March 24, 2026
The Higher Nature, the Lower Nature and the Role of the Jivatman
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 1 Meaning and Nature of the Psychic Being, pp. 14-15
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/03/22/the-higher-nature-the-lower-nature-and-the-role-of-the-jivatman/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
#Sri Aurobindo #Dr. Dalal #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #psychic being #soul #jivatman #Para Prakriti #Apara Prakriti
1
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,480
The Bhagwad Gita describes the
lower nature and the higher
2
00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,840
nature.
The lower nature is the external
3
00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:13,840
manifestation of forms, matter,
life, energy, mind that together
4
00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:18,080
constitute the creation and all
the multiplicity of formations
5
00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,400
that together represent the
external world.
6
00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,000
This can be seen as a type of
machinery.
7
00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:30,000
It operates mechanically, so to
speak, but does not show any
8
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:35,200
apparent purpose or significance
in its action beyond the fact of
9
00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:41,000
that action.
In Chapter 7, verses 4 to 5, the
10
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:46,520
Gita declares quote the five
elements conditions of material
11
00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,480
being mined with its various
senses and organs.
12
00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:55,400
Reason, Ego.
This is my eightfold divided
13
00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:59,320
nature.
This the lower, but know my
14
00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,200
other nature different from
this, the Supreme, which becomes
15
00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,600
the jiva and by which this world
is upheld.
16
00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,520
End Quote translation by Sri
Aurobindo.
17
00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:15,760
Bhagwad Gita and its message Sri
Aurobindo explains quote.
18
00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:22,880
The Supreme Nature, Para
Prakritihi, is then the infinite
19
00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:27,840
timeless conscious power of the
Self existent Being, out of
20
00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:33,040
which all existences in the
cosmos are manifested and come
21
00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:37,720
out of timelessness into time.
But in order to provide a
22
00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:41,200
spiritual basis for this
manifold universal becoming in
23
00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:46,080
the cosmos, the Supreme Nature
formulates itself as the Jiva.
24
00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:50,760
The eternal multiple soul of the
Purushotama appears as
25
00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:55,440
individual spiritual experience
in all the forms of the cosmos.
26
00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:00,600
All existences are instinct with
the life of the one indivisible
27
00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,560
spirit.
All are supported in their
28
00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:09,400
personality, actions, and forms
by the eternal multiplicity of
29
00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:14,160
the one Purusha.
End Quote page 117.
30
00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,000
The higher nature is that of the
constituting intelligence that
31
00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,760
provides direction and purpose
to the machinery.
32
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,680
The Gita states in chapter 15,
verse 7 quote.
33
00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,880
It is an eternal portion of me
that becomes the Jiva in the
34
00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:35,040
world of living creatures and
cultivates the subjective powers
35
00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,560
of Prakriti, mind and the five
senses.
36
00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:43,720
End Quote.
Sri Orobindo explains quote for
37
00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,760
it means that each soul, each
being in its spiritual reality
38
00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:51,640
is the very Divine, however
partial it's actual
39
00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:57,200
manifestation of Him in nature.
End Quote page 225.
40
00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,440
The Jiva is therefore divine and
partakes of the spiritual
41
00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:07,240
essence of the Divine.
Para Prakriti is the supreme
42
00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:11,520
nature that manifests the entire
universal creation.
43
00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:17,720
While a Para Prakriti is the
lower nature, the Jiva inserts
44
00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:22,080
itself into the individual forms
of the lower nature as the soul,
45
00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:27,200
which maintains the character of
the eternal even while it is
46
00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:32,920
developing, guiding and
uplifting the lower nature as it
47
00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:35,200
moves through its evolutionary
cycle.
48
00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:41,440
Srioro Bindo notes quote.
This spirit is the Atman
49
00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,800
Brahman, essential Divine.
When the one Divine manifests
50
00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:51,080
its ever inherent multiplicity,
this essential Self, where Atman
51
00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,800
becomes for that manifestation
the Central Being who presides
52
00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,760
from above over the evolution of
its personalities and
53
00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,640
terrestrial lives here, but is
itself an eternal portion of the
54
00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:08,160
Divine.
And prior to the terrestrial
55
00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:14,800
manifestation, Para Prakritir
Jiva Bhuta, in this lower
56
00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:19,839
manifestation, A Para Prakriti,
this eternal portion of the
57
00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:24,400
Divine appears as the soul, the
spark of the Divine fire,
58
00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,920
supporting the individual
evolution, supporting the
59
00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,520
mental, vital and physical
being.
60
00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:37,480
The psychic being is the spark
growing into a fire, evolving
61
00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,400
with the growth of the
consciousness.
62
00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:44,280
The psychic being is therefore
evolutionary, not like the
63
00:04:44,280 --> 00:04:46,480
Jeevatman prior to the
evolution.
64
00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,720
But man is not aware of the Self
or Jeevatman.
65
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,680
He is aware only of his ego, or
he is aware of the mental being
66
00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:00,920
which controls the life and the
body, but more deeply he becomes
67
00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:05,520
aware of his soul or psychic
being as his true center, the
68
00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:10,000
Purusha in the heart.
The psychic is the central being
69
00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:14,080
in the evolution.
It proceeds from and represents
70
00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,760
the Jivatman, the eternal
portion of the divine.
71
00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,480
When there is the full
consciousness, the Jivatman and
72
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:29,680
the psychic being join together.
