28.

JEEVATMA

According to Sikhism the human being is not merely the body of five elements
which we see. There is also in this body what is called Atma, the Lord’s jot / noor –
light. The body together with the Atma make what we describe as the human being.
Thus the human being is a combination of matter and spirit. The spirit, the Atma, is
commonly referred to as soul. Professor Sahib Singh, author of Guru Granth Sahib
Darpan, interprets the first two words of the salok at the end of Jap Ji bani – ‘Pavn
Guru’ – by saying that pavn is essential for the body just as guru is for the Atma.
Without air the body dies and without the guru the jeevatma remains tainted with
maya and there ccan be no spiritual life – aatmak jeevan. Pavn means air and hence
refers to the life giving breath. Atma means soul or spirit and in humans it is called
jeevatma / jeev- atma. The Lord is Parmatma, the supreme soul. (However, ‘Pavn
Guru’ has another meaning too. Since Gurbani is accepted as the real guru any sabad
has to be uttered by some one. The uttered sabad is carried through the air to reach the
seeker / disciple. As such the air conveying the uttered sabad is the guru).
The jeevatma is referred to as Parmatma di ans – a part of the Lord. Guru
Arjan Dev uses the word praatma for the jeevatma and says it is the Lord’s roop –
Lord’s image, and it is ageless in that it is not subject to changes with age. Hence it is
neither boodha – old, nor baala – child. Guru Ji goes on to say that it does not
experience dukh and is free from jam jaala – the chains of yamas.
Praatma Paarbraham ka roop. Na ehu boodha na ehu baala. Na es dookh
nahi jam jaala. P.868
pRwqmw pwrbRhm kw rUpu Ò nw iehu bUFw nw iehu bwlw Ò nw iesu dUKu nhI jm
jwlw Ò
Some other points that Guru Ji mentions in the above mentioned sabad are:
the jeevatma neither dies nor is it born – na bensai na jae; …… it has no enemies or
friends – na dusman na meet; it has no feelings of happiness or sadness – na harkh
nahi sog; ……it has no parents – na baap nahi maea; …… paap punn have no effect
on it – punn paap ka layp na laagai.
Na ehu bensai na ehu jae. …..Na es dusman na es meet. Na es harkh nahi es
sog. ……Na es baap nahi es maea. …… Paap punn ka es layp na laagai. P.868
nw iehu ibnsY nw iehu jwie Ò ……… nw iesu dusmnu nw iesu mIqu Ò nw
iesu hrKu nhI iesu sogu Ò ……… nw iesu bwpu nhI iesu mwieAw Ò ……… pwp
pMun kw iesu lyp n lwgY Ò
The jeevatma is free from what has been described above as it is an offshoot
of the Lord. But the human body made up of the five elements is subject to all these.
It is the body which is born and dies, has parents, has feelings and has friends and
enemies.
Guru Ji describes the jeevatma as bairaagi – one who renounces the material
world and possesses intense longing for the Lord. The bairaagi jeevatma neither dies
nor is it born. But it is subject to the WILL of the Lord – hukmay baadha, and
performs the task – kaar – of entering into a body, and later departing as per the
Lord’s hukam. It is the Lord who brings about the union and separation of the body
and the jeevatma – jor vechoray.
Ohu bairaagi marai na jae. Hukmay baadha kaar kmae. Jor vechoray Nanak
thaap. P.390
Ehu bYrwgI mrY n jwie Ò hukmy bwDw kwr kmwie Ò joiV ivCoVy nwnk Qwip Ò
 Talking about the immortality of the jeevatma Guru Ji remarks:
Marnhaar ehu jiara nahi. P.188
mrxhwru iehu jIArw nwhI Ò
Although the jeevatma is the Lord’s roop it is not the Lord as such because it
is not omnipresent and like a ray of the sun it is confined to a certain place – a single
body.
Guru Amar Das mentions that the difference between the jeevatma and
Parmatma is like the difference between the water in the earth – dharti, and water in
the clouds – mayghla.
