Answer

Kāyotsarga means “abandoning attachment to the body.”

In Jain Dharma, it is a spiritual practice where a person remains still, calm, and aware, while withdrawing attention from the body and focusing on the soul.

Explanation

The word Kāyotsarga comes from:

• Kāya = body
• Utsarga = giving up, abandoning, letting go

So, Kāyotsarga means letting go of bodily attachment.

During Kāyotsarga, one may stand or sit motionless and reflect that:

• I am not the body.
• I am the soul.
• The soul is separate from bodily pain, comfort, movement, and desires.

It is an important practice in Jain meditation, repentance, and daily rituals such as Pratikraman.

Spiritual Understanding

Kāyotsarga helps a person:

• Reduce attachment to the body
• Develop awareness of the soul
• Strengthen patience and equanimity
• Control passions like anger, pride, deceit, and greed
• Support the process of shedding karmas

It is not merely standing still; it is an inner practice of becoming detached from the body and absorbed in the nature of the soul.

Takeaway

Kāyotsarga is the Jain practice of becoming still in body and detached in mind, so one can experience the soul as separate from the body.