Jiva and Ishvar Relationship

                    Lord (Ishvar) & Individual jiva relationship.

Up till now, we have learnt about the world, Ishvar and Individual jiva.(जीव जगत ईश्वर). We will see now the relationship between Ishvar /the Lord and individual jiva.

Ishvara is the Sat Chit Anand Brahman associated with Maya(shakti/power).  Same Nirgun Brahman is termed as Sagun Brahman (Ishvar) when associated with the maya which has 3 qualities(  Satva,Rajas,Tamas)

The whole universe has emerged from maya which is inherent in the Truth. It is called in other way that Ishvara has created the whole universe with His power; the maya. Ultimate material cause is the Truth  as Maya depends upon the Truth to exist.

Now we will see  how are the individuals related to the Truth/ Brahman.

There is an identity between the microcosm/ individual jiva and the macrocosm/ Ishvar. The part is never separate from the whole. The part is always inherent in the whole. Jiva and Ishvara enjoy the ‘ part whole ‘ relationship. Let’s simplify this concept with few analogies.

Do you like a pizza?

One whole circular cheesy pizza cut in 8 pieces. Thses eight pieces makes a whole pizza. Flour and cheese of one slice is derived from the total flour and cheese.  Contents are same, only difference is slice is small and whole pizza is big.                                                                 

So many waves of different sizes are there in the ocean. Each wave is the part of the ocean. The water in the wave is derived from the water of the ocean only. Ocean is large,wave is small.  The names and forms are different but their essence,  the water is the same.

In the same way, individual jiva and the Total( Ishvar) enjoy a part- whole relationship.  The individual subtle body is made from the total subtle elements. The individual Gross body(पिंड) is made from the total gross elements(ब्रह्मांड) Thus difference is only the name and form (tiny & big) but the essence  is the one , The Truth, the pure Self.

Thus individual jivas are as if the waves of the sea…. parts of the sea(sea as the Ishvar), and  the essence the water( as if the pure Self) being the same in both.

We can put this in mathematical form as~

Jiva= Sat Chit Ananda principle(Atman) + microcosm conditionings.

Ishvar = Sat Chit Ananda principle(Brahman) + macrocosm conditionings.

Jiva – microcosm = Sat Chit Ananda(Atman)

Ishvara – macrocosm = Sat Chit Ananda( Brahman)

We have seen that Sat Chit Ananda is nondual Self,  unconditioned, infinite. Microcosm or macrocosm can not limit It, but it seems to be conditioned.  When we falsify these conditionings , what remains is the undifferentiated Sat Chit Ananda alone. Jiva= Ishvara.

In this thread art,

Individual pattern = jiva or  individual objects ( microcosm)

Image of the flower garden= jagat/ world( the entire macrocosm)

Thread = Ishvara Whole world( flower garden) is made up of thread.

Individual pattern can be changed. If you pull the thread, all pattern will vanish except the material cause, the thread. But from where this thread originates? From the cotton.  It is the substratum of all , jiva, jagat, Ishvara. ( flower, garden and thread) This cotton can be simulated with Sat Chit Anand principle,  the Brahman.

But what do we notice?  Individual jiva by nature considers the Lord/ Ishvara to be essentially different and far away from him/ herself. This vision, born of ignorance,  is so deeply rooted that even when told that he is not finite, he does not accept it. You must have heard the proverb- ” Every jiva is Shiva” What is it’s implicit meaning? If the conditionings of both jiva and Ishvar is removed/ negated, what remains is the one and the same nondual Self. Atman is Brahman.  All the upanishads states the only one Truth, Jiva Brahma Aikyam. जिवब्रह्मैक्यम्।
Jiva, The limited individual,  and the Ishvar or God principle differ in their nature because of their respective qualifying conditionings. Jivas conditionings being the limited microcosm and Ishvaras conditionings being unlimited macrocosm.

These differences are given in table form. ( Reference- E- Advance Vedanta course, Chinmaya international foundation.  )

Thus difference between Lord and jiva is due to the conditionings.  So long as the notion that the individual and the Lord are essentially different remains,  till then there is no redemption from the samsara which is in the form of repeated birth, death and so on. Due to that reason, the notion that the individual is essentially different from the Lord should not be accepted.

Once, Lord Rama asked Shree Hanumana,  How do you relate me with you??

Lord Hanumana replied, “देहबुद्ध्या दासो$हं। जिवबुद्ध्या तव अंश।आत्मबुद्ध्या त्वम् एव अहम्।

This is the way, realised persons live the life with total understanding of one’s own nature, interacting in the world for its betterment.  In next part we will learn about the karma/Action.

              Hari Om!

Reference- Tatvabodh by Bhagvan Adi Shankaracharya & E- Advance Vedanta course by CIF.