Jeevathma or “Sithu” in Hinduism

Compiled by S.Nagarajan
Preamble:

Hinduism can be understood by three ancient works namely (a) “Upanishad” (b) “Bremma
Suthiram” and (c) “Bhavad Geethai”. “Upanishad” – one of the three parts of “Vedham” namely
“Mandiram”; “Bhiraminam” & Jeevathma.

These works discuss about the three parts of this research namely (1) God (2) “Athma” and (3)
Universe. What happens to this “Athma” after death; Is the Athma goes to Hell or heaven as per
the deeds; Is “Athma” given rebirth; in the course of time different people had different
enlightens and formed their own theories. Hinduism profess “Mukthi” that is attaining a state of
no suffering. This “Mukthi” are in two forms namely with body or with out body. With body it is
called as “Jeevan Mukthi” and with out body it is called as “Videha Mukthi”

In Hinduism many questions exist un answered to the satisfaction of all; for example the first
object is one or many ?, is that object is “Asithu” or “Sithu” ?; If the first object or
“Paramathama” is “Sithu” then totally different “Asithu” is created? –Is this universe is created by
a life or non life ? All these questions are answered by different people to the extent of their
knowledge and experience. Philosophers differ in treating this world as real or false.

I try to give below a capsule of what Bhavad Geetha teaches us about Jeevathma or
atliest what I understood.

What is Jeevathma ?

All matters in this world can be classified as one of the three namely: “Asithu”; “Sithu” or
“Easwaran”. All physical objects we see, we smell, we taste are real and not destroyable
totally. These things may change its form but cannot be totally eliminated from this earth. The
chair is real, the human is real, the building is real but changes its form over a period of time
and do not have its own knowledge. These objects are called as “Asithu”.[2:12]

Another reality in this world is called as “Sithu” which has its own knowledge and using its
knowledge understands all “Asithu” objects. It is also called as “Jeevathma”.[2:12]. Prajapathy
told Indiran that Jeevathma is like a horse tied to a cart. What we see is not through our eyes; it
is Jeevathma sees every things using our eye; Similarly Jeevathma talks using our tongs; hears
though our ears; thinking is done by Jeevathma using our “manam” and Jeevathma can control
the process of thinking. So Jeevathma is different than our body. Jeevathma can feel happy by
its own.(1-p48). (see note 02)
The third imported reality is “Easwaran” or “Paramathama”. This Easwaran conducts “Sithu”
and “Asithu”.[2:12]. So it is logical that Jeevathma are many but Paramathma is one.
“Paramathama” is smaller than Jeevathma and conducts Jeevathma,[2:18] similar to a SIM card
activates costly cell phone, but again cell phone cannot function with out electromagnetic
waves. Jeevathma is inside our body, because if Jeevathma leaves then body becomes
inactive, hence Jeevathma is inside our body. Similarly Paramathma or “Brummam” is inside the
universe. “Upnishad” says “AgamBrimahsmi” which means I am Brummam (1:p53). Jeevathma
is Paramathma and that is “You” –it is called as ‘Maha vakiyam” or most important phylasaphy
of Hinduism, However till date lots of discussions and schools of thoughts exists and continue to
exist (1:p57).

Why Jeevathma exists in this universe?

(a) To carry “Pabam” and “Punniya” of one birth to another, Jeevathma acts as a carrier or
link. “Karma” alone travels with Jeevathma from one body to another. If “pooniam” is with
Jeevathma then the body experiences pleasure in the new birth, otherwise suffers as the
case may be. Only when both “punniam” and “papam” is spent in one birth then the
Jeevathma attains a state of no rebirth.[2:18]. Jeevathma inside a “Asithu” which is our
body and using the knowledge of Jeevathma we understand things like table, chair etc.,
- it is called as “Prameyam”. The things which is different than worldly understandable
things is called as Jeevathma.[2:18]. Jeevathma takes a body and experience as per the
“karma” earned in the previous body. At the end of “Karma”, Jeevathma takes another
body. This process is controlled by “Paramathama”.
(b) It acts as a knowledge base to understand all “Asithu” in this world[2:12].

Where does this Jeevathma exists?

