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The soul's connection is eternal from the perspective of flow. However, it is important to understand that karma, like clay, is eternal and unchanging. Just as fire can melt clay and purify gold, so too can auspicious rituals break the eternal bond of karma and purify the soul.
The process of karma-binding with the soul is of four types: 1) **Praकृतिबन्ध** (Nature-binding), 2) **स्थितिबन्ध** (State-binding), 3) **अनुभागबन्ध** (Section-binding), and 4) **प्रदेशबन्ध** (Region-binding).
At the time of reception, karma particles are uniform. However, during the time of burning, they develop different natures to obstruct the soul's knowledge, perception, etc. This is called **Praकृतिबन्ध**. The determination of their time limit is **स्थितिबन्ध**. The presence of three flavors (intense, moderate, and mild) in karma-binding, according to the intensity and mildness of the soul's transformations, is called **अनुभागबन्ध**. And the unification of karma particles with the soul's regions or the determination of the number of karma regions is called **प्रदेशबन्ध**.
The first karma text beautifully explains these four types of karma-binding using the example of a sweetmeat (**मोदक**). Just as a sweetmeat is either bile-reducing or phlegm-reducing, depending on its nature, the duration of its nature is its state. Its sweetness or bitterness depends on its flavor, and its weight depends on its atoms. Thus, this metaphor of the sweetmeat clearly indicates the process of karma-binding.
Of the above four types of binding, **Praकृतिबन्ध**, **योग शक्ति**, and **प्रदेशबन्ध** are caused by the soul, while **स्थितिबन्ध** and **अनुभागबन्ध** are caused by the **काषायिक परिणाम** (results of passions). Karma-binding is of two types: