Words in this world will always be limited — because they are material, made of matter. But their meanings and emotional impact are infinite — because they are spiritual, connected to the soul. That is the beauty of Gagar Ma Sagar. Though each episode is only 15 minutes long, its impact lingers — for 24 hours, 365 days, and for some, an entire lifetime.
Today’s episode is titled “Soul Realization – The Kayotsarga Sutra.”
This sutra is a powerful mantra for realizing the soul.
Most of our lives are wasted in non-productive and meaningless activities. The main reason for this is our constant engagement with personal likes and dislikes. Jain scriptures mention three great sins:
- Blind faith (Andhashraddha)
- Betrayal (Vishwasghaat)
- Attachments of likes and dislikes (Rati–Arati)
A major portion of our 24 hours is spent judging everything as:
“I like it”, “I don’t like it”, “I’m bored”, “This is fun” — and we lose our time in such trivial mental chatter.
But the Nirgranth monks (completely detached ascetics) never experience this. They are always in joy, in deep inner awareness — in soul realization.
🧘 What is Soul Realization?
When someone says, “Sit in meditation,” people often say, “I can’t see anything. I don’t feel anything.”
That confusion is what we’ll address today.
Even householders and Shravaks (lay Jain followers) can experience joy without attachment or aversion. Where do these powerful feelings come from?
How do they practice?
Despite being householders, they:
- Live every moment productively
- Grow virtues and accumulate merit
- Never waste time
- Stay alert and joyful
Even I didn’t initially aspire to become a monk.
But during five years of being a Shravak, I deeply experienced every moment of it.
That awareness gave me the stability to now live peacefully as a monk.
🕯️ The Role of Kayotsarga Sutra
One powerful mantra to maintain soul connection even in household life is the Kayotsarga Sutra from the Uttaradhyayana Sutra.
We waste our time on feelings like:
- “I like green, not pink”
- “I enjoy this smell, that one is awful”
- “This feels soft, that is rough”
These are all body-based experiences.
But Shravaks connect with spiritual values like:
- Non-violence
- Truth
- Chastity
- Forgiveness
- Simplicity
- Contentment
- Self-restraint
They experience constant inner joy, because they’ve realized the virtues of the soul.
If you want to stay aware and joyful every moment, the Kayotsarga Sutra is your path.
✨ Kayotsarga: Letting Go of the Body
“Kayotsarga” literally means abandoning the body, forgetting its features, and connecting with the qualities of the soul.
With this practice:
- Willpower grows
- Inner strength rises
- You can face any situation
Even great Jain prayers like:
- Namaskar Sutra (saluting all enlightened souls)
- Mangalik Sutra (removing obstacles)
- Iriyavahiya Sutra (establishing friendship with all living beings)
…all prepare you for this final step: soul realization.
🔍 The Three Parts of Tass Uttari Karanenam (Kayotsarga Sutra)
1. Purpose Sutra (Hetu Sutra)
Why am I doing Kayotsarga? What will I achieve?
Examples:
- To purify the soul (Paayachchhit Karanenam)
- To eliminate karmic defilement (Visohi Karanenam)
- To remove inner negativity (Visalli Karanenam)
- To destroy sinful karma (Paavaan Kammana Niggahayanatthae)
2. Distractions (Agara Sutra)
These are 13 natural body-based interruptions like:
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Deep breaths
- Eye movement
- Joint twitches, etc.
Despite these, your awareness must stay on the soul.
3. Vows (Sankalp Sutra)
You make a vow:
“I will stay in Kayotsarga until I mentally recite Namo Arihantanam.”
You stabilize:
- Body (Kayam Thaanenam)
- Speech (Mounenam)
- Mind (Jnanenam)
Each brings a benefit:
- Stability of body → strong character
- Silence of speech → clear vision
- Focused mind → deep knowledge
✅ Conclusion
The Kayotsarga Sutra is more than a ritual.
It is the gateway to soul realization.
It helps:
- Build inner strength
- Deepen virtues like knowledge, vision, and conduct
- Free your soul from distractions and attachments
If you want every moment to be joyful, powerful, and spiritually productive — begin the practice of Tass Uttari Karanenam.
You’ll find even more insights on this in the Samayik in Seven lecture series.