Category:Jiva-tattva
Theme Analysis
To understand the Absolute Truth, one must distinguish between the Supreme Lord and the living entities. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains this through the categories of viṣṇu-tattva and jīva-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His personal expansions (like Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, and Balarāma), who are all-powerful and infinite. Jīva-tattva refers to the separated parts and parcels (the living entities), who are infinitesimally small and prone to illusion. While both are spiritual, they are distinct: one is the master, and the other is the eternal servant. This distinction refutes the monistic idea that the soul and God are equal.
- Svāṁśa vs. Vibhinnāṁśa: The Lord expands in two ways. His personal expansions (svāṁśa) are viṣṇu-tattva and are equally powerful. His separated expansions (vibhinnāṁśa) are the jīva-tattva, who have minute independence and require the Lord's protection.
- The Hierarchy of Tattvas: Not all great personalities are viṣṇu-tattva. Lord Brahmā, the creator of the universe, and great empowered incarnations like Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ, and Pṛthu Mahārāja are jīva-tattva. They are empowered souls, not God Himself.
- The Pañca-tattva Distinction: Within the Pañca-tattva, distinctions exist. Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhu are the Supreme Lords, whereas Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura represents the pure devotee (jīva-tattva). They are all worshipped, but their ontological positions differ.
- The Purpose of the Jīva: The jīva's only business is to inquire into the Absolute Truth (tattva-jijñāsā). When the jīva misuses his minute independence to lord it over material nature, he suffers. When he engages in service to the viṣṇu-tattva, he attains his constitutional perfection.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Understanding Jīva-tattva in Relation to Viṣṇu-tattva.
Subcategories
This category has the following 3 subcategories, out of 3 total.
Pages in category "Jiva-tattva"
The following 60 pages are in this category, out of 60 total.
2
A
- A direct incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called amsa or svamsa, whereas an incarnation from amsa is called kala. Among the kalas there are the vibhinnamsa-jivas, or living entities. These are counted among the jiva-tattvas
- All living entities within this material world except for Lord Siva are swayed by maya. Lord Siva is therefore neither visnu-tattva nor jiva-tattva. He is between the two
- All other living entities, both visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva, are subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna
- All such expansions, both svamsas and vibhinnamsas, are emanations from the original Personality of Godhead. Svamsa expansions are called visnu-tattva, whereas the vibhinnamsa expansions are called jiva-tattva. The different demigods are jiva-tattva
- All the expansions - the visnu-tattvas, the jiva-tattvas and the sakti-tattvas (the Personalities of Godhead, the living entities and the different potential energies) - are different offshoots from the same one Supreme Lord
- Although appearing like calves, cows and cowherd boys, these were all Visnu. Actually they were visnu-tattva, not jiva-tattva
- Although he is the first living entity, Lord Brahma is not in the category of visnu-tattva. Rather, he is part of the jiva-tattva
- Although sakti-tattva & jiva-tattva within the category of Panca-tattva, represented by Gadadhara & Srivasa - are worshipers of the Supreme Lord, they are in the same category because they eternally engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord
B
- Both the visnu-tattva (as Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita) and the jiva-tattva (srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda) engage in the service of the Lord, but one must distinguish between the visnu-tattva servitors and the jiva-tattva servitors
- Brahma is a living being, jiva-tattva. He is not Visnu-tattva. Just see how much a living being can be powerful. Now, Brahma was created by this Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and Brahma in his turn, he created all these planetary systems
- Brahma is always a jiva-tattva. The highest pious living being, or the greatest devotee of the Lord, is empowered with the potency of the Lord for creation, and he is called Brahma
H
- He (Kamadeva) belongs to the category of jiva-tattva, but for exhibiting special power in the category of demigods he was a part and parcel of the superprowess of Pradyumna. That is the verdict of the Gosvamis
- Hogs and dogs, they are always busy. So this human form of life is not meant for that purpose. Jivasya tattva-jijnasa. Earn money, Be comfortable, but utilize time - tattva-jijnasa, athato brahma jijnasa. That is your aim of life
I
- In the absolute world there are no such differences (between the visnu-tattva servitors and the jiva-tattva servitors), yet one must observe these differences in order to distinguish the Supreme from His subordinates
- In the Vedas it is stated that the one becomes many (eko bahu syam). The Supreme Personality of Godhead expands Himself in various forms - visnu-tattva, jiva-tattva and sakti-tattva
- It is a great offense to compare Lord Visnu and the jiva-tattva or consider them on an equal level
L
