Jiva-tattva

 

 

The Jiva is a Separated Infinitesimal Particle

(Vibhinamsa) of the Lord

 

10.1

svamsa-vibhinamsa-rupe hana vistara

ananta vaikuntha-brahmande karena vihara

svamsa-vistara catur-vyuha, avatara-gana

vibhinnamsa jiva tanra saktite ganana

 

            Krsna expands into many forms. Some are personal expansions, and some

are separate expansions. Thus He performs pastimes in both the spiritual and

material worlds. The spiritual worlds are the Vaikuntha planets, and the mate-

rial universes are brahmandas, gigantic globes governed by Brahma's. Expan-

sions of His personal self like the quadruple manifestations of Sankarsana,

Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Vasudeva descend as incarnations from

Vaikuntha to this world. The separated expansions (vibhinnams) are living

entities. Although they are expansions of Krsna they are counted among His

different potencies. (Cc. Madhya 22.8-9)

 

10.2

 

mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah

manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati

 

            The living entities in this world are My eternal atomic parts. Because of

conditioned life, they are struggling hard with the six senses, including the mind.

(Bhagavad-gita 15.7)

 

The Nature of the Jiva is Transcendental Substance

 

10.3

na jayate mriyate va kadacin nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah

ajo nityah sasvato 'yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sarire

 

            For the soul there is never birth or death. Having once been, he never

ceases to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying, primeval. He is not

slain when the body is slain. (Bhagavad-gita 2.20)

 

10.4

nainam chindanti sastrani nainam dahati pavakah

na cainam kledayanty apo na sosayati marutah

 

            The soul can never be cut into pieces, nor can he be burned by fire, nor

moistened by water, nor withered by the wind. (Bhagavad-gita 2.23)

 

10.5

acchedyo 'yam adahyo 'yam akledyo 'sosya eva ca

nityah sarva-gatah sthanur acalo 'yam sanatanah

 

            This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be never be

burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, un-changeable, immovable,

and eternally the same. (Bhagavad-gita 2.24)

 

The Jiva is a Particle of a ray of Paramatma

 

10.6

yathagneh ksudra visphulinga vyuccarantyevam evasmadatmanah

sarve pranah sarve lokah sarve devah sarvani bhutani vyuccaranti

 

            As innumerable sparks emanate from a fire, so all the jivas with their

particular characteristics emanate from the Paramatma, along with the gods,

planets, animate and inanimate beings. (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 2.1.20)

 

10.7

isvarera tattva yena jvalita jvalana

jivera svarupa yaiche sphuliogera kana

 

            The Lord is like a great blazing fire, and the living entities are like small

sparks of that fire. (Cc. Adi 7.116)

 

The Jiva is Conscious Atomic Energy

 

10.8

balagra-sata bhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca

bhago jivah sa vijneyah sa canantyaya kalpate

 

            If we divide the tip of a hair into one hundred parts and then take one part

and divide this into another one hundred parts, that ten-thousandth part is the

dimension of the living entity. And this living entity is capable to attain the

unlimited Lord. (Svetasvatara Upanisad 5.9)

 

The Infinitesimal Soul is Pure,

but Sometimes is Involved in Piety and Impiety

 

10.9

anurhyera atmayam va ete sinitah punyam capunyan ca

 

            This soul is atomic, and sometimes takes shelter of piety and impiety.

(Madhva-bhasyoddhrta Gautama-sruti-vakaya 2.3.18)

 

10.10

eso' nuratma cetasa veditavyo

yasmin pranah pancadha samviesa

pranaiscittam sarvamotam prajanam

yasmin visuddhe vibhavatyesa atma

 

            The soul is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence.

This atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air (prana, apana, vyana, samana,

and udana). It sits within the heart and spreads its influence throughout the

body. When the soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of

material air, its spiritual influence is exhibited. (Mundaka Upanisad 3.1.9)

 

The Soul Pervades the Body With Consciousness

 

10.11

yatha sarva-gatam sauksmyad akasam nopalipyate

sarvatravasthito dehe tathatma nopalipyate

 

            The sky, due to its subtle nature, does not mix with anything, although it is

all-pervading. Similarly, the soul, being spiritual, although it is in the body,

does not mix with the body. (Bhagavad-gita 13.33.)

 

The Evidence of Vedanta on the Nature of the Soul

 

10.12

gunadvalokavat

 

            Just as fire pervades a room by its light the soul pervades the body by its

quality of intelligence. (Brahma-sutra 2.3.24)

 

Two Kinds of Souls Bound and Liberated.