Jaisi dharti oopar mayghla barsat hai kea dharti madhay paani nahi. P.162
jYsI DrqI aUpir myGulw brsqu hY ikAw DrqI mDy pwxI nwhI Ò
Without the jeevatma there is no life for the individual. Guru Ji in Anand Bani
says, "Oh my body – sareera – the Lord placed His jot – light – in you, and you came
into this world.”
Ay sareera mayrea Har tum meh jot rakhi ta(n) tu(n) jag meh aea. P.921
ey srIrw myirAw hir qum mih joiq rKI qw qU jg mih AwieAw Ò
Guru Ji also points out that the union of the kaea(n) – body, and the hans –
jeevatma – is determined by the Creator.
Kaea(n) hans dhur mayl kartai lekh paea. P.954
kwieAw hMs Duir mylu krqY iliK pwieAw Ò
Guru Arjan Dev mentions that the Lord determines the union of the body and
jeevatma as a result of their past deeds - kerat sanjogi bha-ay ekatra, and they both
keep on enjoying worldly pleasures - kartay bhog belaasa hay.
Kerat sanjogi bha-ay ekatra kartay bhog belaasa hay. P.1072
ikriq sMjogI Bey iekqRw krqy Bog iblwsw hy Ò
Guru Ji says that so long as the jeevatma is the companion – saathi – of the
body, the latter will live happily – vasai suhaylri. When the jeevatma leaves, the
body will become dust – khaakoo raal.
Tecar vaseh suhaylri jecar saathi naal. Ja(n) saathi uthi calea ta(n) dhan
khaakoo raal. P.50
iqcru vsih suhylVI ijcru swQI nwil Ò jw swQI auTI cilAw qw Dn KwkU
rwil Ò
Guru Nanak Dev states that the kaea(n) is foolish – kamli – in that it keeps
asking its companion, the jeevatma, for this and that. The jeevatma hans is ignorant –
eana, and does not understand what is the right thing for it to do, and accedes to the
request of the kaea(n) to satisfy it. Thus the whole life of a person passes - behaanita
- by being obsessed with maya mamta, forever saying ‘mine, mine - mayri mayri’..
Kaea(n) kamli hans eana mayri mayri kart behaanita. P.156
kwieAw kmlI hMsu ieAwxw myrI myrI krq ibhwxIqw Ò
Guru Arjan Dev describes the kaea(n) wife as blind - andhi, because of its
pre-occupation with maya moh, and the jeevatma husband - per- as being fickle and
smart - capal seana. The latter, because of the company of the former, participates in
matters of this world made up of the five elements - panc tat.
Dhan andhi per capal seana. Panc tat ka racan racaana. P.1072
Dn AMDI ipr cplu isAwnw Ò pMc qqu kw rcnu rcwnw Ò
Maya is an illusion. It has no existence of its own – anhondi. On the other
hand the jeevatma is real and is described as having an existence – hondi. In Raag
Ramkali Guru Ji mentions how the anhondi maya deceives and loots – herai – the
hondi jeevatma – hondi kau anhondi herai. Guru Ji then goes on to describe, in the
same sabad, how maya which is capable of looting – thaganhaar – loots the one
which in fact cannot be looted – anthagda thaagai.
Hondi kau anhondi herai. ………… Thaganhaar anthagda thaagai. P.900
hoˆdI kau AxhoˆdI ihrY Ò …………Tgxhwr AxTgdw TwgY Ò
Bhagat Kabir mentions that the jeevatma is the ans of the pavetar Lord. Being
the ans it is firstly - pehla - the Lord’s poot – offspring. Later - pechai - as a result
of the pleadings of the kaea(n) it gets influenced by maya – ma-ee. In this way it
begins to follow the desires of the mind, and it becomes tainted and weak. In fact the
jeevatma should have been the master, the guru, and the mind should have been the
cayla – disciple. But strangely the guru jeevatma becomes the cayla of the mind,
touching the cayla's feet - laago caylay ki pa-ee.
Pehla poot pechai ri ma-ee. Gur laago caylay ki pa-ee. P.481
pihlw pUqu ipCY rI mweI Ò gur lwgo cyly kI pweI Ò
Bhagat Ji , in another part of Gurbani, says that in this way the mind poot gets
the father jeevatma to play the game of maya.
