Jñatṛtva
By Swami Harshananda
Jñatṛtva literally means ‘the capacity to know’.
All the six systems of philosophy accept the jīva or the jīvātman as a fundamental aspect of creation and the created world. He has three capacities:
- Jñātṛtva - the capacity to know
- Kartṛtva - the capacity to perform actions
- Bhoktṛtva - the capacity to experience the results of these actions
Hence a jiva is termed as:
- Jñātṛ - the knower
- Kartṛ - doer
- Bhoktṛ - enjoyer or experiencer
These three capacities distinguish him from prakṛti or the insentient nature. Therefore they are termed as a sign of life and consciousness.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore