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JAIN JOURNAL
Of the above mentioned eight chief types of KARMAS tho four yiz., Jñānāvaraniya, Darbapävaraņiya, Mohaniya and Antaraya are the obstructive KARMA (ghati-karma), as they create hindrance to the power of knowledge and intuition, and take the self into wrong directions and obstruct its inherent energy. Some of them are completely obscuring (SARVAGHATIN) and others are partially obscuring ( DESAGHATIN). The other four namely, Vedoiya-Karma, NĀMAKARMA, GOTRA-KARMA and Āyus-KARMA are called AGHĀTIKARMA, as they do not obscure the essential nature of the self. The results or effects of GHATI-KARMA can only be destroyed with hard labour, whereas the results or effects of AGHĀTI-KARMA can be destroyed easily.
After the four GHATI-KARMAS are destroved one can attain the stage of KEVALIN, but cannot attain the stage of final disembodied liberation unless the four AGHATI-KARMAS are destroyed. It means that when all the KARMAS are destroyed the self is freed and becomes a SIDDHA18
The self does not lose all its essential characteristics even if it is infected by SARVAGHATI-KARMA. The analogy of the sun and cloud is useful here. As there is always some light, though the sun is covered with the dense veil of clouds, so the self retains some fragment of pure or right knowledge, though it is covered with the dirt of KARMA, 14
13 SARVĀRTHASIDDHI, X. 2 14 NANDISUTRA, 42
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