Poot baap khaylaea P.1194
pUiq bwpu KylwieAw Ò
Thus what happens is that Sev – jeevatma – loses to sakti – maya. Guru Arjan
Dev says that this is the way God wished it to be. In the face of maya - agai sakti - the
jeevatma loses - Sev haarea.
Sev agai sakti haarea ayvai Har bha-ee-a. P.1096
isv AgY skqI hwirAw eyvY hir BweIAw Ò
But this situation ‘sev agai sakti haarea’ does not occur in the case of those
whom the Lord protects by getting them to participate in sat sangat. This enables the
naam gem – maanak, to be present in the mind. The presence of naam prevents the
mind from getting involved in vekaars. No crack or fracture – kat – occurs, and the
mind remains fully linked with the Lord. The jeevatma, with fear and respect for the
Lord – bhai pancaen rat, remains fully engrossed with the Lord, the source of all
attributes – tekai guni. The poot, i.e. the mind, cannot get the jeevatma father to play
the game of maya.The jeevatma prince remains on His throne in the heart – raja takht
tekai, without wandering. Guru Nanak Dev describes it as follows:
Maanak man meh man maarsi sac na laagai kat. Raja takht tekai guni bhai
pancaen rat. P.992
mwxku mn mih mnu mwrsI sic n lwgY kq Ò rwjw qKiq itkY guxI BY
pMcwiex rqu Ò
Guru Amar Das says that the preet of the kaea(n) and the jeevatma hans is
kaci – not lasting. Their preet is regarded as kaci because the jeevatma leaves the
body – chod jae, and goes away when death occurs. The body does not accompany
the jeevatma. Thus the efforts of the jeevatma in looking after the body by acceding
to the latter’s requests proved to be in vain. The kaea(n) is meti –earth, and it is
ignorant - andh hai. It is the jeevatma, here referred to as paonai, who is answerable
to the Creator and is asked for the laykha. For getting involved in maya the jeevatma
will have to come and go – aava jae – in repeated life forms. If the jeevatma were
asked – puchuh jae- as to why it involved itself in looking after the kaea(n) the
answer given is, “I got trapped by maya moh which resulted in aava jae.” (Paonai
comes from the word paon / pavn meaning air. It also refers to the life giving breath).
 Kaea(n) hans kea preet hai je pa-ea(n) hi chad jae. Ays no koor bol ke
khvaali-ai je caldea(n) naal na jae. Kaea(n) meti andh hai paonai puchuh jae. Hau(n)
ta maya mohea fer fer aava jae. P.510
kwieAw hMs ikAw pRIiq hY ij pieAw hI Cif jwie Ò eys no kUVu boil ik
KvwlIAY ij clidAw nwil n jwie Ò kwieAw imtI AMDu hY pauxY puChu jwie Ò hau qw
mwieAw moihAw iPr iPr Awvw jwie Ò
Guru Nanak Dev states that the jeevatma is like a jogi / yogi / sadhoo - ohu
jogi purkh, who comes and departs , roaming from place to place , whereas the
kaea(n) is like a beautiful woman - oh sundar naari. The jeevatma hans establishes
intense love for the kaea(n) - kaea(n hans preet bahu dhaari. The jeevatma savours
all the pleasures - coj benod - in the company of the kaea(n) day and night - ehnes
bhogai. But when the time comes for the jogi purkh to depart He does not consult the
kaea(n) naari - uth caltai mata na keena hay.
Kaea(n) hans preet bahu dhaari. Ohu jogi purkh oh sundar naari. Ehnes
bhogai coj benodi uth caltai mata na keena hay. P.1027
kwieAW hMs pRIiq bhu DwrI Ò Ehu jogI purKu Eh sMudir nwrI Ò Aihins BogY
coj ibnodI auiT clqY mqw n kInw hy Ò
Guru Ji mentions that the kaea(n) keeps on calling the jeevatma, “ Brother,
brother – beera beera,” but the brother becomes a stranger – bairae, when death
occurs and departs, whilst the kaea(n) gets burnt.
