CHAPTER – II

MOKSA THE GOAL OF LIFE

2.1. DEFINITION AND NATURE

Satya Sai Baba has explained the derivation as an acronym formed by

combining the first two letters of the words moha (attachment) and kshaya
(attrition), mo(h)a + ksha(ya). Moksa, the ultimate of the purusharthas is
liberation from all that binds. That is to say, the attainment of the ever-
existing, ever-stable, ever-pure Atm-tattva and getting rid of the ever-
changing, ever-unreal, impure deha-tattva. 1 The word is sparsely used in
the Vedas. It is used once in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 2 and once in the
3
Chandogya Upanishad, though the meaning is conveyed in many other
phrases. It occurs more frequently in Svetasvatara 4, Tejobindu, 5
Maitri 6

and Muktika Upanishads 7.

A word allied to both is `mumukshu', one who desires freedom

(moksa). Brahma Sutras refer to mukti by word. The Bhagavad Gita uses
both words quite frequently, besides many other phrases. Moksa is counted
as the fourth and ultimate goal of human life, preceded by the foundation of
dharma, artha and kama in this world. The epic, Mahabharata, has one
whole section devoted to ‘Moksa- Dharma’ in Santi Parva. Srimad
Bhagavatam has many touching stories related to moksa, one of the best-
known being `Gajendra-moksa', the liberation of the King of Elephants by
Vishnu Himself.

At the vyavaharika level of discussion, the word moksa naturally

brings up its antonym – bondage (bandha). Thus many of the phrases
pointing to the meaning of moksa are couched in words saying `freedom
from bondage'. The bondage is also referred to as the knot of ignorance
lodged in one's `heart'. At the paramarthika level neither word holds valid. 8

Scriptures and Sages have declared that the knowledge of the true
nature of one's own self is the only key to understanding the mystery of
existence, and this knowledge alone secures limitless and eternal happiness
(ananda), and ends the recurrent cycles of births and deaths. This knowledge
itself is moksa or mukti. Other epithets for the liberated individual are: jnani,
sthitaprajna, yogarudha, gunatita.

As Bhagavad Gita states, the understanding of bondage and freedom

depend on the ‘satvika’ (pure) nature of the intellect.9 The bondage refers to
the ego's desires for actions (karma) that give pleasures and avoid pain to the
body and mind, through contacts with objects (visaya). As objects are
infinite, so desires also seem to be endless. The pleasures, however, are
ephemeral, and alternate with the pain of either not getting them or of losing
them once they are achieved. The thirst for their enjoyment can be overcome
by the restraint of senses and the proper performance of one's duties and
their results as sacrificial offerings (yajna) to the Supreme Spirit (Brahman).

Moksa or mukti has been described as ‘sadyo’- (immediate) in this

life itself, and ‘krama’- (gradual) going through grades of expanding
awareness of more and more subtle worlds (e.g. maha, jana, tapa, satya or
brahma loka).

Jivan-mukti and Videha-mukti are other terms one comes across,

indicating the dissolution of one's ego while living in the present body, or
happening after the body's death respectively.

Moksa is freedom from bondage. The desire for that (mumukshutva)

is the utmost desire that one should have to fulfill one's goal in life - that is
to be absolutely happy with no limitations of what-so-ever. Hence it is the
highest purushartha or highest human goal to be achieved. Hence freedom
from limitations is moksa. It is freedom from any body identification – gross
(sthula), sublte (sukshma), causal (karana) body (sarira) which are by
definition limited. Absolute limitless freedom (anantatvam) and infinite
inexhaustible happiness (anandatvam) are thus equated with moksa.

Since moksa involves limitlessness and infiniteness; it cannot be gained

or given. In this respect Advaita Vedanta stands tall in comparison to other
Vedantic interpretations, where moksa is given through the grace of God,
and Lord Narayana alone has the capacity to give for those who deserve –by
complete surrender to me alone one can gain moksa or one can cross over
the insurmountable delusion.10 That which can be gained or given comes
under the category of 'gaining something that I do not have' (apraptasya
prapta). If moksa comes under that category, then it is not intrinsic with me
as it is gained or given. Hence there is a beginning for moksa. That which
has a beginning must have an end - essentially that which is given or earned
can be lost too. Therefore moksa becomes finite and not infinite since finite
things alone can be given.

