In chapter 15 verses 16, 17 & 18 of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna reveals the four layers of Himself. He starts with Ksaras, the perishable self, the persona, our personal self/identity or the personage known as Krishna. Then, he speaks of Aksaras, the imperishable self, our soul, or Vishnu in the case of Krishna.
Lord Krishna then moves on to some lofty heights, in verse 17, as he reveals the 3rd aspect of His nature, Ishwara and/or Paramatma. This is what we reference as the over soul. A state of awareness that oversees our individual soul. In psychology our subconscious referenced as our shadow self in more contemporary spiritual terms. The layer of deep awareness that drives our deepest desires in many ways unknown to our conscious self.
Ishwara and Paramatma, from Lord Krishna’s explanation appear to be two sides of the same coin with Ishwara being the more precipitated, particle aspect of Paramatma, the wave nature of the two.
In verse 18, Lord Krishna unveils the fourth layer of His own nature, Purusottamah, the Supreme Purusha. The God-head nature of Lord Krishna.
I see these layers of self/Self as being operational within our own nature. We are a persona, within a soul, within an oversoul, within a godhead self. We, in the ultimate analysis, are the full package. Whatever Lord Krishna is, we are.
There is also a relationship between this four fold nature of self and our consciousness behaviors. Sattva, Atman, Moksha and Brahman. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, chapter 3 verse 36 and again in verse 50 Patanjali makes a distinction between sattva and atman to start it off. Although Patanjali didn’t present a sutra that offers a distinction between atman and moksha (liberation) he does devote the fourth and final chapter to Liberation. Perhaps a fifth chapter could have been cognized on the subject of Brahman.
If we are translating these states of awareness to sutras they may be something like this. Distinction between sattva and atma. Then distinction between atma and moksha. And finally distinction between moksha and brahm. With such a practice we would enliven the four fold nature of consciousness regularly.
Happy consciousness research my friends. ❤️❤️❤️