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adopted when normal process of life is not possible to maintain day to day work properly due to old age, incurable disease and some other situations. Under these conditions it is taken for whole life and is known as Yavatakālika. The time-bound santhārā is taken in that situation from which there is no escape. When death is unavoidable, fall of religion is sure. Under these circumstances one may decide to give up his physical body to save religion and if these situations are not over and one does not die, then one continues his normal life for a certain period. This type of Santhārā is known as Sāgari Santhārā.
Karma as an obstruction
The concept of karma is the central theme of Indian religions and in Jainism it is defined in a very specific manner. Here it is not only accepted as an action, but also as a material form, and accounts its very cause which effects on all sorts of living beings. It is a sort of energy which obstructs to operate the infinite power, bliss etc. of a self. In Jainism karma is accounted as a material substance associated with soul and is defined from four points of view as follows3:
1. according to the manner of their effect (prakrti); 2. according to the duration of their effect (sthiti) 3. according to the intensity of their effect (rasa or anubhāva) 4. according to their quantity or number (pradeśa)
Karmas are the direct result of the mental, verbal and physical activities of the mundane soul. By nature it is of eight types4:
i. Jñānāvaraņa-k-knowledge obscuring; ii. darśanāvarana-k-cognition obscuring; iii. vedaniya-k-joy and grief feeling; iv. mohaniya-k-belief and conduct obstruction; v. āyus-k-determinants of life duration; vi. nama-k-determinants of various factors of individuality; vii. gotra-k-determinants of family surroundings; and
Bhattaparinnā (Painnasuttāim, Pt-I), Ed. Muni Punyavijay, Mahavir Jaina Vidyalaya, Bombay 1984, verse 10. Bhagavati-Ārādhanā, Ed. Kailash Candra Shastri, Jaina Samskrti Samraksaka Samgha, Sholapur 1978, verse 64. Samavão, Ed. Acarya Tulsi, Jain Vishva Bharati, Ladnun 1984, 4/5. Tattvärthasūtra, Comm. Pt. Sukhlal Sanghvi, P.V. Research Institute, Varanasi 1993 (reprint), 8/4. Karmagrantha, Pt-I, Comm. Muni Mishri Lal, Marudhar Kesari Sahitya
Prakashan Samiti, Jodhpur-Byavar 1980, 1/2. 4. Uttarādhyayanasūtra, Sadhvi Candana, 33/1-3.
Tattvārthasūtra, Sanghavi, 8/5.
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