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THE GREAT DEPARTURE
Shri Ram's insanity ended. Lakshman's dead body was cremated. All regained their peace of mind. The days of anguish and agitation ended. Vibhishan and other kings were relieved of their agitation and all regained their mental serenity. But
ari Ram's mental state had assumed an unexpected form. A tremendous transformation had taken place in him. Of course, his attachment and insanity had ended. His attachment for the samsar also ended. He realised that the samsar was meaningless and futile and in consequence, he turned his eyes inwards. His mental eyes opened. He began to contemplate on his soul with concentration. His soul seemed to say "O man ! Deliver me from the bondage of Karmas. Make me pure and perfect”.
As long as the bondage of Karmas is unbroken, man remains entangled in the confounding tangles of ignorance, infatuation worldly joys and sorrows. Karma is not an imaginary thing. It is a pudgal (an inert atom). The karma paramanu as long as it is a part of the soul causes various mental and physical activities and propensities. These Karmas are eight in number, namely :
(1) Jnanavaran (2) Darshanavaran (3) Mohaniya (4) Antaraya (5) Nam (6) Gotra (7) Ayushya (8) Vedaniya.
It is these Karmas that bring about anger, pride, deception, ayarice and other sinful propensities in the jivas. They bring about false values in the minds of people. They make jivas weep or laugh. They can make jivas experience pleasure or pain. They create in jivas fear and disgust. They also create
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