Hence Advaita Vedanta says moksa cannot be of the type 'apraptasya

prapta’ but should be of the form 'praptasya prapta’ that is gaining
something that I already have or that which is intrinsic with me. Happiness
is not something that I gain, but something I have to realize. A quiet and
contented mind is a happy mind. Mind free from the notions of limitations is
the mind free from any longing to be free. That is the mind free from all
limitations - limitations of place, time and qualities. It is said that mind alone
is responsible for both bondage and freedom. 11 Identification with the finite
is bondage and realization of one's own true Advaitic nature is freedom. Like
all other knowledge, this knowledge has to take place in the mind alone. One
cannot become free; one has to understand that one is free. One cannot
become infinite one has to understand that one is infinite. That is moksa, as
per Advaita.

In providing a contemporary interpretation to this ancient idea of

liberation, Satya Sai Baba raises some important questions: Why should this
creature, man, endowed with extra sensitiveness to share sorrow and joy
with others, be born in this changing world of time and space? Nothing that
is born can escape death; nothing that is built can withstand disintegration.
Why then has man been sent onto this stage of fleeting experiences? There is
a purpose behind all the activities of the Divine. Man has to manifest the
Divine in him and lead and guide all living beings in that adventure. He has
to liberate himself by his efforts and liberate all life by his example. He must
become free and secure in his own source. This is what is called moksa. He
is liberated from littleness into vastness, from bondage to boundless bliss. 12

The fulfillment of the life consists in the realization of the Atman

(atma-sakshatkara). To get this realization, one should be entirely free from
impulses (vasanas). Liberation (moksa) is, in the true sense of the term,
liberation from the bondage of these impulses. These tendencies are of two
types: beneficent and maleficent. The beneficent tendencies are saturated
with holiness; the maleficent ones feed the mind and make it more and more
uncontrollable and unsteady; they spread and strengthen the desire for
objective pleasure. If the beneficent impulses (subha vasanas) are
encouraged and cultivated, they will not go on multiplying and binding the
mind indefinitely; they become fried seeds, which will not sprout. If we stick
to the beneficent impulses, we can easily acquire knowledge of Brahman
(Brahma-jnana).

These impulses are characterized by such activities as association with

great souls (mahatmas), reverence for the great, conversation with them,
following their advice, charity, fortitude, love, patience, truth, courage,
continence, etc. These are the pure impulses. The impure tendencies lead one
to such vices as craving to see things that cater to the lower desires like
cinema pictures; eating dishes that are full of passion (rajas), like fish and
flesh; drinking intoxicants that ruin one’s personality by developing anger,
delusion, greed, conceit, deceit, hatred, envy, etc.

Such impure tendencies are of three types: worldly impulses,

scholarly or intellectual impulses, and physical or bodily impulses. The
physical impulses make men desire a beautiful physique, a strong sturdy
build, a glossy skin that will never be disfigured by wrinkles and round hard
muscles. The scholarly impulses prompt one to crave being known as an
unrivaled expert and to crave the defeat of every competitor in the field. And
lastly, the worldly impulses make one crave glory, power, personal authority,
and pomp. All such desires can be grouped under this head. They are all
impulses. They bind us to the wheel of birth and death (samsara) and tie us
down to this Earth.

The giant tree called mind has two seeds, impulse (vasana) and breath
(prana). The seed becomes the tree, the tree yields the seed. The breath
moves because of the impulses; the impulses operate because of the breath.
If one of these is destroyed, so is the other. So, if the mind has to be free
from their influence, ignorance (ajnana) has to be transformed first.
Ignorance does not exist alone; it has an offspring: selfishness (ahamkara).
That demon (asura) has two children, attachment or attraction (raga) and
impulse (vasana); that is to say passion and craving.

Passion and craving are closely inter-related. Through attachment, one

gets the feelings of my and mine, the feelings provoke desire, and desires
breed worry. Therefore, to remove ego (ahamkara), attachment and impulse
have to be annihilated. That means ignorance has to be removed by
removing the ego. Through meditation one can destroy ignorance and
develop wisdom. The conquest of ignorance, ego, attachment, and impulse
brings about liberation (moksa) for the individual.

