Jiva

 Sastras say that the relationship of the jiva with God is eternal and unbroken. Visishtadvaita philosophy explains the nature of the association between the ‘jiva tatva’ and ‘Ishwara Tatva’ as that which exists between the body and the atma. This perspective known as ‘sarira-sariri bhava’ or ‘sarira-atma bhava’ is unique to this school of thought, pointed out Asuri Sri Madhavachariar in a discourse. The import is that the entire creation comprising the sentient, chetana and the insentient, the achetana, form the body of the Lord who is the ‘sarva antaratma’, the antaryami or indweller in each and every aspect of creation.

Just as the atma is the support of the jiva’s body mind intellect complex, the Paramatma is the sole support of all creation, the sole Master who commands everything and everyone in this universe. Whether the jiva accepts it or not, he belongs to God alone and is by nature bound to Him. He is always subservient and answerable to Him and this is explained as the Sesha Seshi bhava.

The jiva, through several births in the past, had thought himself to be independent and his own master. Only when, by the grace of Lord and of the preceptor and his own past good samskaras, he is taught about this relationship that the jiva has the chance to shed this ignorance and appreciate his privileged role as Sesha to none other than the Almighty, the Sarva Seshi.

In our daily life the jiva plays different roles in different contexts, as son, father, employee, employer, teacher, student, husband, wife, etc. These roles are owing to individual karma and can change with time or circumstance. But just as a conch is always white, the jiva is never without this quality of ‘seshatva’ with respect to the Lord.