In Mokshmala, the 18th shikshapath (lesson) is on “Chaar Gati – Four States of Living Souls”. Shrimad Rajchandra explains how the soul keeps wandering in four types of births because of karma, and why understanding this is necessary for progressing towards moksha.

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1. What are the four gatis (states of birth)?

According to Jain Dharma, every worldly soul can take birth in only these four gatis:

1. Dev gati (Heavenly beings)
2. Manushya gati (Human beings)
3. Tiryanch gati (Animals, birds, insects, plants, etc.)
4. Narak gati (Hellish beings)

Shrimadji explains that a soul keeps revolving in these four, enjoying pleasure due to good karma and suffering due to bad karma, without end, until it turns towards true dharma and self-realisation.

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2. Main points of the 18th shikshapath

In simple form, the 18th lesson teaches:

1. The soul is eternal, bodies keep changing

- The same soul takes different bodies in different gatis. - Body, place, time, relations keep changing; the soul alone continues.

1. Pleasure and pain in every gati are results of karma

- Good karmas (punya) bring pleasant experiences. - Bad karmas (paap) bring suffering. - As long as karmas are there, the soul cannot be free.

1. No gati is truly safe or perfect

- Dev gati: Many pleasures, but full of attachment, pride, and finally a painful fall when merit finishes. No guarantee of progress to moksha. - Manushya gati: Mixture of sukha–dukha, but best for spiritual effort. Only here right faith, right knowledge and right conduct can be practised properly. - Tiryanch gati: Life full of fear, ignorance, slavery to instincts, very little chance for understanding dharma. - Narak gati: Intense and continuous suffering, hatred, anger, no opportunity to practise dharma until karmas of that life are over.

1. Human birth is extremely rare and most valuable

Shrimadji stresses that among the four, manushya gati is the real opportunity: - We can listen to true dharma. - We can reflect, discriminate (vivek), and change our life. - We can take vows, do samayik, pratikraman, and purify the inner self. If we waste human life in only money, fame, family, and sense pleasures, we fall again into lower gatis.

1. Ignorance keeps the cycle going

Because we do not fear wrong karma and do not value right karma: - We perform anger, deceit, greed, pride. - We hurt others, lie, cheat, indulge in sensuality. - These create new karmas and push the soul again into the endless circle of births in the four gatis.

1. Aim is not to get “better” gati, but to get out of gati

Many people wish for dev gati or rich human life. Shrimadji says the true aim is moksha, not just a more comfortable rebirth. - Even the highest Dev remains worldly and bound. - Only the Kevali Bhagwan, after destroying all karmas, goes beyond all four gatis.

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3. Spiritual message / “essence” of this lesson

In very simple words, the 18th shikshapath is telling us:

• “Look carefully at where the soul can go – heaven, hell, animal life, human life.”
• “See that all are temporary, all are under karma, none is permanent happiness.”
• “Understand how precious your present human birth is.”
• “Use it now for right faith (samyak darshan), right knowledge (samyak gnan) and right conduct (samyak charitra).”
• “Do not be careless; otherwise you will again wander helplessly in these four gatis.”

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4. How to apply this teaching in daily life

Based on this shikshapath, a seeker should:

1. Develop strong vairagya (detachment)

- Keep remembering: “Whatever pleasure I see now is only a result of past karma and will end soon.” - This reduces mad attachment to body, wealth, and relations.

1. Avoid paap that leads to lower gatis

- Stop violence (hiṁsā), lies, stealing, sexual misconduct, greed. - Avoid intense anger, ego, jealousy, and hatred.

1. Increase punya that supports spiritual progress

- Do bhakti of Arihant–Siddha–Sadhu–Dharma. - Serve others, donate for dharma, live honestly, practise forgiveness.

1. Use human birth for inner transformation

- Regular swadhyaya (study of Jain scriptures). - Samayik, pratikraman, and reflection on the nature of soul. - Seek satguru or true updesh that turns you within.

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In short: The 18th shikshapath of Mokshmala shows the full map of worldly wandering through four gatis and gently pushes the reader to say: “I do not want just a better next birth – I want to end this wandering and move towards moksha, starting from this very human life.”