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The jiva is a separated infinitesimal particle of the Lord (vibbhinamsa).
10. 1
svamsa-vibhinnamsa-rupe haina vistara
ananta vaikuntha-brahmande karena vihara
svamsa-vistara - caturvyuha, avataragana
vibhinnamsa jiva - ta-ra saktite ganana
Krsna expands Himself in many forms. Some of them 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 material universes are brahmandas, gigantic globes
governed by Lord Brahma. Expansions of His personal self -
like the quadruple manifestations of Sankarsana, Pradyumna,
Aniruddha and Vasudeva - descend as incarnations from
Vaikuntha to this material world. The separated expansions
(vibhinnams) are living entities. Although they are
expansions of Krsna they are counted among His different
potencies. (Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya 22.8-9)
10. 2
mamaivamso jivaloke jivabhutam sanatanam
manamsasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati
The living entities in this material world, which is known as
jiva-loka, are my eternal atomic particles of consciousness.
Because of conditioned life, they are struggling very hard
with the six senses, which include the mind. (Bhagavad-gita
15.7)
The very nature of the jiva soul is transcendental substance.
10. 3
na jayate mriyate va kadacin-
nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyam
ajo nityam sasvato'yam purano
na hanyate hanyamane sarire
For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once
been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal,
ever-existing, undying, and primeval. He is not slain when
the body is slain. (Bhagavad-gita 2.20)
10. 4
nainam chindanti sastrani nainam dahati pavakam
na cainam kledayntyapo na sosayati marutam
The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can
he be burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by
the wind. (Bhagavad-gita 2.23)
10. 5
acchedyo'yamadahyo'yam akledyo'sosya eva ca
nityam sarvagatam sthanur acalo' yam sanatanam
This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be
neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading,
unchangeable, immovable, and eternally the same.
(Bhagavad-gita 2.24)
The jiva is a particle of a ray of the Paramatma
10. 6
yathagnem ksudra visphulinga vyuccarantyevam
evasmadatmanam
sarve m sarve lokam sarve devam sarvani bhutani
vyuccaranti
As innumerable sparks emanate from a fire, so all the jiva
souls with their particular characteristics emanate from the
Paramatma, along with the gods, planets, and animate and
inanimate beings. (Brhadnaranyaka Upanisad 2.1.20)
10. 7
tattva yena isvarera jjalita jjalana
jivera svarupa yaiche sphulingera kana
The Lord is like a great blazing fire, and the living
entities are like small sparks of that fire.
(Caitanya-Caritamrta Adi 7.116)
The jiva is conscious atomic energy
10. 8
balagra-sata bhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca
bhago jivam sa vij-eyam 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 entitiy. (Svetasvatara Upanisad 5.9)
This atomic soul is infinitesimal and pure in nature,
although he sometimes becomes involved in piety and impiety.
10. 9
anurhyeya atmayam va ete sinitam punyam ca punya-s ca
This soul (atma) is atomic, and sometimes takes shelter of
piety and impiety. (Sutra Madhva-Bhavoddhrta
Gaupana-sruti-vaka 2.3.18)
10. 10
eso'nuratma cetasa veditavya
yasmin m pa-adha samvisesa
iscittam 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 [, apana, vyana,samana, and udana], is situated
within the heart, and spreads its influence all over the body
of the embodied living entities. 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 atomic soul inhabits the body and pervades it with consciousness
10. 11
yatha prakasyatvektam krtsnam lokam imam ravim
ksetram ksetri tatha krtsnam prakasayita bharata
The sky, due to its subtle nature, does not mix with
anything, although it is all-pervading. Similarly, the soul,
situated in Brahman vision, does not mix with teh body,
although it is situated in the body. (Bhagavad-gita 13.33.)
The evidence of Vedanta on the nature of the soul
10. 12
gunadvalokavat
The soul pervades the entire body by its qualities of
intelligence, just as a fire pervades a room by its light.
(Brahma-sutra 2.3.24)
Two kinds of souls - "bound" (baddha) and "liberated" (mukta).
