Answer

In Jain Dharma, Keval Jnan arises when the soul completely destroys the four ghāti karmas:

• Jñānāvaraṇīya karma — knowledge-obscuring karma
• Darśanāvaraṇīya karma — perception-obscuring karma
• Mohanīya karma — deluding karma, including passions
• Antarāya karma — obstructing karma

So, in principle, if these karmas are fully destroyed, Keval Jnan must manifest.

However, according to traditional Jain cosmology, in our region of the universe — Bharat Kshetra — during the coming sixth ara, known as Duḥṣamā-Duḥṣamā or the era of extreme sorrow, the spiritual and physical conditions are extremely degraded. Traditional Jain understanding holds that liberation and the attainment of Keval Jnan do not occur in that sixth ara in Bharat Kshetra.

Explanation

Jain Dharma teaches that time moves through rising and declining cycles. We are presently in the fifth ara, called Duḥṣamā, an age of sorrow. The next ara will be the sixth ara, Duḥṣamā-Duḥṣamā, an age of intense suffering.

During this sixth ara:

• Human lifespan, strength, morality, and spiritual capacity decline greatly.
• Religious discipline becomes extremely difficult.
• The proper conditions for high spiritual attainment are absent.
• Tirthankars do not arise in that period in Bharat Kshetra.
• Moksha and Keval Jnan are not attained there during that time.

So the answer depends on how we frame the question:

• From the karmic law side: If all required karmas are destroyed, Keval Jnan necessarily manifests.
• From the time-cycle side: In the sixth ara of Bharat Kshetra, Jain tradition says such complete destruction of the required karmas does not occur, because the conditions for that level of spiritual purification are unavailable.

Spiritual Understanding

Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnan, and Samyak Charitra are the Ratnatraya — the Three Jewels. They are the true path to liberation.

But Jain Dharma also teaches that spiritual progress is influenced by:

• one’s karmic maturity,
• one’s inner purity,
• availability of true Dharma,
• capacity for restraint and austerity,
• and the cosmic era in which one is born.

The sixth ara is not considered spiritually supportive for the final destruction of karmas leading to Keval Jnan in Bharat Kshetra.

Takeaway

Yes, as a universal principle, complete destruction of the ghāti karmas results in Keval Jnan.

But in the next era of extreme sorrow in Bharat Kshetra, Jain tradition holds that souls will not attain Keval Jnan or Moksha there, because the necessary spiritual conditions will not exist.