Sources: Nectar of Devotion ch. 4
First of all about liberation itself. This is the most important idea in Indian philosophy. Therefore Westerners sometimes say that Indians did not create philosophy, i.e., abstract thinking. What they created is called soteriology or the science of liberation.
Definition of Liberation
The definition of liberation (mukti) is given in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.10.6:
muktir hitvānyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ
"The jiva in its original constitutional position is a pure servant of Krishna. When it falls into the darkness of ignorance, it must acquire gross and subtle bodies. Liberation means completely rejecting these external forms and restoring one's original spiritual svarupa (natural form)."
Liberation as Apavarga
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.2.9
dharmasya hy āpavargyasya
nārtho 'rthāyopakalpate
nārthasya dharmaikāntasya
kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ
"All occupational duties are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for any material gain."
📜 Pa-varga – the miseries of the material world
pa – pariśrama
Very hard work / defeat
pha – phena
Foam from hard labor
ba – bandha
Bondage / frustration
bha – bhaya
Fear of the future
ma – mṛti
Death at the very end
Apavarga means that which destroys all these unnecessary things.
Personalists and Impersonalists
Impersonalists (Mayavada)
Claim that there is only one soul, God. The idea of many souls arose due to illusion.
Personalists
Say that God and the living entities are different, although they are of the same spiritual nature.
☀️ Chaitanya's Philosophy
Just as the Sun's rays are the Sun's marginal energy, so the living entities are Krishna's marginal energy. By serving their senses, they become entangled and subject to matter; by serving God and loving Him, they automatically achieve mukti – liberation.
Liberation in Vedanta Sutra
1. Jīvan mukti
Achieved even before leaving the physical body. When a living being consecrates all its activities to God as an offering of love, it is liberated from the bonds of karma.
2. Videha mukti
Achieved after leaving the body. This is the eternal position of devotional service in the kingdom of Svarupa-shakti.
Chandogya Upanishad 8.12.3
"In this way, this pure being, arising from the previous body, appears with its own body, having reached the brightest light by the grace of the Supreme Lord. The liberated soul moves around here, laughing, playing, enjoying."
Triple Union with the Lord
- They are in the spiritual kingdom of God, which is not different from God Himself;
- Thanks to their constant meditation, God is always in their soul;
- They are in a loving union with the personal form of God.
Symptoms of Liberation
The Chandogya Upanishad (8.7.1) describes eight symptoms of a liberated soul:
Free from sinful activities and attachment to them
Not subject to the miseries of old age
Always remains young and alive
Never meets an end and does not die
Never becomes sad
Does not have sensory desires
Has a natural inclination to serve Krishna
All its desires are fulfilled
Five Forms of Liberation
1. Sāyujya
To merge with the Lord's body
To merge with the Lord's body or the Brahmajyoti. This is liberation easily achieved by demons killed by Krishna. For Vaishnavas, this is like hell.
2. Sārūpya
To acquire the same form
To acquire the same form as the Lord.
3. Sāmīpya
To live together with the Lord
To live together with the Lord and be His associate.
4. Sālokya
To live on the same planet
To live on the same planet together with the Lord.
5. Sārṣṭi
To have the same opulences
To have the same opulences as the Lord.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.29.13
sālokya-sārṣṭi-sāmīpya-
sārūpyaikatvam apy uta
dīyamānaṁ na gṛhṇanti
vinā mat-sevanaṁ janāḥ
"A pure devotee does not accept any form of liberation, even if offered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself."
💎 Mukti is the maidservant of Bhakti
When Lord Narayana sent Bhakti to Earth, the Lord gave her Mukti (liberation) as a maidservant, and Jñāna (knowledge) and Vairāgya (renunciation) as her sons. In this way, Mukti waits at the door until the devotee of Krishna pays attention to her.
Bilvamangala Thakura
muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjaliḥ sevate 'smān
"If a person develops their natural devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, mukti stands before such a devotee with folded hands and offering various services."
Devotees are not attracted by liberation itself if it is not related to Krishna. A devotee is determined to forever rotate in the material world, just so long as they can never forget Krishna. And if Krishna is not somewhere, then what is the use of liberation itself.
Liberation according to 4 sampradayas
Rāmānuja
The means of liberation is bhakti – continuous meditation with love on the Supreme. Moksha is a positive state of the jiva's existence in the supra-mundane kingdom without losing its individuality.
Vallabhācārya
Liberation is achieved in two ways: bhakti and jñāna. The first way is more perfect because it leads to the realization of the Divine form of Brahman as Krishna.
Questions
Self-Check Questions
- List the five forms of liberation?
- Explain how the desire for liberation is related to materialism?
- Explain how bhakti not only leads to liberation but also transcends it.