10. 13
sei vibbhinamsa jiva - dui ta' prakara
eka - "nitya-mukta," eka - "nityasamsara"
"nityamukta,sri - nitya krsna-carane unmukha
"krsna-parisada" - nama, bhu-je sevasukha
"nitya-baddha" - krsna-haite nitya-bahirmukha
nitya-samsara bhu-je, narakaki-dumkha
sei dose maya-pisaci danda kare tare
adhyatmikadi tapatraya tare jari' mare
The living entities (jivas) are divided into 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 Sri Krsna. They are to be
considered eternal associates of Krsna, and they are
eternally enjoying the transcendental bliss of serving Krsna.
Apart from the ever-liberated devotees, 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 subjected to the material tribulations brought
about by different bodily forms in hellish conditions. Due to
his being opposed to Krsna consciousness, the conditioned
soul is punished by the witch of the external energy, maya.
He is thus ready to suffer the threefold miseries - miseries
brought about by the body and mind, the inimical behavior of
other living entities, and natural disturbances brought about
by the demigods.
(Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya 22.10-13)
The soul's constitutional position and relationship with
divinity:
Caitanya Mahaprabhu's conclusion.
10. 14
jivera "svarupa" haya krsnera "nityadasa"
krsnera "tatastha sakti" bhedabheda-prakasa
suryamsu-kirana, yena agnijjvalacaya
svabhavika krsnera tinaprakara "sakti" haya
It is the living entity's constitutional position to be an
eternal servant of Krsna. He is the marginal energy of Krsna
and a manifestation simultaneously one and different from the
Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Krsna
has three varieties of energy: cit-sakti (His internal
engergy), tatastha-sakti (His marginal energy), and
maya-sakti (His illusory energy). (Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya
20.108-109)
The soul is an eternal servant of Krsna.
10. 15
sa brahmakam rudrasca sendra seva maharsibhim
arcayanti surasestam devam narayanam harim
The Brahmas, Rudras, Indras, and Maharsis, as well as all the
demigods all worship the Supreme God Sri Narayana, Hari.
(Prameya-Ratnavati 5.2 as quoted from Mahabharata)
The jiva is Krsna's marginal potency (tatastha-sakti)
10. 16
tasya va etasya purusasya dve eva sthane bhavata ida-ca
paraloka
sthana-ca sandhyam trtayam svapna-sthanam tasmin sandhye
sthane tisthannete
ubhe sthane pasyatida-ca paraloka-sthana-ca
There are two conditional states of the jiva in bondage; the
conditional state without a corporeal body in the world and
the conditional state without a corporeal body in the world
gained after death. There is an intermediate state, that of
being in sleep (dream). In the conditional-intermediate state
one may at times have a dream of both the worlds. Now
whatever the way is to the conditioned-state of being in the
other world, having obtained that way one sees both the evils
of this world and the joys of the other world. When he goes
to sleep, he takes away a little of the impressions of this
variegated world, puts the body aside, and creates a dream
body in its place place, revealing hiw own brightness by his
own light and dreams. Then he himself becomes
illuminated.
Brhadnaranyaka Upanisad 4.3.9)
The jiva is a manifestation one with and different from the
Lord:
The Lord is the controller of maya - the jiva is controlled
by maya.
10. 17
"mayadhisa," "mayavasa" - isvare jive bheda
hena-jive isvara-saha kaha ta' abheda
gitasastre jivarupa "sakti" kari' mane
hena jive abheda kara isvarera sane
The Lord is the master of His potency, and the living beings
are the servants of His potency. That is the difference
between the Lord and the living beings. You may say that
there are the same, but in Bhagavad-gita the living being is
established as the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord.
(Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya 6.162-163)
10. 18
bhakti-yogena manasi samyak pranihite'male
apasyat purusam purnam maya-ca tadapasrayam
By fixing His mind, perfectly engaging it in bhakti-yoga,
devotional service, without any tinge of materialism, and
thus he saw the Supreme Person along with His external energy
(maya), which was under full control. (Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.7.4)
10. 19
yaya sammohito jiva atmanam trigunatmakam
puro'pi manute'nartham tad-krta-cabhipadyate
Due to this external energy (maya), the living entity,
although transcendental to the three modes of material
nature, thinks of himself as a material product and thus
undergoes the reactions of material miseries.
