If I had to pick the most misunderstood topic in the Caitanya tradition today, it would have to be jīva-tattva. The ontology of the jīva as taught in the Sandarbhas is fundamental to the bhakti tradition but few know and understand it clearly. The same types of questions get put to me over and over again, all originating in misconceptions about the jīva. I am therefore drawing the attention of readers to the book titled “Jīva-tattva” that explains the topic in a crystal-clear fashion. Below, I include part of Babaji’s preface to the book. Reading this book and ruminating over it is the easiest way, in my opinion, to set the many future doubts to rest, and make tangible progress in understanding the Sandarbhas.

Babaji’s preface (reproduced in part) goes as follows:

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What is that ultimate purpose? According to Bhāgavata Purāṇa, which is the last and topmost work of Śrī Vedavyāsa, the ultimate purpose of life is not to pursue conventional goals like wealth, but to pursue knowledge of the Absolute Reality. This pursuit is called tattva-jijñāsā, and is not limited to theoretical comprehension. It culminates in actual, direct experience of Reality.

Pursuit of true knowledge, tattva-jijñāsā, naturally includes pursuing knowledge about one’s own self because the self is part of Reality, tattva. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī explains that experience of tattva requires comprehension of its parts and how they are related to each other and to our self. This is called sambandha-jñāna, and primarily concerns comprehending the nature of, and relationship between, the jīva, māyā, and Bhagavān. Knowledge about the self, which is known as the ātmā or jīva, is the first step in developing sambandha-jñāna. The purpose of the present work is to survey this most fundamental field of knowledge.

If we want to reach a destination, we need to know our present location, the path to be followed, and the destination to be reached. In the same way, to reach the ultimate goal (directly experiencing tattva), we need to follow a process (or “path”), and before we can do that effectively, we need to know who we are (“our present location”). Knowledge about the jīva is therefore a crucial prerequisite to an effective sādhana that will successfully lead to the ultimate goal. Without understanding ourselves as jīva, we are like someone lost in a dense forest. We may even know our destination, but since we cannot make sense of our present location, we cannot discern the correct route to it.

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī explains the characteristics of the jīva in Tattva Sandarbha and Paramātma Sandarbha. This book is primarily based on these two works and also draws from their source material: the Upaniṣads,Purāṇas, Mahābhārata, Bhagavad Gītā, and Vedānta-sūtra.

One may say that there are already books available which explain the nature of the jīva. Besides basic śāstra, such as the Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, and Bhagavad Gītā, where we find knowledge of the jīva, there are also specific books already available dealing with this topic. All Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas explain the nature of the jīva—either in their commentarial or independent works. So why write another book? To this query it can said that knowledge about the jīva can indeed be found in various places, but this book presents this knowledge in a comprehensive yet concise manner with reference to śāstra and the works of the principal ācāryas of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava school. Besides explaining the characteristics of the jīva in detail, it also addresses various misconceptions about the nature of the jīva and explains the proper understanding of the jīva as per the core tenets of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism.

This book has been inspired by frequent queries about the nature of the jīva that I have received over the course of many years in lectures, private meetings, and written communication. After addressing these questions time and again for interested individuals, I thought to compile a book on the subject so that the answers to frequently asked questions will be readily available to those inspired to engage in tattva-jiñāsā as Bhāgavata Purāṇa recommends. A compilation of this nature also offers readers the opportunity to benefit from the sincere inquiry of others in addition to their own. By presenting here a clear overview of the nature of the jīva, explaining the important terminology used to describe it, and then discussing many of the subjects that I am frequently asked about, I believe readers will find that their queries and doubts are removed and that they reach a clear understanding of this topic. In this way, I see this book on jīva-tattva as a solid foundation for all types of sādhakas on any spiritual path—be it karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, aṣṭānga-yoga, or bhakti-yoga—because comprehending the reality of the self (“jīva-tattva”) is a fundamental necessity forevery spiritual practitioner.

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I include the table of contents below in order to give the reader an idea of the book’s topics. I wish I had access to such a book when I started out in this field – it would have saved me enormous time, missteps, and wasted effort!

Jīva Tattva

The Nature of the Living Entity

As Per the Gauḍīya School of Thought

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction…..

Chapter 1: Characteristics of the Jīva…………………………………

The Conditioning of the Jīva…………………………………………

Different States of Conditioning of Jīvas………………………

The Lakṣaṇa of the Jīva………………………………………………

Taṭastha-lakṣaṇa—The Extrinsic Characteristics of the Jīva………………………………………………………………………………..

Svarūpa-lakṣaṇa—Intrinsic Characteristics of the Jīva……

The Nine Essential Intrinsic Characteristics in Detail……..

Chapter 2: Concepts of the Jīva in Various Non-Vaiṣṇava Schools…………………………………………………………………………………

1. The Cārvāka school………………………………………………..

2. Buddhism………………………………………………………………

3. Jainism………………………………………………………………….

4. Nyāya / Vaiśeṣika…………………………………………………..

5. Mīmāṁsā………………………………………………………………

6. Yoga and Sāṅkhya………………………………………………….

7. Advaita Vedānta…………………………………………………….

Chapter 3: The Characteristics of the Jīva in Other Vaiṣṇava Schools…………………………………………………………………………………

1. Rāmānuja (Viśiṣṭa Advaita, “Qualified Non-Dualism”)

2. Madhva (Śuddha Dvaita, “Pure Dualism”)………………..

3. Nimbārka (Svabhāvika Bhedābheda, “Natural Distinctions within Nonduality”)…………………………………

4. Vallabha (Śuddha Advaita, “Pure Nondualism”)………..

Chapter 4: Two Types of Jīvas……………………………………………

Chapter 5: How Śāstra Can be Misunderstood……………………

Chapter 6: No One Falls from Vaikuṇṭha……………………………

Chapter 7: Are Bliss and Knowledge Inherent?…………………..

The Meaning of the Word “Jñāna”………………………………

Scriptural References…………………………………………………

Chapter 8: Is Bhakti or Love Dormant in the Jīva?……………..

Chapter 9: Is the Svarūpa Inherent?…………………………………..

Evidence from Śāstra…………………………………………………………

Chapter 10: Questions & Answers…………………………………….

Epilogue…………………………………………………………………………..

Contributors…………………………………………………………………….