The one who is a slave to impulses and tendencies (vasanas) is devoid

of wisdom (jnana). As soon as impulses are uprooted, that person can earn
back the Divine Nature that was lost by neglect. The impulses invade the
realm of the heart; they cause endless trouble. They remind us of pleasures,
agitating the memory of past experiences, and we start craving them again.
The cravings make the senses and their leader the mind (manas), engage in
brisk activities; there is no escape from this. The impulses operate so subtly
and so powerfully. Just as the seed contains within itself the trunk, branches,
twigs, leaves, flowers and fruits, so too, all this lie dormant in the impulses.
The impulses are the cause of all the objective happiness. If they are absent,
the mind is pellucid and pure. If they are present, all purity is ruined; they
are obstacles in the path of truth, of atma, and of immortality. A mind free
from impulses is transmuted and is no longer mind. Nature (prakrti) is the
world of impulses (vasanas). The mind is attracted towards nature and the
external objects of the world by means of this tendency for attachment and
starts contemplating on the objects and dwelling on their qualities because of
these impulses.

Without impulses, the mind will not be affected at all by the objective
world. The mind is like a piece of cloth; it takes on any colour with which it
is dyed. Pure (satvic) impulses make it white, restless (rajasic) ones change
it into red, while ignorant (tamasic) ones give it a black colour. The mind is
shaped by the type of impulses with which it is filled. One has to undertake
meditation and concentration in order to destroy these impulses. The mind is
but a bundle of impulses.
 Some aspirants say to themselves that in spite of many years of steady
practice, they have yet to acquire success in meditation and concentration.
The reason is easy to point out: they have not been able to uproot the
impulses (vasanas). Therefore, such practitioners must strive to conquer
their innate tendencies. They must fortify themselves with greater faith, and
act. The aspirant who is disturbed now and then by impure impulses must
overcome them by will-power and spiritual exercises. The liberated soul
(jivan-mukta) has burned out impulses, but the householder (grihastha) is
cultivating them. There is no profit in simply controlling them; a cobra
becomes harmless only when its fangs are plucked out; similarly, their roots
must be burned. Then only can the aspirant attain the Brahman. Of course,
even pure desires are a bond. But they are not hindrances, however many
they may be. A thorn is removed by another and both are thrown out
afterwards so also, when impure impulses (vasanas) are overcome through
the influence of pure impulses, one has to outgrow both.

This means that even the purest of impulses, the craving for liberation
(moksa), has to disappear in time. Only then can we become That
(Brahman). A shackle is a shackle, whether it is of iron or gold. One has to
be free from both. That is to say, one should attain a stage when neither good
nor bad will attract or repel. Anyone aiming at the realization of God should
practice the diminishing of impulses, the curbing of the mind, and the
understanding of the fundamental principle. One of these is not enough for
liberation (moksa). In the liberated soul (jivan-mukta), impulses persist, but
will not cause further births.

The subtle body is the seat of ignorance. It is saturated with impulses

and traditions and experiences. The Atman is free from all these. It is ever
pure. It belongs to neither sex and has no mind, no senses and no form. Not
only that; it has no breath (prana), even. It cannot be said to be alive or
dead. How can contemplation on such an Atman be anything other than
pure? How can light and darkness co-exist? How can purity and impurity co-
exist? Of all the workshops in the world, the workshop of the body is the
most wonderful, because it is the tabernacle of the Lord. In such a factory,
the impulses are sublimated into vows, the impurities are weeded out,
beneficent desires are shaped, and good imaginings are brought about.

The main aim is the uprooting of impulse, though this is a difficult

task. Mountains can be swept away sooner than these deep-rooted impulses
(vasanas). But with will-power and zest, supported by faith, they can be
overcome in a short time. We should not give up our determination and faith,
whatever the loss, hardship, or obstacle. We must remember that the
impulses overpower us and keep us down as their slave. Opium and brandy
enslave us and hold us in their full grip only for some time, but impulses
grip us for a whole life-time. The entire meaning and purpose of meditation
is to attain freedom from these mighty and manifold impulses. Baba says,
"The ultimate step of self-realization depends upon the base of self-
confidence. Without having and developing confidence in your own self, if
all the time you are talking of some power being with someone else... when
are you going to acquire any power and confidence in your own self?" 13