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.5)
The jiva soul is dependent on God and eternally different from Him.
10. 20
nityo nityanam cetanas-cetananam
eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman
tam atmastham ye'nupasyanti dhiras-
tesam santim sasvati netaresam
Of the innumerable, eternal, conscious beings, there is one
eternal Supreme Being. That Supreme Lord is the maintainer of
the innumerable living beings in terms of their different
situations, according to individual work and reaction of
work. That Supreme Lord is also, by his expansion as
Paramatma, present within the heart of every living being.
Only those saintly persons who can see, within and without,
that same Supreme Lord, cvan actually attain to perfect and
eternal peace. (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13)
10. 21
ekasmad-isvaran-nityac-cetana-tadrsa mitham
bhidyante bahavo jivas-tena bhedam sanatanam
The above verse explains that both the Supreme Lord and the
individual souls (jivas) are eternal and conscious. By
affirming their eternal condition, their eternal distinction
is also affirmed. (Prameya-Ratnavali 4.5)
The opinion of "Suddhadvaita" on the difference
between the soul (jiva) and God (isvara).
10. 22
yatha samudre bahavas-taranga statha vayam brahmani bhuri
jivam
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. Sometimes a wave is said to be the ocean,
when in reality a wave is only a part of the ocean, which is
its origin. In the same way, the jivas are sometimes
identified as Brahman, when in reality Brahman is the origin
of the jivas. (Tattva-muktavali 10)
The difference between the soul (jiva) and God (isvara) is eternal
10. 23
idam jnanam upasritya mama sadharmyam agatam
svarge'pi nopajayante pralaye na vyathanti ca
By becoming 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)
The version of the Srutis on this eternal difference.
10. 24
ikadhina-vrttitvad vagadem tam yatha
tatha brahmadhinavrtter-jagato brahmatocyate
[In the following verse, Baladeva Vidyabhusana addressed the
idea that the distinction between God and the jiva is not
eternal.] Just as life air and the senses are always
different, so in the same way, the Supreme Lord is distinct
from the world, which is dependent upon Him.
(Prameya-Ratnavali 4.6)
10. 25
na vai vaco na caksumsi na srotani na manamsityacaksate
ityacaksate, prano hyevaitani sarvani bhavati
[Baladeva Vidyabhusana continues this 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 are dependent upon it. They are named
after the life-force, although it is Actuallly different from
them. [The idea is that although the senses are dependent and
the life force, and may be collectively known as the life
force, they are all distinct. In the same way, since the
souls are dependent on Brahman are sometimes known as
Brahman, in order to show their origin, they are always
distinct from Brahman.](Chandogya Upanisad 5.1.15)
Sankaracarya was also really a proponent of the difference between soul and God.
10. 26
sri sutra-karena krto vibhedo
yat-karma-karturvyupadesa uktam
vyakhya krta bhasyakrta tathaiva
guham pravisthaviti bhedavakyaim
[Note: the word karma here means "object," or Brahman and the
word kartur, "agent," here means jiva according to Baladeva
Vidyabhusna. Therefore, the line quoted means, "There is a
difference between the object and the agent or between the
soul and God."] "Karma-karturvyupadesocca" In this sutra the
author, Vedavyasa, recognizes the eternal distinction between
Brahman (God) and the jiva (soul). Thus the eternal
distinction between the soul and God is established by
Vedanta. In Sankaracarya's commentary on the Brahma-Sutra
verse "guham pravisthavatmanau hi tad-darsanat" [It is
therefore seen that both the jiva and the Paramatma occupy
the heart. (Brahma-Sutra 1.2.11)], Sankaracarya quotes a
verse "rtam pibantau..." from the Katha Upanisad 1.3.1. This
verse asserts: "There are two selves, the jiva and Paramatma,
residing in the core of the heart. Among them, the jiva
enjoys the fruits of karma whereas the Paramatma as the
Supersoul encourages the soul as the inner conscience 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 between the 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 validity of his opinion on
the difference between the soul and God. (Tattva-muktavali
5.8)
10. 27
ta-ra abhipryaya dasya tari mukhe kahe
yadyapi o jagate isvare bheda nai
sarvamaya paripurna ache sarvatha-i
tabu tomahaite se haiyachi "ami"
ama haite nahi kabhu haiyacha tumi
yena samudrera se "taranga" loke bale
tarangera samudra na haya kona kale
ata eva jagat tomara, tumi pita
ihaloka paraloka tumi se raksita
yaha haite haya janma, ye kare palana
tare ye na bhaje, varjya haya sei jana
ei sankarera vakya ei abhipraya
iha na janiya matha ki karye mudhaya?
