Lore Of Jivavarta: Faiths of Jivavarta

Faiths of Jivavarta Mainland

Jivavarta, a land rich in spiritual tradition and philosophical evolution, is a realm where religious belief systems not only shape individual lives but also influence societal structures and norms. The three predominant belief systems that have shaped Jivavarta’s cultural and spiritual identity are Tapasi, Ajabuhi, and Secular Individualism.

In Jivavarta, gods and mythic figures exist only as cultural beliefs and symbolic narratives, not as real forces that influence events. Religions, traditions, and deities shape how people think, justify power, and form identities, but all outcomes are driven purely by human decisions, social systems, and political dynamics. This makes belief systems part of the world’s sociology and psychology, rather than sources of supernatural truth or intervention.

A comparative overview of the core philosophies and slogans defining the spiritual landscape of mainland Jivavarta.

1. Tapasi

Tapasi, with its ancient traditions and rigid moral codes, provides structure and continuity -- but it also perpetuates inequality and stagnation. Once the dominant faith, it has since fallen into decline. Its followers worship Sarvabhu in various forms.

“Virtue saves. Greed burns. And Sarvabhu sees all.”

2. Ajabuhi

Ajabuhi offers a liberating alternative to the rigid Tapasi faith. It encourages personal freedom and social progress. However, it also strives to preserve a sense of shared identity and spiritual purpose, and so its followers tend to be more radicalized. While a few Ajabuhi followers still worship Sarvabhu, others actively oppose the deity.

“Through weapon or fire, the rotten past shall expire.”

3. Secular Believers

This is actually not a faith, but a core philosophy based on personal authenticity. The secular believers are not attached to any specific belief system.

“May you always be true to yourself.”

(Some refer to this path as “The Timingila Way” as it was the path followed by Tasvak, the first Emperor of Jivavarta, and his mentor, Guru Sarvadni.)

Faiths of the Outlying Islands

There are several other faiths spread across the different islands in Jivavarta, though much is still unknown about them. The most prominent among these is the Jarodha faith.

The Jarodha Faith

This is the common faith of the people of the Jarodha island. They believe that they are the original inhabitants of the Jivavarta mainland, and the current settlers of the mainland are usurpers who snatched away their lands with the help of their false god Sarvabhu. As such, they revile Sarvabhu to the extreme and are sworn enemies of the mainland dwellers.

They further believe that various sentient beings exist in the world. Only a few of these beings can take physical form, while others remain invisible to the naked eye. When a person does an evil deed (such as a murder, betrayal, or worshipping Sarvabhu), these sentient beings possess that person and "come alive" -- and this is the only time they can be killed.

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Read a detailed analysis of The Faiths of Jivavarta: How Civilizations Seek Meaning Without Divine Intervention.

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Shon Mehta is an author and philosopher, creator of the Jivavarta Universe—a grounded sociopolitical world exploring human resilience, social dynamics, and moral philosophy through systems thinking. Her novels (The Timingila, Lair of the Monster), poems, aphorisms, parables, and stories are used in academic curricula internationally and featured by Oxford University Press. 

At the core of her work is the Jivavarta Framework, which includes tools such as the Jivavarta Systems Equation: Outcomes = Choice×Structure×Constraint, and the "Survive, Thrive, Strive" Jivavarta hierarchy. Together, her writing and framework form a literary and philosophical system recognized for its clarity, depth, and enduring relevance.