Through Self-confidence, one can obtain at first Self-sacrifice and

then Self-satisfaction. All this activity together expresses the state of Self-
realization what depends on the base of Self-confidence - the awareness of
the Atman within everywhere whatever the same and can never be
destroyed.
 The God-realized person, the jivan-mukta, no longer has any
identification what-so-ever with the body. He is one in whom only the
Divine Vision is active. He pays no attention to the body, and it withers away
and dries up. He does not bother about food or water. They do not even
come to his mind. As a result, 21 days is the time that life can remain in the
body under these circumstances. He loses all body identification and neither
eats nor drinks except when forcefully fed. The 21 days may vary a little
owing to the condition of the person. King Janaka retired to the forest and
14
became a jivan-mukta. Life remained in his body only for 19 days. The
person with a Divine Vision is known as a Raja-Yogi. He retains some body
identification, and thus continues to live with the body. King Janaka reigned
for many years as a Raja-Yogi. Jivan-mukti is permanent God-realization. It
is merging with God. There can be a temporary God-realization for a few
hours or a day or so in deep meditation or at various levels of samadhi, but
that is not permanent. It is not merging. There is a piece of clear glass. From
one side one can look through and see the object on the other side. If the
clear glass is plated with a silver film on one side, it becomes a mirror in
which one may see himself; and objects on the other side of the mirror are
not seen. Likewise, through consciousness one may see the outside sensory
world. Or, with his intelligence, he may look to and become aware of that
which may be found within himself.

If one lives and keeps himself within the reality found within, with
Godly thoughts, desires, and interests, if one keeps his life centered on the
Godly side of consciousness, the consciousness becomes a mirror coated on
its outer surface with the dust of the sensory world. On the pure inward
surface of this mirror, on the pure mind and the pure heart, one may see the
reality of himself reflected and this constitutes Self-realization. That is Raja-
Yoga.

Man is encompassed by attachment to worldly desires, which produce

delusions of various kinds related to the three attributes (gunas - sattva,
rajas and tamas). To attain liberation man has to rid himself of these desires.
The mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation. It is only by
controlling the mind that man can achieve liberation. 15

Ignorance covers the reality, it has been called avarana. This avarana
is of two kinds. One is called asat, related to untruth, and the other is called
abhava related to wrong ideas. The idea that sprouts from the feeling that the
particular thing does not exist is represented by untruth or asat. If there is a
feeling that one does not know whether that particular item exists or does not
exist, it is referred to as abhava. This type of abhava is responsible for
samsara. Vikshepa is the main path for liberation or moksa.

Manana and nididhyasana are two other processes by which this

ignorance of asat can be got rid of. Manana consists of thinking over or
contemplation of what you listen to and nididhyasana consists of digesting
what you have taken in the form of the listening. This implies that we will
not get the result just by listening. By this process, one can understand the
nature of a particular aspect. Vikshepa denotes recognition of these two and
getting rid of them. In avarana, there is something that is being covered due
to ignorance in us, and that is the aspect of asat. What arises out of untruth
can be got rid of by listening to truth. The best way in which we can remove
a doubt is to listen to people who know the truth. When such people come
and tell us the existence of that truth, we can get rid of our ignorance. By
listening to others, who know the reality, there is a possibility of our being
able to get rid of this ignorance of asat.

By just listening, one can understand only to a limited extent the

nature of the item. This implies that we will not get the result just by
sravana or listening. By using two other processes, (manana and
nididhyasana) that is, to contemplate and digest what you have listened to,
abhava can be got rid of. It is only after going through these three steps:
Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana that one can remove this ignorance of
asat. 16

Sai Baba says: Bondage is the delusion of your identification with the
body. You must give up the false idea that you are the body and imbibe the
truth that you are the atma. Only then you achieve liberation (moksa).
Detachment from body consciousness (deha-virakti) will free you from the
grief of bondage, and attachment of God (daiva-asakti) will give you the
bliss of moksa and merger with God. You cannot get rid of body-
consciousness (deha-bhranti) by giving up food and drink, reducing the
body to a skeleton and inviting death but by asserting with faith that “I am
not the body. The body, the senses, the mind, and the intellect are all my
instruments (upadhis).” You must give up your body consciousness, just as
you remove your soiled clothes. 17

