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THE JOURNEY OF THE SUOL
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for less than a muhūrta, about forty-eight minutes. The soul feels during this mental state a kind of uneasiness with the worldly existence. It becomes aware that this empirical life, the life in this world, is meaningless. It also sees the possibility of emancipation from this empirical existence. If the impulse which creates such dissatisfaction with the worldly existence and a restless desire to struggle for emancipation, is strong, then the soul cuts the cluster of karmic matter called the granthi. The soul is then successful in some measure in its struggle to free itself from the bondage of worldly existence. It is set on its way to liberation. The struggle consists in the twofold process known as apūrvakaraṇa and anivettikurana. Labdhisāra describes the different stages of the progress of the soul on the way to self-realization by means of these two processes. The process of attainment of self-realization takes four forms: (1) a certain measure of subsidence and destruction of karmic matter; (2) purification of the soul as a result of such process; (3) the possibility of getting instruction from the sages; and (4) reduction of the duration of all types of karmas except in the āyu karma.8 However, such a process of purification and the efforts for self-realization are not possible for all souls. Some souls are not capable of such spiritual efforts to the extent of reaching the highest perfection. They are called abhavya jīvas. It is only for the souls which are embodied, possessing five sense organs and mind and fully developed, that efforts towards self-realization are possible. They are called bhavya jīvas. In such cases the soul gets an indistinct awareness of the sufferings of the world and a vision of the way to liberation through the impulse of yathāpravrttakarana. But such an awareness is not alone sufficient for the upward journey of the soul. A more powerful expression of the energy would be required for the purpose of a fuller and more successful struggle for self-realization. The soul that lacks energy fails to fulfil its mission and withdraws from the struggle. The energy of yathāpravrttakarana which leads the soul in the direction of self-realization manifests itself in two processes, apūrva karana and anivetti karaņa. The karana is the spiritual impulse that leads the soul to fulfil its mission and to realize the goal. Karmaprakrti gives a detailed description of the two processes that operate in the efforts to realize the self. Thus, the inherent impulse of yathāpravsttakarana leads to the vision of the goal and makes efforts possible. In its efforts to self-realization, the soul finds that it has to face innumerable difficulties in the form of karma granthi. These hinder the efforts for enlightenment. The processes of apūrvakaraña enable the soul to clear the obstacles in the form of karma granthi, while anivettikarana leads it to the verge of the dawn of enlightenment. The enlightenment comes like a flash through the subsidence and destruction of the mithyātvamohanīya karma. This is
8 Labdhisāra, 3-7.
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