Krishna states thus in B.G – “mamaivāṃśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtas sanātanaḥ |manaṣ ṣaṣṭhān-īndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati” – “An everlasting part of Myself, having become the Jīvātman in the mortal world, acquires the [five] senses, and the mind which is the sixth, and abides in Prakrti”
A Jiva can be compared to a seed of a tree. Paramatma gives the Jiva his nature, like how a tree gives its nature to the seed. Then bhagavan drops him into matter so that he can germinate and grow just like how a seed grows to become another tree. He slowly grows, putting out his powers as he grows. He passes from one Sarira to another with each Sarira evolving to match the powers unfolding inside him. This process is called Re-birth.
Svetasvatara Upanishad states thus about Ishwara and Jiva – “jñājñau dvāv ajāv īśanīśāv ajā hy ekā bhoktṛbhogārthayuktā / anantaś cātmā viśvarūpo hy akartā trayaṃ yadā vindate brahmam etat” – “The Supreme Lord appears as Isvara, omniscient and omnipotent and as the jiva, of limited knowledge and power…”
While the parent or Ishvara is identified to be wise and powerful, the Jiva is said to be the direct opposite. But he grows into power and wisdom slowly and this growth is called the evolution. He contains all the powers within himself. When thrown into the Prakrti, all these powers are not manifested but inherent in him. He passes through a variety of existences starting from Mineral kingdom, passing onto the plant and animal kingdoms before reaching the higher animal and the human kingdom. When he evolves thus, passing from latent to active conditions increasing in richness and complexity, his Sarira also evolves. This material evolution is always derived from a preceding physical form. Depending on the evolution of the Jivatma, the sarira can either start off at a higher level than his previous form if he has progressed or can be pulled to a lower form, if he has retrograded. In this way, he takes a Sarira suitable for him, enlarges his own powers using it and improves it in the process as well.
When the term of his earth life is over, the Jivatma withdraws from the sthula Sarira, takes a sukshma Sarira and passes to the invisible worlds. He carries all the fruits of his actions in earth along with him so that he can either enjoy or endure them.
Brihad-aranyaka upanishad states thus – “tad yathā peśaskārī peśaso mātrām upādāya, anyan navataraṁ kalyāṇataraṁ rūpaṁ tanute, evam evāyam ātmā, idaṁ śarīraṁ nihatya, avidyāṁ gamayitvā, anyan navataraṁ kalyāṇataraṁ rūpaṁ kurute” – “As a goldsmith, having taken a piece of gold, makes another form, new and more beautiful, so verily the Atma, having cast off this body and having put away Avidya, makes another new and more beautiful form.”
The Upanishad goes on to say what happens once the fruits are consumed.
“prāpyāntaṃ karmaṇastasya yatkiñceha karotyayam | tasmāllokātpunaraityasmai lokāya karmaṇe ||iti nu kāmayamānaḥ” – “Having arrived at the end of ( the fruit of) that work (of) whatsoever he here does this one: returns again from that world to this world of action; thus verily ( the story of ) him who desires”
This process of rebirth is repeated over and over again as long as the Jiva has desires. The double evolution of Jivatma and his Sarira continues till his rebirths continue.
The western evolution and its studies are thorough, but also incomplete at the same time. It doesn’t tell us what we will be like in a millennium from now. The answers to that question are highly speculative with the response ranging from hopeful to dystopian. But our Sastras are very clear on what can happen to humans. We will see about this in the next post.
mythological squirrel 