1.6. Atomic size of the individual self

Schools of Vedanta have traditionally advocated and defended one of three sizes for the individual soul. The jīva has its locus specifically in the heart. The psycho-physical body, as such is inert and insentient, but it appears conscious or sentient because jīva as the conscious-sentient damn by its attributive-consciousness pervades the whole body from top to bottom, and thus on account of the sentience of the jīva, the sentiency of the body is felt, and also it appears indistinct from the body. The jivātman is extremely subtle and finer, of atomic size, yes it is extremely subtle like an atom, and is of the nature of consciousness; bliss.

And so do the Śrutis say:

“The extremely subtle like an atom the self is, and ought to be known by thought. A hundredth part of the point of a hair is subdivided into a hundredfold, and one part of that later is the size of an ātman. It is as sharp and subtle pointed, as the point of an arrow. The seat of the jīva is our heart, the heart composed of fivefold material elements.”

The Upaniṣads are also following the same tradition. For example, the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad states:

“Know by thought this atomic ātman being immeasurably small in size, in which the vital breath enters fivefold.” (Mundaka-upaniṣad 3/1/9).

Bhadreśadāsa also consolidates this doctrine and argues:

eṣoṇurātmetyatmanoṇutvasya sākṣātśravaṇād ātmano vibhutvaṃ vā madhyamaparimāṇatvaṃ vadantaḥ śrutimatapratibhaṭā iti vijñāyate || (Mundaka-upaniṣad 3/1/9, p.290)

“As the Śruti clearly states the aṇuparimāṇa (like an atom) of the jīva, so those who insist that jīva is either vibhuparimāṇa (all-pervading) or madhyamparimāṇa (as the size of the particular body) are going right conflicting from the path of the Vedic Śrutis.”

The Śvetāśvetara Upaniṣad analogizes:

“It is as fine as the tip of a goad.” (Svetāśvatara-upaniṣad 5/8)

The exceedingly subtle self (ātman) inhabits in the heart of the our body (Praśna-upaniṣad 3/6, Brhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4/3/7, Vacanāmṛta Kāriyānī 12, Gadh. 2/34, Gadh. 3/4, Loyā. 15). Bhadreśadāsa also cites these facts from Brahmasūtras 2/3/22, where he argues that the all-pervasive atman term is stated in Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 3/14/2, 3 and Brhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4/4/25 refers to Parabrahman, not the individual soul. Therefore, we conclude by saying that the individual self (jīva or ātman) is of atomic size.