 

10.13

sei vibhinnamsa jiva dui ta' prakara

eka 'nitya-mukta', eka 'nitya-samsara'

'nitya-mukta' nitya krsna-carane unmukha

'krsna-parisada' nama, bhunje seva-sukha

'nitya-bandha' krsna haite nitya-bahirmukha

'nitya-samsara', bhunje narakadi duhkha

sei dose maya-pisaci danda kare tare

adhyatmikadi tapa-traya tare jari' mare

 

            The jivas are divided in two categories. Some are eternally liberated, and

others are eternally conditioned. Those who are eternally liberated are always

awake to Krsna consciousness, and they render transcendental loving service

at the feet of Krsna. They are eternal associates of Krsna, and eternally enjoy

the transcendental bliss of serving Krsna. Apart from these ever-liberated devo-

tees, there are the conditioned souls who always turn away from the service of

the Lord. They are perpetually conditioned in this material world and are subj-

ected to the material tribulations brought about by different bodily forms in

hellish conditions. Owing to being opposed to Krsna consciousness the condi-

tioned soul is punished by the witch of the external energy, maya. He suffers

the threefold miseries caused by the body and mind, the inimical behavior of

other living entities, and natural disturbances caused by the demigods.

(Cc. Madhya 22.10-13)

 

The Soul's Constitutional Position

 

10.14

jivera 'svarupa' haya krsnera 'nitya-dasa'

krsnera 'tatastha-sakti', 'bhedabheda-prakasa

suryamsa-kirana, yaiche agni-jvala-caya

svabhavika krsnera tina-prakara 'sakti' haya

 

            The living entity's constitutional position is to be an eternal servant of

Krsna. As a manifestation of Krsna's marginal energy he is simultaneously one

and different from the Lord, like a particle of sunshine or fire. Krsna has three

varieties of energy: cit-sakti, tatastha-sakti, and maya-sakti. (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109)

 

The Jiva is an Eternal Servant of Krsna

 

10.15

sabrahmakah sa-rudrasca sendra devam maharsibhih

arcayanti surasestham devam narayanam harih

 

            The Brahmas, Rudras, Indras, and Maharsis, as well as the demigods all

worship the Supreme God, Sri Narayana, Hari. (Prameya-ratnavali 5.2 as quoted

from the Mahabharata)

 

The Jiva is Krsna's Tatastha sakti

 

10.16

tasya va etasya purusasya dve eva sthane bhavata idamsca paraloka

sthananca sandhyam trtiyam svapna-sthanam tasmin sandhye sthane

tisthannete ubhe sthane pasyatidanca paraloka-sthananca

 

            There are two states of the jiva in bondage the state with a corporeal

body in the world and the state without a corporeal body in the world gained

after death. There is an intermediate state that of sleep (dream). In this inter-

mediate state one may at times have a dream of both worlds. Whatever is the

way to the conditioned state of being in the other world, having obtained that

way, one sees the evils of both this world and the joys of the other world. When

he goes to sleep, he takes a little of the impressions of this variegated world,

puts the body aside, and creates a dream body in its place, revealing his own

brightness by his own light and dreams. Then he becomes illuminated.

(Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 4.3.9)

 

The Jiva, is a Manifestation one With and

Different From the Lord

 

10.17

'mayadhisa' 'maya-vasa' isvare-jive bheda

hena-jive isvara-saha kaha ta' abheda

gita-sastre jiva-rupa 'sakti' kari' mane

hena jive 'bheda' kara isvarera sane

 

            The Lord is the master of His potency, and the jivas are the servants of

His potency. That is the difference between the Lord and the living beings.

You may say that they are the same, but in Bhagavad-gita the living being is

established as the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord. (Cc. Madhya 6.162-163)

 

10.18

bhakti-yogena manasi samyak pranihite 'male

apasyat purusam purnam mayam ca tad-apasrayam

 

            Fixing his mind by perfectly engaging it in bhakti-yoga, without any tinge

of materialism, he saw the Supreme Person along with His external energy,

maya, which was under full control. (Bhag. 1.7.4)

 

10.19

yaya sammohito jiva atmanam tri-gunatmakam

paro 'pi manute 'nartham tat-krtam cabhipadyate

 

            Due to this external energy, the living entity, although transcendental to

the three modes of nature, thinks himself a material product; thus he suffers

the reactions of material miseries. (Bhag. 1.7.5)

 

The Jivas are Dependent on God

 

10.20

nityo 'nityanam cetanas cetananam

eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman

tam atmastham ye' nupasyanti dhiras-tesam

santih sasvati netaresam

 

