Kayotsarga- A Marvellous Way to Elevate Oneself

Abstract

Human being exists in two forms. The Bhoota Kaya is that which makes him physically
present and the Yash Kaya is that which gives him fame and recognition even after his
physical form ceases to exist. Every human being enjoys material pleasure and when he
progresses in age he realizes that a time has come when he has to abandon his material form
and seek for spirituality and nurture his inner thoughts. Each school of philosophy has its
own way of making a human being understand the way to reduce attachment and inculcate
detachment. With the progress in age a human being needs to progress in his thoughts. This
is the stage when he elevates himself to a different level and starts thinking with a deeper
sense of meaning attached to it.
Jainism has advocated Kayotsarga Marga or abandoning the physical body to attain
liberation after the completion of duty as a human being. The paper makes an attempt to
analyse briefing this practice as a means to attain liberation. Sources and references would
be drawn from edited and unedited books, journals, research papers pertaining to the topic.