कैवल्यम्- Kaivalya

 

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Blog author Jayaraman Mahadevan

कैवल्यम् - Kaivalya

Etymology

kaivalyam = kevala+ṣyañ

 

The word kaivalya is formed by addition of the  (tadhita) suffix  ṣyañ to the word Kevala that means  the one who is alone.

The suffix ṣyañ is added to indicate Bhāva (action/state) (aṣṭādhyāyī 5.1.124).

This would mean that based on etymology - the word Kaivalya refers to the state/act of being alone (kevalasya bhāvaḥ kaivalyam).

 

Lexicon

In the lexicon amarakośa we find the following reference on the term Kaivalya - 

muktiḥ kaivalya-nirvāṇa-śreyo-niḥśreyasāmṛtam (1.5.6)

mukti, Kaivalya, nirvāṇa, śreyas, niḥśreyas, amṛtam are synonyms that indicate liberation

 

Textual occurrences

Yogasūtra

The term Kaivalya occurs in five instances in this text. Each of them is unique as they contribute specific ideas. Hence the sutras are given with general translation.  

1.     tadabhāvātsaṁyogābhāvo hānaṁ taddṛśeḥ kaivalyam ॥ 2.25 ॥

By the absence of avidyā, the conjunction of draṣṭā (consciousness) dṛśya (matter) ceases and this is the state of Kaivalya (liberation).

2.     tadvairāgyādapi doṣabījakṣaye kaivalyam ॥ 3.50 ॥

Being dispassionate about (the powers of omnipotence and omnipresence) leads to the depletion of all errors (caused by affliction) and that leads to Kaivalya (liberation).

3.     sattvapuruṣayoḥ śuddhisāmye kaivalyamiti ॥ 3.55 ॥

When the intellect and the consciousness are equal in purity, Kaivalya (liberation) is attained 

4.     tadā vivekanimnaṁ kaivalyaprāgbhāraṁ cittam ॥ 4.26 ॥

Then (when even the desire/inquisitiveness to know about one’s own state cease – due to clarity about one’s own conscious nature) the mind is inclined towards discriminate discernment and it tilts heavily towards Kaivalya (liberation).

5.     puruṣārthaśūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpapratiṣṭhā vā citiśaktiriti ॥ 4.34॥

Kaivalya (liberation) is moving towards the latent state of the guṇas, which are devoid of any purpose of consciousness, or it is the consciousness established in its own nature.

Bhagavadgītā - The term Kaivalya does not occur in this text.

Haṭhayogapradīpikā

The word Kaivalya appears in one verse in this text. It is as follows -

jñeyavastuparityāgāt vilayaṁ yāti mānasam ।
manaso vilaye jāte kaivalyamavaśiṣyate ॥ 4.62 ॥

By renouncing the object of knowing (things outside) the mind dissolves. When the mind dissolves Kaivalya (liberation) remains.

Observation 

From the numerous from the text it can be seen that the term Kaivalya is a predominantly Yogasūtra terminology.Though the word Kaivalya appears in some Vedāntic treatises also, the Yogic connotations of the term can be noted from the above references and may not be the same as that of the Vedāntic Kaivalya.

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