Predicament of the Jiva

   Gautama, the prince, had no problem whatsoever in leading a luxurious life in the palace. However, it is divine providence that stirred his conscience and he left the palace and wandered everywhere like a mendicant in search of answer to the problems of sickness, old age, and death that all ordinary mortals face on this earth. He wandered everywhere until finally it dawned him that it is futile to search. He was on a month-long vrata, upavasa satya aagraha (without taking food) and had become very weak. One day, he fell down when he lifted his leg to step into the pool to take a dip and suddenly he realized "How foolish of him to think of crossing the ocean of sansar when he is not capable of just lifting his one leg!?" That very moment he was totally blissful and enlightened; he soon returned to the bodhi tree and sat in contemplation on brahmn. It is very clear from this account of the Buddha that "it is futile to search for any answer to the problems of hunger, sickness, old age and death." It is also interesting to note that it is Gautama who became the buddha and anybody can become one such enlightened person anytime, anywhere! The Buddha, after enlightenment, did not solve any of the problems like misery, sickness, old age, and death and, we do not know whether he really solved this riddle! He never spoke a word after his enlightenment! He used to sit in silence, give a silent audience for an hour or two in the afternoon everyday and people of all age and birds, animals used to flock around him. A replica of this audience is made and kept in Darjeeling.

    We have traced the arrival of the elemental jiva in the form of a stellar dust particle, say a Hydrogen ion, on this earth. It is this elemental aspect, 'chit-shakti' or 'chaitanya' as life-force (prana) assumed various forms of jivas, (prani) living beings/ animals and birds. The animation of the earthen toys (like the one Ganapati made by Parvati and infused with breath/prana) is what all we see here as vibrating living beings (jiva rashi). Here, the energy, as prana (the vital airs) has entered the earthen shell/ annamaya sharira; it is like a silkworm that weaves a cocoon  around itself with its own saliva that the jiva has taken shape with the help of annam/food. Given a little bit of soil, water, and heat lo! there arises some form of jiva! These jivas are capable of taking diverse and multitude of forms- plants, animals, birds, and, the humans, too are no exception to this.Once, it takes a shape it grows on regular supply of food and dies when it becomes incapable of assimilating food and sustain itself!

 The human beings are covered by several layers (kosha) of subtle bodies as follows:

1. The Soul or Atman is the core of the substance, the jiva.

2. The Soul or Atman as a stellar dust particle full of light, intelligence, force, and energy has entered

     the earth via clouds, raindrops, water, soil and food into the jiva as the protozoa, phytoplankton or

     a bundle of energy in an organic cell- containing ribose and di ribose nucleic acids, amino acids,         vitamins, enzymes, DNA codes, etc. in a cell covered by a protein and, there are 77000 types of proteins and such protein cell membranes give diverse qualities to jiva! Thus, jiva has acquired qualities such as sattva, rajas, and the tamas in diverse permutations and combinations..

3. The next covering is of 'Bliss' (ananda), followed by 'Knowledge' and Wisdom (vijnyana), 'Mind'

    (manas), Prana or ethereal/vital energy and the Food (annam), in that order. These are five

     koshas / envelopes. These create a semblance of mukti and moksha and the jivas stop further sadhana to attain merger in brahmn. 

There is no other way but to attain the state of unity consciousness, samatvam or ekatvam with the ultimate nirguna brahman if one has to attain enlightenment Only one attained person may be seen in human history for the last 2600 years and that is the Buddha. Prior to is all metaphysical stories.

  Further, there is no rational explanation or any scientific way of explaining the spiritual aspects of the jiva. There are the consciousness plexus (the seven chakras) and the kundalini that do not come within the purview of general science- physical or biological.These are the subtler aspects that do not come under any study of modern science; however, the study of waves and vibrations, quantum mechanics, genetic studies do help us to a great extent. But they will not bring moksha, the merger of jiva into shiva, individual consciousness with universal consciousness. These are spiritual aspects that come under yogashastra. Any jiva that wants to revert to its pristine state should cleanse these layers one by one. ultimately it becomes the primeval (original) energy particle like the Hydrogen ion.

      It may be said, in scientific parlance, that Hydrogen ions arriving on the earth gets combined with Oxygen and Carbon to become, roughly, hydrocarbons (Energy) and carbohydrates (food). It is these basic components that rule the animal kingdom here. The combination of elements like H+O+C along with other mineral components create jivas- charaachara (moving and non moving).

   The role played by manas (Mind), buddhi (intelligence), and ahankar in the affairs of the jiva are explained in the spiritual texts- the Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the brahma sutras, in detail. 

  The structural aspects- the anatomy and physiology, of the jiva is of special significance with reference only to the human beings since they only are equipped with very powerful instruments like Mind (manas) and buddhi (intellect). The humans can enjoy the gifts of this world as they like and revert to the original primeval state of energy from matter by sheer determination and yoga.