            Of the innumerable, eternal, conscious beings, there is one eternal Su-

preme Being. He maintains the innumerable living beings according to indi-

vidual work and reaction of work. By His expansion as Paramatma that Su-

preme Lord is also present within the heart of every living being. Only through

saintly persons, who can see that Supreme Lord within and without, can one

attain perfect and eternal peace (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13)

 

10.21

ekasmad-isvaran-nityac-cetanat-tadrsa-mithah

bhidyante na bahavo jivas-tena bhedah sanatanah

 

            The above verse explains that both the Supreme Lord and the individual

souls are eternal and conscious. By affirming their eternal condition, their eter-

nal distinction is also affirmed. (Prameya-ratnavali 4.5)

 

Suddhadvaita on the Difference Between Jiva and Isvara

 

10.22

yatha samudre bahavas-taranga statha vayam brahmani bhuri jivah

bhavet tarango na kadacidabdhi stvam brahma kasmad-bhavitasi jiva

 

            O soul, in the same way that there are unlimited waves in the ocean so

within the ocean of consciousness there are innumerable jivas. If a wave can-

not become the ocean, how can a jiva soul become the Supreme Lord?

(Tattva-muktavali 10)

 

The Difference Between Jiva and Isvara is Eternal

 

10.23

idam jnanam upasritya mama sadharmyam agatah

sarge 'pi nopajayante pralaye na vyathanti ca

 

            By being fixed in this knowledge, one can attain to the transcendental

nature, which is like My own nature. Thus established, one is not born at the

time of creation nor disturbed at the time of dissolution. (Bhagavad-gita 14.2)

 

Sruti on the Eternal Difference Between Jiva and Isvara

 

10.24

pranaikadhina-vrttitvad vagadeh pranata yatha

tatha brahmadhinavrtter-jagato brahmatocyate

 

            As speech and other organs are also called prana or life air because their

functions are dependent upon the functioning of the life air. So somethimes

the material world is called Brahman because it functions by Brahman's sup-

port. (Prameya-ratnavali 4.6)

 

10. 25

na vai vaco na caksumsi na srotrani na manamsityacaksate

prana ityevacaksate, prana hyevaitani sarvani bhavanti

 

            [Baladeva Vidyabhusana develops his point by quoting from the Upanisads]

The different senses, such as the voice, sense of sight, sense of hearing, and the

mind, all are known as the life force, but the actual life force is different from

all these senses, which depend on it. They are named after the life-force, al-

though it is actually different from them. The idea is that although the senses

are dependent on the life force, and may be collectively known as the life force,

they are all distinct. In the same way, the souls, which are dependent on Brahman,

are sometimes known as Brahman, in order to show their origin, but they

are always distinct from Brahman. (Chandogya Upanisad 5.1.15)

 

Sankara was Really a Proponent of the Difference

Between Jiva and Isvara

 

10.26

sri sutra-karena krto vibhedo yat-karma-karturvyupadesa uktah

vyakhya krta bhasyakrta tathaiva guham pravisthaviti bhedavakyaih

 

            "Karma-karturvyhpadesacca." In this sutra the author, Vedavyasa, recognizes

the eternal distinction between Brahman and the jiva. Thus the eternal

distinction between the soul and God is established by Vedanta. In

Sankaracarya's commentary on the Brahma-Sutra, guham pravisthavatamanau

hi tad-darsanat, "It is therefore seen that both the jiva and Paramatma occupy

the heart." (Brahma-Sutra 1.2.11), Sankaracarya quotes the "rtam pibantau"

Upanisad verse, Katha Upanisad 1.3.1. This verse asserts, "There are two selves

residing in the core of the heart the jiva and Paramatma. The jiva enjoys the

fruits of karma whereas Paramatma directs the soul to do good. Those who

know Brahman speak of these two as being as distinct as shadow and light".

The sutra upon which this comment is made comes in reply to a question as to

the difference between "intelligence" (buddhi) and the jiva. The sutra explains

that Paramatma is the source of intelligence and accepts the distinction be-

tween Paramatma and the jiva. By quoting this verse in his commentary,

Sankaracarya substantively agrees with the intent of the author of the Brahma-

sutra, and recognizes the difference between the soul and God.

(Tattva-muktavali 5.83)

 

Note: The word karma here means object or Brahman. The word kartur

(agent) here means jiva according to Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Therefore,

the line quoted means, "There is a difference between the object and the

agent or between the soul and God.

