planets (Jyotiṣī), evil ghost-gods (Vyantara), gods who travel in the celestial car (Vaimānika), and lastly Bhavanapati, the lords of the lower regions, who inhabit the space above hell. Each of these gods has a different āyu or term to serve.
Another branch of Āyu karma determines how long a jīva can wear a human form (Manuṣya āyu karma[1]). There are two classes of human beings on this earth, those who live in the land where work is done (Karmabhūmi[2]) and who exercise themselves in warfare (asi), in commerce, religion, or writing (masi), or in agriculture (kasi); and those who live in the land where no such work is done (Akarmabhūmi), but where all needs are supplied by the ten kinds of desire-fulfilling trees; both classes of men only hold their position for the length of time their Manuṣya āyu karma determines. Again Āyu karma decides how long a jīva can be forced to inhabit the form of an insect, a bird, or a lower animal (Tiryañċ āyu karma[3]).
The fourth division of Āyu karma determines the period for which a jīva must dwell in one of the seven hells (Naraka āyu karma[4]).
The comforting thing about all four divisions of Āyu karma is that it can never be accumulated to last beyond one re-incarnation, and that it can be acquired only once in one’s life, generally at the period when about a third of life remains. It is accumulated in the following ways: a man wins Deva āyu karma, which will keep him in the position of a god for a certain time, by straightforward dealing, by avoiding anger, pride and greed, and by practising celibacy. In the same way, by being always gentle and honourable and checking all tendency to anger, pride and greed, a jīva gains the privilege of being a man for a period that varies according to his past virtue
