They only seem bedecked in their mind and body, who meditate on Truth. (Shalok M. 5, p. 1425) The Gandharvas generally had their dwelling in the sky or atmosphere. Their abode is thus considered a mirage. It is equivalent to Harchandauri. See : Harchandauri
PARCHI MANSUR JI KI is a versified account, in an episode mould, of the life of Mansur, the famous Sufi saint. The authorship of the work is not known for certain, though it is generally attributed to Bhai Sahaj Ram, a Sevapanthi saint. A manuscript copy of this still un-published work is held at the Central Public Library, Patiala, under MS. No. 2916 (ff. 44150). The work is in Sadh Bhasa, Punjabi vocabulary predominating, and has dohird chaupai as the meters. Mansur was born in Persia where he spent the first 18 years of his life and where he received his early education.
All that is known about Pilu is that he was a contemporary of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru. Two compositions of a very different kind are attributed to him: one, a collection of songs in a melancholy tone like that of a recluse or a hermit; and the other, the \'var\' or the lay, of the love of Mirza and Sahiban which has no overtones of Platonic intent. Perhaps, Bawa Budh Singh is not altogether wrong in suggesting that there might be two different persons of the name of Pilu. Pilu, the hermit, is said to have gone to Arjan Dev to get his compositions included in the holy Grunth, but Guru Arjan Dev did not oblige him because of his cynical attitude towards this world.
SURSURI The moon abides in the forehead of Shankra (Shiva) and batnes in Sursuri (Ganges). (Dhanasari Trilochan, p-695) If the water of Sursuri becomes wine, the saints even then do not drink it; the impure wine and other waters, when they mix with the waters of Sursuri, they do not become anything else. (Målår Ravidas, p. 1293) When it rains, the waters of streets, drains and ponds fall into Sursuri, they become pure on meeting Sursuri. (Var Bilawal M. 4, p. 854-55) Comments : Sursuri is another name of Ganga (Ganges). According to Indian tradition, the waters of the Ganges are considered pure.
TULASI O Brahmin! worship the Lord as Salagrama and consider the good actions as the rosary of Tulasi leaves. (Basant Hindol M. l, p. 1170) Episode: A woman named Tulasi, after having been engaged in religious austerities for a long time, wanted the boon of becoming the wife of Vishnu. When Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu came to know of it, she cursed the woman and changed her into Tulasi plant. However, Vishnu is said to have given this assurance to his devotee that he would assume the form of the Salagrama and continue to live near her.
VISHNU Remember Vishnu again and again; By remembering Vishnu you will never suffer defeat.(Gauri Bawan Akhri Kabir, p. 342) At whose door should I take refuge, Vishnu, Shiva, an adept, a Muni or Indra. One may give you kingdom, the other may take you to heaven, rare one among a million may ask for salvation.(Kalyan M. 5, p. 1322) O Lord! Vishnu and Lakshmi could not know you besides four Vedas, Smritis and Puranas.(Dhanasari Kabir, p. 691) Kishan (connoting Vishnu) is always busy in incarnating himself, then with whose help one may ferry across the world-ocean ?(Wadhans M. 3, p. 559) Vishnu is the second god of the Hindu Triad.