JĪVĀTMAN (The induvidual life or soul) The Aparabrahman (
which is
next to the
highest brahman) that is so
minute and
subtle is
called Jīvātman. Parabrahman is
god almighty.
it is
mentioned in Taittirīyopaniṣad
about this aparabrahman as follows : “Tasmād vā etasmādātmana ākāśaḥ sambhūtaḥ, ākāśād vāyuḥ vāyoragniḥ, agnerāpaḥ adbhyaḥ pṛthvī pṛthivyā oṣadhayaḥ oṣadhibhyo
annam annāt puruṣaḥ sa vā eṣa puruṣo annamayaḥ.” ‘From
this Ātman
came into
existence ether possessing the
quality of
sound. From
ether air,
possessing the qualities of
sound and
touch,
came into
existence.
fire with the qualities of
sound,
touch and
colour came into
being from
air. From
fire,
water having the qualities of
sound touch,
colour and
taste came into
being. From
water earth with the qualities of
sound,
touch,
colour,
taste and
smell came into
existence.
vegetation grew from
earth, and from
vegetation food, from
food semen, and from
semen Puruṣa
came into
existence. The materialized
form of aparabrahman is the
body.
its subtle form is the
soul. Jīvātmā or the
individual soul is the
subtle form of
soul dwelling in the materialized
form of the aparabrahman.
this soul sits in the
miniature lotus of
heart in the
miniature either. The
body which is
made of the
five elements is the
dwelling place of
this Jīvātmā. The
individual life exists in
every living being. The
body originated from
food is the
outer covering of the Jīvātmā.
this materialized
body is
also called Annamayakośa (the
cask of
food).
inside this annamayakośa
there is the Prāṇamayakośa (the
chest of the
life breaths).
it is
stated in the
[Taittirīyopaniṣad] that
this Prāṇamayakośa is
separate from and
existing inside the annamayakośa. The Prāṇamayakośa
which exists
inside the annamayakośa has the
shape of
man. The
life breath which appears as the inhaling and exhaling
breath is the
head of the Prāṇamayakośa. The
life breath Vyāna is the
right wing and Apāna is the
left wing,
ether its soul and Pṛthvi (the
earth)
its tail.
inside the Prāṇamayakośa,
there exists the Manomayakośa (the
chest of
mind), but
it fills the
entire interior of the Prāṇamayakośa. The Vijñānamayakośa (the
chest of
knowledge or
understanding) exists
inside the Manomayakośa. The Jīvātmā or the
individual life dwells
inside this Vijñānamayakośa and pervades the
entire body.
it is by the
activity of Vijñānamayakośa that the Jīvātmā feels
its individuality.
inside the Vijñānamayakośa
there exists a
fifth kośa (
chest)
called the Ānandamayakośa,
which is the
immediate covering of Jīvātmā, and
which has no
sense of
individuality. The
three Kośas, Ānandakośa, Vijñānakośa and Prāṇamayakośa
together is
called Sūkṣmaśarīra (the
subtle body).
it must be remembered that Sūkṣmaśarīra is
different from Susūkṣmaśarīra (the
minute subtle body).
heart is the
abode of the Jīvātmā. Hṛdi (in
heart) ayam (
this being--Jīvātmā exists). So the
name ‘Hṛdaya’ (
heart) is
meaningful. The Puruṣa (
male being),
which sits
inside the
heart or the Jīvātmā is as
big as the
toe according to the Kaṭhopaniṣad. The Jīvātmā or the Aparabrahman is
without beginning.
even from the
past which is
beyond our thinking crores and crores of Jīvātmans had
got into individuals and when the Annamayakośas of the individuals
decayed due to
death,
they abandoned them and
entered into
new individuals. The
author of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka gives an
explanation to the
question why this Jīvātmā
which is as
free as
air enters the
body of
man,
beast,
bird,
tree,
rock etc. and subjects
itself to
misery and
hardship. “Where does the Jīvātmā
originate from?
how does
it enter this body?” Jīvātmā originates from Paramātmā (the
soul of the
universe). As the
shadow pervades the
body of a
man this Jīvātmā overshadows
this body.” Śrī Śaṅkarācārya expounds
it in
another way;
he says that the Jīvātmā is
tied to the
body by the
imagination or desires of the
mind.
note: 2) Tasya prāṇa eva śiraḥ vyāno dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ apānaḥ uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ ākāśa ātmā, Pṛthivī puccham. (Taittirīya).]
note: 1) Ayaṁ puruṣaḥ bhāḥ satyaḥ tasmin antarhrdaye yathā vrīhir vā, yavovā, sa eṣa sarvasyeśānaḥ sarvasyādhipatih. (Bṛhadāraṇyaka)]