[In his heart, Sankaracarya is a servant of Krsna, although
he has given many arguments promoting oneness, in order to
confuse the atheists and bewilder the demons (asura-mohana)
In admitting this to Sri Caitanya, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya
spoke as follows.] Whatever Sankaracarya says, his intent is
to ultimately promote the service of Sri Krsna. A verse from
Sankaracarya's own mouth confirms this. [satyapi bhadapagame,
natha! tavaham na mamakiyastvam, samudro hi tarangam, kvacan
samudro na tarangam] 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 Sankararya says that the
world and God are one, He means that everything flows from
the the Lord and exists in Him, and is therefore nondifferent
from Him.] Sankaracarya tells Sri Visnu: "You are the Supreme
Lord. Everything emanates from You. I have also emanated from
You. You certainly did not emanate from me. [In other words,
the soul emanates from God; God never emanates from the
soul.] 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
Sankaracaya, and this is his intent. What will benefit a fool
who can't get this understanding in his head?
(Caitanya-Bhagavata Antya 3.47,49-54)
Turning away from Krsna is the root cause of the soul's ignorance.
10. 28
dva suparna sayuja sakhaya samanam vrksam parisasvajate
tayoranyam pippalam
svadvattaya-nasnan-nanyo'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 indwelling witnesss, even while the soul pursues the
fruits of karma and experiences mundane happiness and
distress. (Mundaka Upanisad 3.1.1-2, Svetasvatara Upanisad
4.6-7)
10. 29
samane vrkse puruso nimagnohyanisya socati muhyamana
justham yada pasatayanayamisam asya mahimanameti
vitasokam
Although the two birds are in the same tree, the eating bird
is fully engrossed with anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer
of the fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other he
turns his face to his friend who is the Lord and knows His
glories - at once the suffering bird becomes free from all
anxieties. (Mundaka Upanisad 3.1.2, Svetasvatara Upanisad
4.7)
In ignorance, the soul identifies with the subtle and gross
body
and thus suffers repeated birth and death
10. 30
avidyayamastare varttamanam, svayam dhiram
panditasmanyamanam
damdramayamanam pariyanti mudha, andhenaiva niyamana
yathandham
Illusioned by ignorance (and thus identifying the gross and
subtle bodies as the self), bewildered souls think of
themselves as 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 similar blindmen into the darkness
of oblivion. (Katha Upanisad 1.2.5)
10. 31
krsna bhuli' yei jiva - anadi-bhahir-mukha
ataeva maya tare dya samsara-dumkha
kabhu svarge uthaya, kabhu narake dubaya
dandayajane raja yna nadite cubaya
Forgetting Krsna, the living entity has been attracted by the
external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory
energy gives him all kinds of misery in his material
existence. As a result, sometimes he is raised to heaven, and
sometimes he is drowned in hell, just as a criminal is raised
in the air and again lowered into a pond on a dunking stool
as punishment by the king. (Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya
20.117-118)
Attainment of the lotus feet of Krsna is liberation from all material suffering
10. 32
jnatva devam sarva-pasapahanim
ksinaim klesair-janma-mrtyu-prahanim
tasyabhidhyanat trtiyam dehabhede
visvesvaryam kevala aptakamam
By understanding the turth of the Supreme Lord, one can slip
the bonds of material life, and becomes free from the
miseries of repeated birth and death. Having become liberated
from the subtle and gross material bodies, he attains an
eternal divine form as an associate of the Supreme Lord in
his transcendental abode, and he realizes his hearts inner
desires. (Svetasvatara 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 liberated from the clutches of maya,who
then frees him. (Caitanya-Caritamrta-Madhya 20.120)
The siddhanta of the acarya of visisthadvaita-vada:
consciousness and matter are like the subtle and gross
body
of the Lord, as He is the soul of all souls.
