ISa, jIva — universal Lord, personal soul

are same in principle, distinct only by conceptual roles

After resolving the differences between the existence (sat) and consciousness (cit) in verse 23 of upadesa saram, we reach one of the most crucial teaching about the Lord: ISa and the individual: jIva.

Atma, the self, or soul is one homogenous thing that is really conscious. Everything else derive their existence and consciousness from that Atma.

That Atma alone is represented as jIva and ISwara based on the upAdhi i.e., substitution made for symbolizing the reality, which is beyond the comprehension. For easier understanding, upAdhi is the cover or the case in which the reality is presented.

Let me try to give an analogy to make things clear. Let us take the human body with trillions of cells, making up tissues, intern making up the sub-systems like digestive system, nervous system etc., and finally making up the whole body. A complex system.

The consciousness that keeps this whole as a whole is called life principle. So, the consciousness that keeps a red blood cell emerge, sustain and merge back into the whole every 120 days is the same as that of which makes the taste bud on the tongue emerge and die in 14 days. A cell in the liver (technically called Hepatocyte) is born, perform its duty and merge back in an average of 5 months span is also powered by the same life force and consciousness.

Let us call this undifferentiated consciousness as ISa (the universal Lord) and single cell differentiated consciousness as jIva. (individual soul) They are not different by nature. It is the same consciousness. The difference is only attributed by limiting the consciousness to a form / shape / or container.

With this introduction Verse 24 of upadesa saram in Telugu:

unna jIvESavruloka vastuvAtma bhinnamupAdhi cit cihnamulEnu

Same in Sanskrit

ISa jIva yorvEshadhI bhidA sat svabhAvatO vastu kEvalam

By true nature, the existence represented as universal Lord (ISa) and individual soul (jIva) is same principle. The difference is only in conceptual symbols attributed by vEsha or upAdhi.

Each creature in the universe is just like a cell; the earth and solar system is a small atom within the universe. The consciousness that keeps the galaxies, stars, planets and their inhabitants intact as a whole complex system is called as universal Lord or ISvara or ISa. The field of influence is larger whole; so a big upAdhi or vEsha.

A personal soul that enables a microcosm perform its own duties is called jIva which has a smaller upAdhi or vEsha with a much smaller lifespan that keep regenerating itself into various forms or upAdhis and vEshas.

vastu kEvalam: Irrespective of the upadhis, the existence is always independent.

It is very important to understand this teaching which is core of advaita vedanta. Sharing this on an auspicious day of pushyami nakshatra of pushya mAsa known as thai pUsam.