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Iṣṭopadeśa - The Golden Discourse
bondage. Karmic bondage leads the soul into any of the four states of worldly existence (caturgati). Life as an infernal being, as plant or animal, as a human being, and as a celestial being, are the four states of existence. The class of karmas that determines the physique is the name karma (nămakarma) and the subclass is the state of existence (gati-namakarma).
The change of the state of existence does not presuppose the loss of the identity of the soul. The very same soul survives after each change, maintaining its self-identity. Entering into a state of existence, the soul builds up its own appropriate body. As every embodied being is endowed with one or more senses, the environment becomes an object of perception. From perception emanates attachment or aversion towards the object of perception and thus the cycle of karmic bondage, to state of existence, to body, to senses, to perception, to attachment and aversion, and to karmic bondage, continues ad infinitum. It is a beginningless cycle which ends only in the case of the souls that have the potential to attain liberation (bhavya jivas), in due course of time.
The bhavya jiva, through his own effort, destroys the dirt of karmic matter that clings to his soul, attaining thereby its pure, effulgent state characterized by omniscience and other divine attributes.
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