 

10.27

yadyapi ha jagate isvare bheda nai

sarvamaya paripurna ache sarvathani

tabho tomahaite se haiyachi "ami"

ama haite nahi kabhu haiyacha tumi

yena samudrera se "taranga" loke bole

tarangera samudra na haya kona kale

ata eva jagat tomara, tumi pita

ihaloke paraloke tumi se raksita

yaha haite haya janma, ye kare palana

tare ye na bhaje, varjya haya sei jana

ei sankarera sloka ei abhipraya

iha na janiya matha ki karye mudhaya

 

            [In his heart, Sankara is a servant of Krsna, although he has given many

arguments promoting oneness just to confuse the atheists and bewilder the demons.

In admitting this to Lord Caitanya, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said:]

Whatever Sankaracarya says, his ultimate intent is to promote the service of

Krsna. A verse from Sankaracarya's own mouth confirms this, satyapi

bhadapagame, natha! tavaham na mamakiyastvam, samudro hi tarangah, kvacan

samudro na tarangah. Sankaracarya himself says that whenever he remarks

that there is no difference between God and the world, he is simply promoting

the all-encompassing nature of the Lord. [In other words, when Sankaracarya

says that the world and God are one, He means that everything flows from the

Lord and exists in Him, and is therefore nondifferent from Him.] Sankaracarya

says to Lord Visnu: "You are the Supreme Lord. Everything emanates from

You. I have also emanated from You. You certainly did not emanate from me.

The waves flow forth from the ocean; the ocean does not flow forth from the

waves. This whole world flows forth from You, O Lord; You are the Lord and

master of the universe. You protect and maintain both material and spiritual

worlds. From You they have taken birth, and by You they are maintained. One

who doesn't worship You is fit to be abandoned." [Sarvabhauma continued]

These are the words of Sankaracarya, and this is his intent. What will it benefit

a fool who can't get this understanding into his head? (C.Bhag. Antya 3.48-53)

 

The Cause of the Jiva's Ignorance

 

10.28

dva suparna sayuja sakhaya samanam vrksam parisasvajate

tayoranyah pippalam svadvattya-nasnan-nanyo a'bhicakasiti

 

            The Supreme Lord is the friend of the living being, and is so kind upon

him that He always accompanies the soul. In the same way that two birds occupy

the same branch of a tree, the Lord sits in the heart of every living being

ready to bestow auspiciousness upon the soul. In this way the Lord acts as the

in-dwelling witness, even while the soul pursues the fruits of karma and experi-

ences happiness and distress (Svetasvatara Upanisad 4.6,7)

 

10.29

samane vrkse puruso nimagno'nisaya socati muhyamanah

justham yada pasyatyanyamisam asya mahimanamiti vitasokah

 

            Although the two birds are in the same tree, the enjoying bird is full of

anxiety and morose; but if somehow he turns to his friend, the Lord, and knows

His glories, at once he is freed from all anxiety. (Svetasvatara Upanisad 4.7)

 

In Ignorance, the Soul Identifies With the

Gross and Subtle Body and Suffers Repeated Birth and Death

 

10.30

avidyayamastare varttamanah,

svayam dhirah panditammanyamanah

damdramayamanah pariyanti mudha,

andhenaiva niyamana yathandhah

 

            Illusioned by ignorance (and thus identifying the gross and subtle bodies

as the self), bewildered souls think themselves steady and wise. Baffled by their

own conceit they set themselves up as scholars and thus lead other ignorant

souls further into darkness. In this way, those blinded by ignorance lead simi-

larly blind men into the darkness of oblivion. (Katha Upanisad 1.2.5)

 

10.31

krsna bhuli' sei jiva anadi-bahirmukha

ataeva maya tare deya samsara-duhkha

kabhu svarge uthaya, kabhu narake dubaya

dandya-jane raja yena nadite cubaya

 

            Forgetting Krsna, the living entity has been attracted by the external en-

ergy from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy gives him all kinds

of misery. As a result, sometimes he is raised to heaven, and sometimes he is

drowned in hell, just as a criminal is raised and again lowered into a pond on a

dunking stool as punishment. (Cc. Madhya 20.117-118)

 

Attaining Krsna's Lotus Feet is

Liberation From all Material Suffering

 

10.32

jnatva devam sarva-pasapahanih

ksinaih klesair-janma-mrtyu-prahanih

tasyabhidhyanat trtiyam dehabhede

visvesvaryam kevala aptakamah

 

            By understanding the truth of the Supreme Lord, one can slip the bonds

of material life and get free from the miseries of repeated birth and death.