Jeevathma is inside every “Asithu” in this world. So the Jeevathma always exists without any
change of form over a period of time and I, We and You were existing here and will be existing
here. Here “I”, “we” and “you” refers to Jeevathma. Without Jeevathma the body does not have
any identity. For example when a man is going to hospital we say that he was taken to hospital
and if he dies in hospital then we say that “brought the body”. So once the Jeevathma is
separated, it is called as body and no more called as “he”.[2:12].

Hence we refer “I”, Youor we then we are referring to Jeevathma. Jeevathma were never non-
existent, always exists.[2:12]. No birth or death for Jeevathma.

What is birth / death?

This body is for Jeevathma and if a Jeevathma takes a body then we call it as birth and if
Jeevathma leaves a body then we call it as death.Always the Jeevathma selects a body before
leaving a body, similar to a warm selects a leaf before leaving a leaf when travelling from one
leaf to another.[2:13]. If a body dies then Jeevathma does not exists there hence loses its
knowledge base to understand other “Asithu”.

Why do we say that Jeevathma cannot be destroyed?

 (a) Jeevathma is very small. Smaller than atom and it is “Sushamam”[2:16]. Only small thing
can destroy bigger thing, let us see how his phenomena holds water. Small chisel only
breaks a big stone. But it can be seen that a big wooden stick can break a small mud pot
(the pot cannot be destroyed – it only takes another form) .This may looks to be an irony,
but it is not. When we strike a pot with a wooden stick the pot breaks. However if we
place the same wooden stick on a pot then the pot does not break, similarly if we strike
the pot with a cotton bundle then again the pot does not break. Which mean only we
strike the pot with a wooden stick then the pot breaks. So something else breaks the pot,
when we strike, this may be called as force (or “Sushamam”). So “Sthulam” cannot
destroy “Sushamam”. However “Sushamam” can destroy “Sthulam”. Hence if Jeevathma
has to be destroyed then a thing smaller than Jeevathma has to exists in this world.
Since no such thing exists (except “Paramathama”), we can conclude that Jeevathma
can not be destroyed (by anybody or anything other than “Paramathama”.).
“Paramathama” taken a oath that he will not destroy Jeevathma. So Jeevathma also
always stable like “Paramathama”.
(b) Jeevathma does not undergo change or growth hence no distraction for Jeevathma –
2:18 & 20]. Because distracting happens only for things which are subject to change
otherwise called as “Asithu” [2:20]. This body changes from child hood to youth then
old, but Jeevathma never changes. It is customary to say that I learnt Cycling, I learnt
Car driving. This I is linked to Jeevathma but Jeevathma did not learn cycling or car
driving, Because Jeevathma never changes; Jeevathma never bothers for this change of
“Asithu”.[2:13]. Things which undergo change like growth; like human body; like a
building constructed with wood, bricks etc under go growth hence destruction at one day
is possible. Since Jeevathma does not undergo change, no destruction.

What is the difference a Jeevathma living inside a wood and a tree and a human body?

Jeevathma which lives inside a human body increases its knowledge, but a Jeevathma inside a
wood does not increase its knowledge. That Jeevathma has taken the body as wood in order to
spend some karma. Jeevathma with no knowledge exists in wood and with little knowledge lives
in trees & plants and with little more knowledge live in animals then with higher and higher
knowledge live in human, “dhevarhal” and “ bremma”.[2:20]

Jeevathma does not change but its level of knowledge increases or decreases.[2:20].

Note 01:

Jeevathma is covered with many layers. The outermost layer is our body, then ‘Pranamaya
Kosam” then “Viganamaya Kosam” finally “ Anathamaya Kosam” and at centre is occupied by
Jeevathma.(1-p62).

[n:xx] – Geetha Chapter Number: slogam number

(1:pnn) – “India Thathuva Gnanam” by K.Lakshmanan

Un answered Questions:
1. If a mud part breaks in to pieces then into thousands of small sand particles, then one
Jeevathma exists in a pot divided into thousands of millions of Jeevathma ? how does
this happen.
2. Jeevathma does not change but its level of knowledge increases or decreases.[2:20] -is
it not a change of property of Jeevathma ?If it is a change then destruction is possible for
Jeevathma also one day.