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THE SIDDHANTA.
cause the soul in its natural purity is a God, and cannot be kept locked up anywhere ; and the latter directly supports our case, and points to Nigoda as the storehouse of unevolved jivas. It is thus clear that no beginning can be ascribed to the bondage, i.e., the condition of negativity of souls. The effect of negativity is that souls become liable to be influenced by matter, from which they constantly try to extract joy according to their capacities. This leads to the fusion of spirit with subtle particles of matter, resulting in the bondage of the soul. For just as gaseous matter is robbed of its gaseous nature in consequence of becoming converted into water, so does the soul feel helpless in the clutches of matter.
The Arya-Samajist's conception of moksha as an impermanent state, it must be now evident, is unentertainable philosophically ; for there is no force capable of overpowering the Redeemed Jiva in nirvana and of dragging Him down from that High and Holy Seat. As for desire, the Omniscient Siddhâtmans not only know it to be the arch-enemy of souls, but can also have no longing for its objects, being placed too high above the temptations of 'flesh' by the conscious enjoyment of the state of ecstatic bliss which is the natural property of Their pure and purified Souls. Thus, there is no possibility of a 'fall' in Their case. The important thing to note in this connection is the principle or law that the bondage of karmas is really the bondage of desires, so that where there is no desire on the part of the soul itself there can be no bondage for it. In different language, no one can force a soul into bondage, just
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