Quick Summary

• Karma is very sukshma particle of Karmana Vargana (कार्मण वर्गणा) that binds to our soul and veils or distorts our Soul's core properties.
• The process of karma particles attaching to our soul is called Karma Bandh.
• Karma gets closer to our soul because of Asrav.
• In a nutshell, when we do anything (through Yog), we attract certain number of karma particles of certain types. And the intensity of our intent ( Kashays and No-Kashays) defines how long and how strongly those karma particles will be attached to our soul.
• Bondage of different 1. Karma Types and Subtypes lead to different results when they mature.
• Karma Transformations can allow in tweaking some things to some degree based on different parameters.

Why do do yog and why do we have kashay and No-kashay?

• We have 10 Sangya - Instincts out of which we do things.
• Most of the times, those instincts are intensified by uday of Kashays and No-Kashays karma that we already have in our soul.
• Hence we act and have intensity of intent which leads to more karma bandh.

How does old karma lead to new Karma bandh?

Uday of different 1. Karma Types and Subtypes can trigger or intensify the urge for our Sangya - Instincts and we act on it.
There are four types of karma outcomes leading to more karma bandhan :

1. Paapanubandhi Paap

• When a bad karma - Paap (can be either Ghati or Aghati) comes to fruition and leads to more bandh of Paap.
• Like Fruition of Pain inducing karma can lead to frustration or Anger!

2. Paapanubandhi Punya

• When a Good karma - Punya (can only be one of the Aghati karma) comes to fruition and leads to bandh of Paap.
• Like fruition of positive karma like Good voice or Fame can lead to feelings of Pride.

3. Punyanubandhi Punya

• When a Good karma - Punya (can only be one of the Aghati karma) comes to fruition and leads to bandh of Punya.
• Like fruition of positive karma like Comfort inducing karma can allow one to be in Shudh bhaav and lead to Bandhan of karma leading to positive body features

4. Punyanubandhi Paap

• When a bad karma - Paap (can be either Ghati or Aghati) comes to fruition and leads to bandh of Punya.
• Like Fruition of Pain inducing karma if dealt with sambhaav, can lead to Nirjara and lead to bandh of Dev Ayu

The four major dimensions of karmic bondage are:

1. Pradesa bandh

Numerical strength of Bond - determined by the yog

Numerable, innumerable or infinite number of karma varganas, depending on the strength of action, may bond on each pradesa of karma body, and on each soul pradesa, (and so on each cell) uniformly.

2. Prakriti bandh

Nature of Karma bond - determined by the yog

At the broad level, karma is pudgala that binds with the soul and affects its manifestations, and ultimately prevents the soul from manifesting its liberated nature.

In terms of types of karma, Jainism makes a functional distinction:

Ghati = directly attacks the soul's spiritual qualities. like Gyaan, Darshan(It entails perception and understanding separately), Charitra and Virya
Aghati = determines the machinery and circumstances of worldly embodiment.

And there is an important consequence:

Aghāti karmas cannot by themselves prevent moksha once the Ghāti karmas have been destroyed.

A kevali still has the four Aghati karmas remaining. They determine things such as body, lifespan and residual experience, but they no longer prevent the manifestation of Keval Gyaan, Keval Darshan, etc. They exhaust at the end of the final life, and then the soul becomes Siddha.

3. Sthiti bandh

Duration of bond - determined by Kashay

The karma remains bound to the karma body for certain duration of time. This duration is determined by passions active in the soul and it consists of passive and active duration. In the passive period called abadhakala the karma exercises no effect on the soul. In the active or experience period the karma manifests itself and the soul experiences the prescribed effect of the karma.

4. Anubhaga bandh

Intensity of bond - determined by Kashay

The intensity of good or bad experience when the karma becomes active depends on the intensity of the bond which is pre decided at the time of bondage of karma. The intensity of bond is determined by the total amount and quality of passions present in the soul. The intensity of bond is the real power of karma. The other three properties shall be of marginal value if the intensity of bond is low for the intensity of experience by the soul shall be mild on rise of karma.
This means that the passions are the controlling forces in the experiences made by the soul.

1. Sthanak (स्थानक): Intensity of Karmic Fruit

Sthanak measures the potency or degree of impact (Rasa / Anubhaga) that a karma delivers when it matures (Udaya). It describes how strongly the soul will experience pleasure or pain.

Key Mechanics:

• Determining Factor: Driven entirely by the level of passions (Kashaya) present at the exact time of bondage.
• Scope: It defines the "volume" or "potency" of the karmic payload.

Classifications & Traditional Analogies:

2. Structural States of Bondage: Malleability of the Karma

This classification measures the persistence or editability (Karanas) of a karmic bond before it reaches fruition. It determines how easily a bound karma can be altered, shifted in timing, or neutralized through spiritual practices.

Classifications (from Least to Most Rigid):

• 1. Sprusta / Sithil (Loose):
  • Nature: Surface-level attachment to the soul.
  • Resolution: Easily dissolved or wiped away through basic reflection, regret, or mild introspection.
• 2. Baddha / Gadha (Tight):
  • Nature: Firmly anchored to the soul.
  • Resolution: Requires conscious corrective effort, such as sincere apology (Pratikramana), confession, or restraint.
• 3. Nidhatta (Tighter):
  • Nature: Heavily locked. It cannot be prematurely activated (Udirana) or transformed into another type (Sankramana).
  • Resolution: Can still be attenuated or softened (Apavartana) through intense austerity (Tapa) and high spiritual purity.
• 4. Nikachit (Tightest):
  • Nature: Completely sealed and unalterable. Its timing, type, and intensity cannot be modified by any spiritual effort.
  • Resolution: Must be experienced fully as-is upon fruition (Udaya).

Core Relationship Between the Two

• Sthanak = Intensity / Payload (How hard the karma hits).
• Bandha State = Malleability / Lock (How hard it is to change or erase before it hits).

A karma can exist in any combination of these two independent dimensions (e.g., a karma can be Eksthanak + Nikachit [weak, but locked], or Catursthanak + Sprusta [extremely strong, but easily erased]).

More details on the Bondage of karma

To study more about Bandh check this out 2. Karma Bandh, Uday, Udirna and Satta based on Gunsthan