Tree of Jiva and Atman

Tree of Jiva and Atman

The Tree of Jiva and Atman appears in the Vedic scriptures, predating current Hinduism, as a metaphysical metaphor concerning the soul.

The Rig Veda samhita 1.164.20-22, Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.1-2, and Svetasvatara Upanisad 4.6-7, speak of two birds, one perched on the branch of the tree, which signifies the body, and eating its fruit, the other merely watching.

Rig Veda samhita says:

1.164.20 Two birds associated together, and mutual friends, take refuge in the same tree; one of them eats the sweet fig; the other abstaining from food, merely looks on. 1.164.21 Where the smooth-gliding rays, cognizant, distil the perpetual portion of water; there has the lord and steadfast protector all beings accepted me, though immature in wisdom.

1.164.22 In the tree into which the smooth-gliding rays feeders on the sweet, enters, and again bring forth light over all, they have called the fruit sweet, but he partakes not of it who knows not the protector of the universe.

The first bird represents a Jiva, or individual self, or soul. She has a female nature, being a sakti, an energy of God. When the jiva becomes distracted by the fruits (signifying sensual pleasure), she momentarily forgets her lord and lover and tries to enjoy the fruit independently of him. This separating forgetfulness is maha-maya, or enthrallment, spiritual death, and constitutes the fall of the jiva into the world of material birth, death, disease and old age.

The second bird is the Paramatman, an aspect of God who accompanies every living being in the heart while she remains in the material world. He is the support of all beings and is beyond sensual pleasure.

Other interpretation: Two birds are two options, one is to eat the sweet fruits; other is merely look on and recognize where the smooth-gliding rays distil the perpetual water (the leaves and the rooth); there the lord and protector accepts me in the tree, into which the smooth-gliding rays feeders on the sweet and brings light over the tree. First consciousness has to know the protector of the universe and then partakes of it.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ātman (Hinduism) — An article related to Hinduism …   Wikipedia

  • Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — In the Book of Genesis, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (and occasionally translated as the Tree of Conscience, ). A serpent later tempted Eve, who was aware of the prohibition, to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge… …   Wikipedia

  • Paramatman — In Hindu theology, Paramatman or Paramātmā is the Absolute Atman or Supreme Soul or Spirit (also known as Supersoul or Oversoul ) in the Vedanta and Yoga philosophies of India. Paramatman is one of the aspects of Brahman. Paramatman is situated… …   Wikipedia

  • Brahman — ( IAST|bráhman , nominative IAST|bráhma sa. ब्रह्म) is a concept of Hinduism. Brahman is the unchanging, infinite, immanent, and transcendent reality which is the Divine Ground of all matter, energy, time, space, being, and everything beyond in… …   Wikipedia

  • Indian philosophy — Any of the numerous philosophical systems developed on the Indian subcontinent, including both orthodox (astika) systems, namely, the Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa, and Vedanta schools of philosophy, and unorthodox (nastika) systems …   Universalium

  • Aparokshanubhuti — AparokshanubhutiBy Adi Shankaracharya, 788 82 CE,Translated by Swami VimuktanandaPublished by Advaita Ashram, Kolkatta [Shankara discusses the identity of the individual Self and the universal Self through the direct experience of the highest… …   Wikipedia

  • The 36 tattvas — In Kaśmir Śaivism, the 36 tattvas describe the Absolute, its internal aspects and the creation including living beings, down to the physical reality. The addition of 11 supplemental tattvas compared to the IAST|Sāṃkhya allows for a richer, fuller …   Wikipedia

  • Bhagavad Gita — Gita redirects here. For other uses, see Gita (disambiguation). Krishna and Arjuna at Kurukshetra, 18–19th century painting. The …   Wikipedia

  • Maya (illusion) — Maya (Sanskrit माय māyaa[›]), in Indian religions, has multiple meanings, usually quoted as illusion , centered on the fact that we do not experience the environment itself but rather a projection of it, created by us. Maya is the principal deity …   Wikipedia

  • Self-enquiry — (also spelled self inquiry) (Sanskrit IAST|ātma vicāra ) is a practice of meditation designed to rapidly bring about Self realization, Self awareness, spiritual liberation or enlightenment, and is most commonly associated with its most famous… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”