Liberated from the gross and subtle material bodies, as an associate of the

Supreme Lord in His transcendental abode, he attains an eternal divine form

and realizes his heart's desires. (Svetasvatara Upanisad 1.11)

 

10.33

sadhu-sastra-krpaya yadi krsnonmukha haya

sei jiva nistare, maya tahare chadaya

 

            If the conditioned soul becomes Krsna conscious by the mercy of saintly

persons, who voluntarily preach scriptural injunctions and help him to become

Krsna conscious, the conditioned soul is freed from the clutches of maya.

(Cc. Madhya 20.120)

 

The Siddhanta of Visisthadvaitavada

Consciousness and Matter are Like the

Gross and Subtle Body of the Lord

 

10.34

yah sarvesu bhutesu tisthan sarvebhyo bhutebhyo' ntaro yam

sarvani bhutani na viduryasya sarvani bhutani sariram

yah sarvani bhutanyantaro yamayatyesa ta atmantaryamvamrta

 

            He dwells in all beings, and yet is different from them and unknown to

them. All beings are His creation. He rules over them as the inner self. He is

the soul of all souls. Just as the body is ruled by the soul, so all souls and all

bodies are ruled by Him, the Soul of all souls. (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 3.7.15)

 

The Siddhanta of Dvaitadvaita-vada on the Subject of the Jiva

 

10.35

jnana-svarupas ca hareradhinam sarira-yoga-viyoga-yogyam

anum hi jivam pratideha-bhinnam jnatrtvavantam yadanantam ahuh

 

            The soul is both knower and known, unlimited in number, atomic, and an

eternal servant of Krsna. Because of his atomic size he is sometimes enveloped

by maya in the form of a material body. Sometimes he is disembodied. In any

case, there are innumerable jivas appearing in countless material bodies.

(Nimbarkacarya, Dasa-sloka)

 

The Siddhanta of Suddhadvaita-vada

(Visnusvami as represented by Sridhara Svami)

 

10.36

hladinya samvidaslistah sac-cid-ananda isvarah

svavidya-samvrto jivah samklesa-nikarakarah

 

            The nature of the Supreme Lord is sat-cit-ananda: He is the ultimate em-

bodiment of eternity, knowledge, and bliss, and is richly endowed with the hladini

and samvit saktis. The jivas of this world, however, are covered by ignorance,

which is the cause of their suffering the threefold miseries. (Sridhara Svami on

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.5-6)

 

10.37

vastuno'mso jivo vastunah saktirmaya

vastunah karyam jagac-ca tat sarvam vastveva

 

            The Supreme Lord alone is the substance of all reality; a particle of His

substance is the jiva; the energy of that substance is maya and the effect of that

substance is this material world. Therefore, everything having emanated from

that supreme substance, all things may be said to be "nondifferent" from it.

(Bhavartha-dipika 1.1.2)

 

A Liberated Soul Attains a Perfect Spiritual Body

in the Service of Krsna

 

10.38

mukta api lilaya vigraham krtva bhagavantam bhajante

 

            Liberated souls have divine forms with which they worship the Supreme

Lord by taking part in His transcendental pastimes. (Cited by Sridhara Svami

while commenting on Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.87.21)

 

Suddhadvaita-vada on the Distinct Position

of the Eternally Liberated Souls

 

10.39

parsada-tanu-nama-karmarabdham nityatvam suddhatvam ca

           

            The eternal associates of the Lord are free from karma. They are eter-

nally pure, transcendental, and free from all material qualities.

(Bhavartha-dipika 1.6.21)

 

One who Equates the Jiva with the Supreme Lord is an Atheist

 

10.40

aparimita dhruvas tanu-bhrto yadi sarva-gatas

tarhi na sasyateti niyamo dhruva netaratha

ajani ca yan-mayam tad avimucya niyantr bhavet

samam anujanatam yad amatam mata-dustataya

 

            If the countless living entities were all-prevading and possessed forms that

never changed, You could not possible be their absolute ruler, O immutable

One. But since they are Your localized expansions and their forms are subject

to change, You do control them. Indeed, that which supplies the ingredients

for the generation of something is necessarily its controller because a product

never exists apart from its ingredient cause. It is simply illusion for someone to

think that he knows the Supreme Lord, who is equally present in each of His

expansions, since whatever knowledge one gains by material means must be

imperfect. (Bhag. 10.87.30)

 

10.41

yei mudha kahe, jiva isvara haya 'sama'

seita 'pasandi' haya, dande tare yama

 

            Any fool who says that the Supreme Lord and the jiva are the same is an

infidel, an offender, and an atheist. He is punished by the Lord of death,

Yamaraja. (Cc. Madhya 18.115)

 

Thus ends the Tenth Jewel of the Gaudiya Kanthahara entitled Jiva-tattva