History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c94.316

v7.c94.316

The fourth *pāda* deals with *Kaivalya*. The yogin who has gone through the whole discipline up to samādhi and has become thoroughly aware of the distinction between Puruṣa and the guṇas (*sattva* and others), becomes free from the influence of the three guṇas, because they merge in *Pradhāna* after having served the purpose of the soul, that is Kaivalya (isolation) or it (Kaivalya) may be stated to be the principle of consciousness that abides by itself (and does not become connected with even *sattva-guṇa*).²³⁹¹ This has also been alluded to in Y. S. II. 25 that states that when *avidyā* (nescience) is removed by discrimination the self (who is the perceiver) does not come into contact with the guṇas, which state is Kaivalya.²³⁹² Kaivalya is put forword in IV. 34 from two points of view. When a puruṣa ceases to be affected in any way by the guṇas (that constitute prakṛti) because he has become entirely passionless, prakṛti becomes aloof (*kevala*) so far as that puruṣa is concerned. When puruṣa has thorough knowledge and ceases to be affected by guṇas he remains as bare consciousness (citiśakti) and remains aloof (*kevala*) and that is the 2nd point of view about *kaivalya*. In that state of kaivalya or mokṣa we cannot predicate any happiness or bliss about him but we can only say about him that he is in a state of bare consciousness (citiśakti). The Upaniṣads declare²³⁹³ that in such a state the liberated soul has neither joy nor sorrow, that happiness or its opposite does not touch such an one, since he has risen above identifying the body with himself. The ideal of Yoga is to be jīvan-mukta (i e. to reject Life and Personality, to die to this world though the body may persist for some time).