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindu
73
00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,040
and the Mother.
The psychic being soul, its
74
00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,720
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 1.
75
00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:41,640
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being, pages 14 to 15.
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,480
The Bhagwad Gita describes the
lower nature and the higher
2
00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,840
nature.
The lower nature is the external
3
00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:13,840
manifestation of forms, matter,
life, energy, mind that together
4
00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:18,080
constitute the creation and all
the multiplicity of formations
5
00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,400
that together represent the
external world.
6
00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,000
This can be seen as a type of
machinery.
7
00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:30,000
It operates mechanically, so to
speak, but does not show any
8
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:35,200
apparent purpose or significance
in its action beyond the fact of
9
00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:41,000
that action.
In Chapter 7, verses 4 to 5, the
10
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:46,520
Gita declares quote the five
elements conditions of material
11
00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,480
being mined with its various
senses and organs.
12
00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:55,400
Reason, Ego.
This is my eightfold divided
13
00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:59,320
nature.
This the lower, but know my
14
00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,200
other nature different from
this, the Supreme, which becomes
15
00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,600
the jiva and by which this world
is upheld.
16
00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,520
End Quote translation by Sri
Aurobindo.
17
00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:15,760
Bhagwad Gita and its message Sri
Aurobindo explains quote.
18
00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:22,880
The Supreme Nature, Para
Prakritihi, is then the infinite
19
00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:27,840
timeless conscious power of the
Self existent Being, out of
20
00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:33,040
which all existences in the
cosmos are manifested and come
21
00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:37,720
out of timelessness into time.
But in order to provide a
22
00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:41,200
spiritual basis for this
manifold universal becoming in
23
00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:46,080
the cosmos, the Supreme Nature
formulates itself as the Jiva.
24
00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:50,760
The eternal multiple soul of the
Purushotama appears as
25
00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:55,440
individual spiritual experience
in all the forms of the cosmos.
26
00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:00,600
All existences are instinct with
the life of the one indivisible
27
00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,560
spirit.
All are supported in their
28
00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:09,400
personality, actions, and forms
by the eternal multiplicity of
29
00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:14,160
the one Purusha.
End Quote page 117.
30
00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,000
The higher nature is that of the
constituting intelligence that
31
00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,760
provides direction and purpose
to the machinery.
32
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,680
The Gita states in chapter 15,
verse 7 quote.
33
00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,880
It is an eternal portion of me
that becomes the Jiva in the
34
00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:35,040
world of living creatures and
cultivates the subjective powers
35
00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,560
of Prakriti, mind and the five
senses.
36
00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:43,720
End Quote.
Sri Orobindo explains quote for
37
00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,760
it means that each soul, each
being in its spiritual reality
38
00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:51,640
is the very Divine, however
partial it's actual
39
00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:57,200
manifestation of Him in nature.
End Quote page 225.
40
00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,440
The Jiva is therefore divine and
partakes of the spiritual
41
00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:07,240
essence of the Divine.
Para Prakriti is the supreme
42
00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:11,520
nature that manifests the entire
universal creation.
43
00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:17,720
While a Para Prakriti is the
lower nature, the Jiva inserts
44
00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:22,080
itself into the individual forms
of the lower nature as the soul,
45
00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:27,200
which maintains the character of
the eternal even while it is
46
00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:32,920
developing, guiding and
uplifting the lower nature as it
47
00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:35,200
moves through its evolutionary
cycle.
48
00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:41,440
Srioro Bindo notes quote.
This spirit is the Atman
49
00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,800
Brahman, essential Divine.
When the one Divine manifests
50
00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:51,080
its ever inherent multiplicity,
this essential Self, where Atman
51
00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,800
becomes for that manifestation
the Central Being who presides
52
00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,760
from above over the evolution of
its personalities and
53
00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,640
terrestrial lives here, but is
itself an eternal portion of the
54
00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:08,160
Divine.
And prior to the terrestrial
55
00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:14,800
manifestation, Para Prakritir
Jiva Bhuta, in this lower
56
00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:19,839
manifestation, A Para Prakriti,
this eternal portion of the
57
00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:24,400
Divine appears as the soul, the
spark of the Divine fire,
58
00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,920
supporting the individual
evolution, supporting the
59
00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,520
mental, vital and physical
being.
60
00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:37,480
The psychic being is the spark
growing into a fire, evolving
61
00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,400
with the growth of the
consciousness.
62
00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:44,280
The psychic being is therefore
evolutionary, not like the
63
00:04:44,280 --> 00:04:46,480
Jeevatman prior to the
evolution.
64
00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,720
But man is not aware of the Self
or Jeevatman.
65
00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,680
He is aware only of his ego, or
he is aware of the mental being
66
00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:00,920
which controls the life and the
body, but more deeply he becomes
67
00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:05,520
aware of his soul or psychic
being as his true center, the
68
00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:10,000
Purusha in the heart.
The psychic is the central being
69
00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:14,080
in the evolution.
It proceeds from and represents
70
00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,760
the Jivatman, the eternal
portion of the divine.
71
00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,480
When there is the full
consciousness, the Jivatman and
72
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:29,680
the psychic being join together.
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindu
73
00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,040
and the Mother.
The psychic being soul, its
74
00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,720
nature, mission and evolution.
Section 1.
75
00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:41,640
Meaning and Nature of the
Psychic Being, pages 14 to 15.