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totally disillusioned of the worldly aspects. All sorts of defiling instincts come to the end, and he reaches the stage known as Kshinmoh, meaning the state devoid of all delusions. The remaining subtle forms of obscuring and obstructing Karmas are overcome at the end of that stage, and the person reaches the state of total detachment and omniscience. That has been termed as Vitarägpad.
Keval Nij Swabhävanun, Akhand Varte Jnän; Kahie Kevaljnän Te, Deh Chhatän Nirvän.
When there prevails uninterrupted awareness of one's nature exclusively, that is termed as omniscience, which is liberation despite embodiment. (113)
Explanation & Discussion:
The state of total detachment specified in the last stanza enables the person to stay aware of his true nature. When such awareness becomes exclusive and remains uninterrupted, that is termed as Kevaljnän or omniscience. Thus total detachment is the precursor of omniscience. Here the question may arise, 'The Jain tradition conceives of Kevaljnän as a totally blissful state with the capability to know infinitely, to perceive infinitely and to illuminate everything in the universe, past, present and future. As such, would the concept mentioned here not be at variance with the traditional concept?'
The pure soul is inherently imbibed with infinite knowledge, infinite perception, and infinite bliss. But those properties are implicit in remaining aware of the true nature. The question therefore remains of illumination. For that purpose let us first understand how the illumining capability functions. Its functioning is comparable to that of a mirror. As a mirror presents the image of everything that is lying in front of it, within omniscience shines out the knowledge of everything in the universe. As the mirror does not take cognizance of the image that it presents, the omniscient Lords also merely stay aware of the Self and remain indifferent to everything that reflects in their omniscience. Thus the attribute of knowing everything in the universe relates to the capability, not to the actual use thereof. The emphasis on the capability is laid in order to point out to the laymen the magnificence of omniscience. The true magnificence, however, lies in the purity of the soul itself.
ich mein every level.
It is pertinent here to quote Achäräng Sutra (1-3-4-122). It states: "Egam Jänai Se Savvam Jänai", which means: he, who knows One (Soul), knows all. When a person knows the soul in every respect, it means that his knowing capability has attained the perfect level. Nothing remains beyond the purview of that capability. It is analogous to switching on a light in order to find something lying in the dark. Suppose that we switch on