10. 34
yam sarvesu bhutesu tisthan sarvabhyo bhutebhyo'staro
yam
sarvani bhutani na viduryasya sarvani bhutani sariram
yam sarvani bhutanyantaro yamayatyesa ta
atmantaryamyamrtam
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 Indwelling Soul of all souls.
(Brhad-Aranyaka-Upanisad 3.7.15)
The siddhanta of the acarya of dvaitadvaita-vada on the subject of the jiva-soul.
10. 35
jnana-svarupa-s ca hareradhinam
sarira-yoga-viyoga-yogyam
anum hi jivam pratideha-bhinnam jnatrtvavantam yadanantam
ahum
The soul, is both knower and known, unlimited in number,
atomic, and an eternal servant of Krsna. As a result of his
atomic condition, he is sometimes enveloped by mayik energy
in the form a material body, and sometimes disembodied. In
any case, the jiva is not one, but innumerable and appearing
in countless material bodies. (Nimarka Acarya, Dasa-sloka)
The siddhanta of the acarya of suddhadvaita-vada
(Visnuswami, represented by Sridhara Swami)
10. 36
hladinya samvidaslistham sac-cidnananda isvaram
sva-vidya-samvrto jivam samklesani-karakam
The nature of the Supreme Lord is sat-citnananda: He is the
ultimate embodiment of eternity, knowledge and bliss, and is
richly endowed with the hladini and samvit saktis. But the
jivas, the souls of this world are covered by ignorance,
which is the cause of their suffering the threefold miseries.
(Bhagavat-Sandarbha, Sarvajna-sukta-vakya commentary of
Sridhara Swami on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.5-6)
10. 37
vastuno'mso jivam vastunam saktirmaya ca vastunam 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. In this way the conclusion of
nonduality may be applied to the Absolute Substance.
(Bhavartha-dipika 1.1.1)
A liberated soul attains a spiritually perfect body in the service of Krsna
10. 38
mukta api lilaya vigraham krtva bhagavantam bhajante
The liberated souls have divine forms with which they worship
the Supreme Lord by taking part in his transcendental
pastimes. (Sridhara Swami's sarvajna-bhasya commentary on
Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.87.21)
The opinion of suddhadvaita-vada on the distinct
position
of the eternally liberated souls.
10. 39
parsada-tanu-nama-karmarabdam nityatvam suddhatvams ca
The eternal associates of the Lord are free from the cycle of
karma. They are eternally pure, transcendental, and free from
all material qualities. They never suffer birth and death
within this material world. (Bhavartha-Dipika 1.6.21)
One who equates the individual soul with the Supreme Lord is an infidel, an atheist.
10. 40
aparimita dhruvas-tanu-bhrto yadi sarvagata-
starhina sasyateti niyamo dhruva netaratha
ajani ca yan mayam tada vimucya niyastr-bhavet
sama-manujanatam yadamatam mata-dusthataya
O Lord, although the living entities who have accepted
material bodies are spiritual and unlimited in number, if
they were all-pervading there would be no question of their
being under your control. If they are accepted, however, as
particles of the eternally existing spiritual entity - as
part of You, who are the Supreme Spirit Whole - we must
conclude that they are always under Your control. If the
living entities are simply satisfied with being identified
with You as spiritual particles, then they will be happy
being controllers of so many things. The conclusion that the
living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are
one and the same is a faulty conclusion. It is not a
fact.(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.87.30)
10. 41
yei mudha kahe - "jiva" "isvara" haya sama
sei ta' "pasandi" haya, dande tare yama
A foolish person who says that the Supreme Lord and the
individual soul or jiva are the same is an infidel, an
offender, and an atheist; after death he is punished by the
Lord of death, Yamaraja. (Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya 18.115)
Thus ends the tenth jewel of the Gaudiya Kanthahara, entitled
Jiva-tattva
The tenth jewel: jiva-tattva - the soul principle