Dhatu meaning what

Dhatu (धातु) in Jainism means a basic substance or dravya—the fundamental building blocks of reality. In Jain metaphysics, everything is categorized into these substances (dhatus), among which the most commonly cited are:

• Jiva (the souls)
• Pudgala (matter)

Other lists exist in different texts, but the core idea is that dhatu denotes a distinct, real substance that forms part of the cosmos.

If you’d like, I can explain how different Jain traditions describe specific dhatus or provide short verses that mention dhatus in the kund of Jain scriptures.