jivatman

Jivatman is a Sanskrit term that literally means “living soul” and is used in Indian philosophical texts to denote the individual, embodied self that experiences existence through a physical body and mind. Unlike the concept of atman, which refers to the universal, unchanging essence that is identical with Brahman in the Advaita tradition, jivatman is seen as a limited, conditioned entity subject to ignorance, desire, pain, and the cycle of birth and death (samsara).

In classical Advaita Vedanta, the jivatman is positioned as the source of apparent duality; it is said to be trapped in the illusion of separateness, unaware that its true nature is identical with atman. Liberation (moksha) is achieved when a person realizes the non-dual identity of jivatman with the supreme self and ceases to identify with the conditioned body and mind. Therefore, the jivatman functions pedagogically as a point of focus in meditative and yogic practices aimed at dissolving ego and attaining spiritual liberation.

Other scriptural traditions, such as the Dvaita and Vishishtadvaita schools, view jivatman as inherently distinct from Brahman yet connected through grace or devotion. In those frameworks, liberation involves the soul’s liberation from material bonds while retaining its distinct individuality. Thus, jivatman serves both as a marker of human experience and as a crucial element in debates about the nature of self, consciousness, and ultimate reality within Indian philosophy.