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## The Importance of Purity of Mind and the Description of Leshyas
**Yoga Shastra, Fourth Light, Verse 44**
The term "Leshya" is used in relation to the soul because of the influence of the Leshya-dravya (Leshya-substance). Due to the accumulation of black-colored, inauspicious pudgals (particles), the soul's results are the most impure. Therefore, that soul is considered to be a possessor of Krishna-leshya. Due to the proximity of blue-colored substances, the soul's results are more impure, hence that soul is considered to be a possessor of Neel-leshya. Due to the presence of Kapotavर्ण (pigeon-colored) substances, the soul's results are impure, therefore that soul is called Kapotavर्ण-leshya. Due to the presence of yellow-colored substances, the soul's results are pure accordingly, hence the soul is called Tejo-leshya. Due to the proximity of Padma-colored substances, the soul's results are purer accordingly, therefore that soul is considered to be possessed by Padma-leshya. And due to the proximity of white-colored substances, the soul's results are the purest (completely pure), therefore that soul is possessed by Shukla-leshya.
Krishna, Neel, etc., all the dravya-karma-prakritis (substance-action-natures) have their essence (extract) as the Bhava-leshya (emotional Leshya) that arises from their respective attributes. This is the cause of the state of karma-bandha (bondage of karma). In the 38th verse of the Prashmarati-prakaran (chapter on pacification and joy), it is said: "There are six Leshyas named Krishna, Neel, Kapotavर्ण, Tejas, Padma, and Shukla; they solidify the state of karma-bandha in the same way that a stable and permanent color is created in painting."
In this way, the aforementioned six Leshyas are called the most impure, more impure, impure, pure, purer, and purest, due to their being the results of the soul. To explain the nature of Leshyas, the example of the Jamun tree and the village-destroyer is given in detail.
Therefore, the meaning of the verses from the Agamas (scriptural texts) that explain this topic are presented here:
In a forest, six men saw a Jamun tree. It was laden with ripe fruits, and its branches were bent down with the weight. Seeing the tree in this state, everyone expressed their desire to eat the Jamuns and said, "How shall we eat the Jamuns?" One of them said, "It is very difficult to climb this tree, it is dangerous for life. Therefore, let it be cut down from the root, so that we can eat the Jamuns without worry." Another said, "Oh! What is the use of cutting down such a big tree? We only want to eat the fruits, so let us just cut down the big branches of this tree and drop them down, and then eat them." The third said, "Our work will be done by just cutting down the small branches, what is the point of cutting down the big branches?" The fourth said, "Oh! Our work will be done by just breaking off the bunches of fruits." The fifth said, "We should only break off the ripe fruits that are fit to eat." Finally, the sixth said, "Why do we need to break off the fruits from the tree? There are as many fruits lying under the tree as we want to eat, let us just pick them up and eat them."
Explaining this example, it is said: The one who said to cut down the tree from the root is possessed by Krishna-leshya; the one who said to cut down the big branches is possessed by Neel-leshya; the one who said to cut down the small branches is possessed by Kapotavर्ण-leshya; the one who said to break off the bunches of fruits is possessed by Tejo-leshya; the one who said to break off only the ripe fruits is possessed by Padma-leshya; and the one who said to pick up the fruits that had fallen from the tree on their own is possessed by Shukla-leshya.
This is explained by another example: Once, six robbers went to loot a village. One of the robbers said, "Kill all the creatures in the village, whether they have two legs or four legs." The second said, "Why kill the four-legged animals, only the two-legged humans should be killed." The third said, "Oh! Why kill the women? Only the men should be killed." The fourth said, "Instead of killing all the men, only those who have weapons should be killed." The fifth said, "Oh! We should only kill those who come forward to fight us." Then the sixth robber said, "Leave the killing, we should only take the wealth."
The conclusion is this: The one who said to kill everyone was possessed by the results of Krishna-leshya; the one who said to kill humans was possessed by Neel-leshya; the one who said to kill only men was possessed by Kapotavर्ण-leshya; the one who said to kill only those with weapons was possessed by Tejo-leshya; the one who said to kill those who come forward to fight was possessed by Padma-leshya; and the one who said to only take the wealth was possessed by the results of Shukla-leshya.