Page 53 - Ecstasy and Agony in the Journey to Infinity

20. ఆతమ్సత్ు􏰀 (Atmasthuti)
After coming to the stage of Truthfulness one comes to the stage of loving oneself. By now one has acquired non injury, discriminative intelligence and truthfulness. Therefore one starts thinking that he has accomplished something and starts loving / enjoying himself. This is also capable of degrading the sadhaka to the level of finding faults with others for everything. There is a possibility of developing negative quality of complacency too.
Avadhoota is a fellow who is not conscious of anything. Atmastuti is state where you are happy. This is a good state. However it has got the negative quality of keeping you bound to the condition itself and progress becomes impossible. This should not be confused with a state of narcissism. This should not be confused with narcissistic love, which ends at the physical plane, which is essentially at the physical plane.
Atmastuti is a very dangerous of mind which will mar spiritual progress. That is what leads to smrtibramsa. 35