Descent and Ascent of the Jiva

   As humans, we are endowed with certain intelligence, discerning, disseminating and discriminating ability. This inherent faculty can help us to understand how the jiva is a product of assimilation of many invisible gaseous elements shaped by forces that we may never know! For instance, our physical body is made up of Hydrogen and Oxygen that makes up water (almost seventy percent of our body!) and carbon, calcium, etc! These are almost invisible and appear gross in their appearance, but yet subtler! There are many other forces that constantly keep us moving, grow up, procreate and feel as if we are the real ones. Alas, these can die out, decay, disintegrate and disappear altogether!

   But, then, what is the reality of our existence? In fact, it is 'nothing'; nothingness is the reality! Nothingness appear as something only to disappear as is nothing. Someone asked, 'where do the ants come from when some sweets are kept in the open'? The answer is very simple. 'These ants were already there in the sweets in an invisible form as a part of the sweets! The scripture give details of creation, sustenance, dissolution and merger. Accordingly, the first emanate of 'brahmn' is space (Akasha). From Akasha emanates air (vayu) and subsequently, from both these emanate fire (agni); so also, the water and the earth emanate from combination of all these emerged elements. Thus all are part and parcel of the first emanate 'brahmn' which is nothingness for all practical purposes!

   Now, all that exist here on earth is just the combination, compounds, of simple elements! The body is made up of cells, tissues, and organs. The body disappears as and when the parts depart or disappear! However, the soul that enabled the body to live and work accumulated memories, experiences, fruits of action (karmaklesha), nature or qualities of the earth- of the food, water, and all sorts of desires, etc. condemns the jiva to struggle life after life without redemption, liberation, mukti, moksha, break off shackles or chain of births and deaths and rebirths, or release from eternal bondage! The soul gets enmeshed, tainted, or burdened with the loads of karma!
   The Rk Veda describes the nature of existence in the Mandala X. 'Purusha' is the person who occupies the body (pura). The human body is a physical entity made of flesh, bone and blood. But the life-force, prana, enters it to make it a living organism. The life-force is the oxygen derived from air is gross but the real energy aspect (entity?) is a 'non-entity'. It is a stellar dust particle, an ion, a photon, an unimaginably intelligent, self-effulgent, eternal, unborn, and undying aspect, The soul is the 'purusha', the intelligence aspect of the ignorant aspect- body entity! To expect the ignorant gross entity (borne out of the earth) to revert to the subtle-most intelligence aspect of the heavens is a tall order!

    Thus, the secret of the nature of our existence is revealed! We all are elemental bodies.We appear and disappear. The descent of the jiva is explained as the spiritual component and the body is the composition of the earthen material. The jiva is elemental at the gross level and spiritual at the core. The physical body may disintegrate but not the soul. The ascent of the jiva to its original natural non-elemental or spiritual state needs a concerted effort through practice of yoga. Ultimately, the jiva has to revert to its natural spiritual state. This is not an easy one.