29. Consciousness and Conscience - Two birds on same branch

Consciousness is “ATMA” and always understood as awareness alone. In fact, it is the blend of awareness, knowledge, and will power. While lower level of consciousness is associated with mundane world the higher level of consciousness transcends all the physical realms.

Consciousness prevails in all the three states of awareness: the wake state, dream state and dreamless sleep state. We are aware of the consciousness in the first two states but the consciousness that is prevailing at the time of dreamless sleep is self evident, it is aware of not the world around but is aware of the sleep. Hence we claim to have slept well. This consciousness that is self aware and which does not need any other external medium to reveal its identity is called Chit. As we say we had a very good sleep we also mention that we are unaware of what happened in the sleep, this is because of lack of knowledge (Ajnana) if one becomes aware of the deep sleep state he has achieved results in meditation. Meditation is becoming aware of the unaware.


Conscience is “ANTARATMA” and all of us have. It is "the witness within" and is referred to Lord residing within the hearts of all beings. It means when we do something against the wish of our intellect like hurting someone's feelings, cheating, lying, stealing, etc., we know in our Antaratma that it is wrong and sometimes if one is lucky enough the conscience will get the better of them and they will listen to their Antaratma and know what is right. Conscience divides the good from the evil of life. He who has harmony in thought, speech and action, who fears sin and Adharma, who is pious, God-fearing and steadfast, who is balanced and capable of maintaining equilibrium, will have his conscience in an untarnished state.


In the Vishishtadvaita Philosophy of Srimad Ramanuja one of the five aspects of the Supreme is “ANTARYAMI” which is the Lord residing inside us as witness to the things that we do being propelled by the Trigunas and our Prarabdha karma. The Katha Upanishad likens the Atma and the Antaratma to two birds sitting on the same branch (i.e. the heart). Of the two, one eats the fruit and the other is just a witness without eating. In fact this was the reason for the Dvaitha Philosophy of Sriman Madhva to have unfolded. It is the object of meditation for many mystic yogis. Those who believe in this avoid doing wrong and if done will confess to it so that the Antaratma is not found in guilty. “There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience” says a French proverb.