Beera beera kar rahi beer bha-ay bairae. P.935
bIrw bIrw kir rhI bIr Bey bYrwie Ò
According to Guru Arjan Dev the kaea(n) is regarded as the wife – dhan, and
the jeevatma is the husband – per. Guru Ji in a sabad describes how the kaea(n)
wife pleads with the jeevatma husband and the reply given. The dhan requests the
loving husband – prea - to stay with her and says, “Without you I am of no
significance – ket hi na laykhai. Promise – vacan dayhe, that you will not leave me
and go.” The jeevatma husband replies, “I am a hukmi banda – loyal servant – of my
great master who has no fear – kaan, and is not subject to anyone – na cha(n)da. I
have to obey the hukam of the master. One must live according to the Lord master’s
wishes. When called – ja(n) saday- one must go.” When the Lord’s command came
the jeevatma husband did not ask the kaea(n) wife – na dhan puchi. Nor did He
consult her – na mata pakaea. He went off leaving her alone – chootar. Guru Ji
remarks, “Oh Nanak, see the false creation of moh!”
Dhan kahai tu(n) vas mai naalay. Prea sukh vaasi baal gupalay. Tujhai bena
hau ket hi na laykhai vacan dayhe chod na jaasa hay. Per kahea hau hukmi banda.
Ohu bhaaro thakur jes kaan na cha(n)da. Jecar raakhai tecar tum sang rehna ja(n)
saday ta(n) ooth sedhaasa hay…… A-ee aagea perhu bulaea. Na dhan puchi na
mataa pakaea. Ooth sedhaeo chootar maati daykh Nanak methan mohaasa hay.
P.1073
Dn khY qU vsu mY nwly Ò ipRA suKvwsI bwl gupwly Ò quJY ibnw hau ikqhI n
lyKY vcnu dyih Coif n jwsw hy Ò ipir kihAw hau hukmI bMdw Ò Ehu Bwro Twkuru ijsu
kwix n CMdw Ò ijcru rwKY iqcru qum sMig rhxw jw sdy q aUiT isDwsw hy Ò………
AweI AwigAw iprhu bulwieAw Ò n Dn puCI n mqw pkwieAw Ò aUiT isDwieE CUtir
mwtI dyKu nwnk imQn mohwsw hy Ò
The jeevatma is in fact the Lord master, the pat / pati – husband – of the
cancal mind which keeps wavering like pavn – wind. Hence the jeevatma is
described as pavn pat, the pati of the pavn mind.. Bhagat Kabir is of the opinion that
the highest form of existence for the pavn pat is that of complete bliss caused by
spiritual joy – unman, where there is no death – merat, no birth – janm, and no old
age – jara.
Pavn pat unman rehan khara. Nahi merat na janm jara. P.971
pvn piq aunmin rhnu Krw Ò nhI imrqu n jnm jrw Ò
According to Bhagat Ji it is only a real jogi, i.e. a gurmukh, who can succeed
in lifting the maya tainted jeevatma, an offshoot of the Lord Braham, from lower
levels - tal ka Braham - to high spiritual levels described as the unman state - gagan
caraavai. Such a jogi is deemed to have acquired all the nine treasures of this world -
aisa jogi naunedh paavai.(Gagan means sky).
Aisa jogi naunedh paavai. Tal ka Brahm lay gagan caraavai. P.477
AYsw jogI nauiniD pwvY Ò ql kw bRhmu ly ggin crwvY Ò
The above mentioned exalted state is experienced by very few people. This
state of bliss can only be attained by acquiring the naam of the Lord, and this is only
possible by seeking the saran of the guru and resorting to naam semran. When this
takes place the mind turns inwards, away from maya, the sense organs do not hanker
after materialistic pleasures, flames of desire come to an end and shaanti reigns
supreme in the heart. The jeevatma now gets liberated. Under the influence of maya
the jeevatma was in a withered and shrunken state like dry wood – sookay kaast. Now
it begins to flourish with the presence of naam resulting from the guru’s kerpa. This is
what Guru Arjan Dev says:
Gur parsaad parm pad paea sookay kaast harea. P.10
gur prswid prm pdu pwieAw sUky kwst hirAw Ò
Now the jeevatma becomes strong and healthy. It is no more tainted with
tresna and other maladies resulting from maya moh. It becomes the pavan pat now
and enjoys the exalted unman state of existence.