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Nirmana Chitta

In the Yogasutras of Patanjali, the concept of "nirmana chitta" holds significant importance in the spiritual journey of a yogi. According to Yoga Sutras 4.4 and 5, when a yogi reaches an advanced stage on the path of spiritual realization, they may perceive through their intuitive inner eye that there are still some karmic residues (sanchita karma) yet to manifest as destined actions (prarabdha karma). This realization could potentially impede their attainment of kaivalya, or ultimate liberation.

To address this, the adept yogi, utilizing their advanced yogic powers, can undertake a remarkable practice: they create multiple subtle bodies, each equipped to experience and exhaust specific karmic residues. The mind associated with each of these created bodies is termed "nirmana chitta."

It's crucial to understand that although each nirmana chitta functions independently through its respective body to work through and resolve the karma associated with it, the fundamental or original chitta remains that of the yogi. This primary chitta governs and orchestrates the actions of all the nirmana chittas, ensuring alignment with the yogi's spiritual goals and evolution.

In essence, the concept of nirmana chitta illustrates the yogi's extraordinary ability to transcend conventional limitations and actively participate in the resolution of their karmic journey, ultimately leading towards the realization of kaivalya or spiritual liberation.