- Lord Brahma is a jiva-tattva, a living being like us. If we become spiritually powerful, we can also have the post of Lord Brahma
- Lord Brahma is a powerful expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although Brahma is jiva-tattva, he is empowered by the Lord, and therefore he is considered a plenary expansion of the Supreme Godhead
- Lord Jesus was jivatattva. He is not Visnu tattva. When a jiva tattva becomes specifically empowered by the Lord, he is called saktyavesa avatara
- Lord Krsna is manifested in various forms, as visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva, or, in other words, as svamsa and vibhinnamsa. Visnu-tattva is known as svamsa, and jiva-tattva is known as vibhinnamsa
- Lord Ramacandra and His brothers, Laksmana, Bharata and Satrughna, are all visnu-tattva, not jiva-tattva. The Supreme Personality of Godhead expands into many, many forms. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam - BS 5.33
- Lord Visnu is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus belongs to the category of visnu-tattva. Maharaja Prthu belonged to the jiva-tattva. The visnu-tattva indicates God, whereas the jiva-tattva indicates the part and parcel of God
R
- Regarding when and why such propensities (to want to lord it over material nature) overcame the pure living entities, it can only be explained that the jiva-tattvas have infinitesimal independence
- Rudra, Lord Siva, has various forms, which are transformations brought about by association with maya. Although Rudra is not on a level with the jiva-tattvas, he still cannot be considered a personal expansion of Lord Krsna
S
- Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura comments that in all Vedic scriptures the jiva-tattva, the truth of the living entities, is mentioned to be one of the energies of the Lord
- Sripada Sankaracarya purposely claimed the jiva-tattva, or living entities, to be equal to the Supreme God. Therefore his entire philosophy is based on a misunderstanding, and it misguides people to become atheists, whose mission in life is unfulfilled
T
- The expansions of His (the Supreme Personality of Godhead) personal self, or visnu-tattva, are called svamsa expansions, whereas the living entities, who are not visnu-tattva but jiva-tattva, are called vibhinnamsa, separated expansions
- The first tattva is the Supreme Lord, Visnu, and the second is the jiva-tattva. Laksmidevi, being dependent on Lord Visnu, is sometimes counted among the jivas
- The jiva-tattva servitor, the spiritual master, is actually the servitor God
- The jiva-tattvas are infinitesimal potential particles of the Lord, and therefore they require the protection of the Lord at all times. And to the eternal servitors of the Lord, the Lord is pleased to give all protection at all times
- The jiva-tattvas are separated expansions of the visnu-tattvas, and although there are potential differences between them, they are all meant for the transcendental sense gratification of the Supreme Lord
- The Lord remembers them all, but His associates, although liberated souls, forget due to their being tatastha sakti, or marginal potency of the Lord. That is the difference between the visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva
- The personal expansions are called the visnu-tattvas, and the differential expansions are called the jiva-tattvas. And in such expansional activity, Lord Baladeva is the first personal expansion of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The personal expansions are known as visnu-tattva, and the separated expansions are known as jiva-tattva
- The SPG creates His minor parts and parcels, the jiva-tattva, beginning with Lord Brahma, the demigods and the expansions of Vedic knowledge & including all other living entities, moving and nonmoving, with their different names and characteristics
- There are different grades of forms, known as svamsa and vibhinnamsa. The svamsa expansions, or visnu-tattva, are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas the vibhinnamsa are jiva-tattva, who are part and parcel of the Lord
- There are different grades of living entities: Vishnu Tattva and Jiva Tattva. Vishnu Tattva is almost equal to the level of the Personality of Godhead, and Jiva Tattva is minute particles
- There are different tattvas, or truths, including isa-tattva, jiva-tattva and sakti-tattva
- There are many tattvas, such as visnu-tattva, jiva-tattva and sakti-tattva, but above everything is the visnu-tattva, which is all-pervading
- There are two categories of forms, Krsna's: visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva. Visnu-tattva, a Krsna person, and jiva-tattva, separated personalities. So the jivas, they are also Krsna's forms, vibhinnamsa
- There is no need of separately worshiping either the visnu-tattva or jiva-tattva. If one concentrates upon Krsna, one worships everyone. Therefore, because mother Devaki gave birth to Krsna, she is described here (in SB 10.1.56) as sarva-devata
W
- When a jiva tattva becomes specifically empowered by the Lord, he is called saktyavesa avatara. Lord Buddha and Lord Jesus Christ were in this group of saktyavesa avatara.. But they were not in conditioned state when they appeared; they came to teach
- When you come to this point, understanding, inquiring, jivasya tattva-jijnasa . . . jivasya tattva-jijnasa nas ceha yat karmabhih (SB 1.2.10). Kamasya na . . . na indriya-pritih, jiveta yavata. This is the Bhagavata philosophy