Ownership is the process by which the Mind attempts to take control of the objects that it perceives.  By assigning a sense of belonging, the mind attempts to "relate" to all external objects and events that it perceives.. 

This sense of belonging is an illusion that grows to be one of the major drivers of our thought process.  What should normally happen is that the "owner" of an object should be able to "command" and "control" the "owned" object, without developing any sense of attachment.  However, what happens with the Mind is that it becomes so engrossed with the object that it thinks it "owns", that the "owned" object begins to control the flow of thought in the mind.  The more the number of "owned" objects, the more the mind is swayed and pulled into directions and paths that it never wanted to get involved in and which completely captures and dominates the mind. 

This is the power of the world of Maya over the mind that the Paramathma wants us not to be entrapped in.

As always, there are two sides to the concept of OWNERSHIP.  One the positive and the other, the negative aspect. 

The positive aspect plays a critical part in the formation of intelligence.  However, once the idea of ownership takes root, it is not easy to shake it off.  Having established itself, it grows to become a major impediment in the evolutionary process.

This aspect of our thought process that latches on to objects as a means of sustaining itself, is what the Paramathma refers to as "I" and "Mine",  He repeatedly says that "I" and "Mine" should be dropped from the root of  our thought process, where it is located..

In order to drop this ILLUSION of OWNERSHIP,  we have to understand the need for the same in our thoughts and why we can elevate out thought to the next level when we outgrow this need.

Reason for the Illusion of ownership.  This illusion of ownership is a devise of the mind to focus its energies on the object that it thinks "belongs" to it.  "Ownership" of close relations (spouse, child, siblings, parents, pets etc.)., helps differentiate the person from the "friends", acquaintances, and the general public.  This differentiation helps to prioritize the attention levels on the various categories. Family would be high priority and General Public would be low priority.  Likewise "My Home", "My Car", My Money" would be more important than the neighbour's home, car or money. 

The Paramathma does not want this differentiation.  While the general attitude of "concern yourself with public property as much as you would with your own", may be a very good outlook to have, this is not the essence of the Paramathma's teachings. 

Ownership has two aspects.  One relates to the material world, as described above, The Paramathma considers the material world to be an illusion and clearly dismisses wasting time and energy on any material object, other than the bare essentials.   

The Paramatma's main thrust, howver, is the concept of OWNERSHIP, AS IT RELATES TO THE THOUGHT PROCESS.

Ownership and Thought.  Do we "own" our thoughts?  If so, can "we" control it and turn its working in any direction that we "want to"?  This is the crux of the problem that the Paramatma provides guidance on.

The Puranas identify the close linkages between "Ownership" and "Needs" and "wants" that originate in the mind.  "Needs" and "Wants" are imbalances in the mind that Karma uses to drive the thought process in the preset direction.  So if control is to be wrested from Karmic forces, "needs" and "wants" should be dropped from the mind. 

The Paramathma's solution is to develop the capability of "Detachment".  This is a quality by which the MIND is not driven by "needs" and "wants". When this happens, the MIND as we know it, evolves to the next level, by merging with the ATMA.  This evolution of the MIND frees the ATMA from expriencing Karma, (As was mentioned in an earlier section, the MIND is the medium through which the ATMA experiences its KARMA).

The Mind is said to evolve when it develops the capability to observe itself in a DETACHED manner. When this capability is developed Karma begins to lose its grip on the Mind.  The mind loses its sense of OWNERSHIP and is not driven by desires, needs and wants.  The detached observer then becomes one with the ATMA and is freed of all physical limitations.