He adds: The word moksa does not represent something which is

exhaustible and which you can purchase from a shop. Moksa is regarded as a
limitless entity. So long as there is attachment in you, the world will appear
permanent. On the lotus of your heart, this attachment always moves like
mercury. This kind of mercurial lust which is continually moving from place
to place should be removed, and this process of moha-kshaya (attrition of
attachment) is moksa. Once this attachment goes, what remains is simply
ananda. To convert our lives, to some extent, in this manner is the path of
Brahman. 18

We commit many sins and do many meritorious deeds with this body
and this mind. They bring about grief or joy; now, is this “I” the doer, the
consumer of the grief or joy? He who does is the doer; doing is a
modification. Doing is producing a modification, so the person appears as if
he is modifying. But the “I” is modification less. He is the fixed; so he is not
affected at all. Doer-ism is the quality of the antahkarana. So, the “I” takes
on the appearance of the doer and the gainer of the fruits of the deed.

If so, how can we know about the entry into this world and the exit
from this world into another? It is the antahkarana, the linga-deha that
moves from this world to another, from one birth to another, according to the
accumulated merit. It is the limited linga-deha that has the entries and exits.
We, who are like the sky, omnipresent and unaffected, have no arrival into
this world or departure to another. We are not of that nature.

Vijnana is the means of gaining moksa. Some great men say that Yoga
is the means. That is also true. There can be two roads to a place. Both are
good and important. Both take us to the same goal. Only, we cannot travel
on both at the same time. People can choose the road which suits their inner
promptings and do the sadhanas of that path. Both release the sadhakas
from bondage. Yoga gives jnana. That jnana confers moksa easily.
 Yoga is like fire that is why the word “yogagni” is used. It burns all
sins away, so the antahkarana is rendered pure. When that happens, jnana is
born there. The splendour of that jnana dispels the darkness of ignorance
and delusion; that is the Liberation. However learned a person is, however
great his detachment, however deep his wisdom, unless he conquers his
senses, he cannot qualify for moksa. Without Yoga, one cannot rid
themselves of sin. Unless they clear themselves of sin, their antahkarana
does not become pure. Without a pure antahkarana, jnana cannot be
acquired; and without jnana, there can be no moksa. So, Yoga is the very
foundation. 19

An illustration to make it simpler, even for the unlearned: When a

storm is blowing, can anyone light a lamp? So too, when the sensual desires
are blowing strong, the jnana-lamp cannot burn. It will be relinquished soon,
even if it is lit. Yoga destroys all impulses and urges towards the sensual
world. It puts down the mind and its agitations.

Jnana is essential. Its function is to make us realize the Atma

swarupa, that is to say, our own reality. A person, who has no Yoga, is like a
lame man. A person, who has no jnana, is like a blind man. It is said that
Yoga destroys all blemishes, removes all faults. How does that happen? Can
rice become eatable unless it is boiled over a fire? By Yoga and other
disciplines, the seat of intellect becomes soft. Yoga and jnana are like oil and
flame. The oil is Yoga and jnana is the illumining flame of the lamp.

It is said that purity of heart, purity of mind, and knowledge of the

immanent and transcendent Paramatma are essential. Then, of what use is
sadhana done through the body, composed of the Five Elements? Is it not
enough if one acquires the jnana of one’s reality (svasvarupa)? Simply
because the rudder is essential, can you take it that the boat is unnecessary?
How can you cross the river with the rudder alone? Believe that the Lord has
conferred upon you the body as a boat to cross the sea of samsara, and citta
as the main thing in it. That is the first step in Vedanta. Svasvarupa jnana is
the rudder really. But that alone is not sufficient. Physical habits and
disciplines have also to be attended to. To attain the ethereal eternal stage,
the disciplined body is important.

Brahmavidya does not make any distinction between male and female.
Brahmavidya and citta suddhi do not depend on sex at all. All who are ill
have the right to the drug that cures. So too, all who have the illness of birth
and death (bhava) have the right to brahmavidya, the specific that will cure
it. It may be that not all can afford to have access to that wonder drug; but
we cannot argue that some have no right to it. 20

A person following the grihastha asrama also can attain liberation. He

who earns money by lawful means, he who honours his guests, who serves
and pleases his fellowmen, attains liberation along with those learned in the
Sastras and those who are well established in the fundamental philosophy of
the Spirit. No one can cross the ocean of birth and death because he is a
sanyasi or brahmachari. High ancestry, attainments in asceticism, the status
of a monk, profound scholarship—nothing will help, by itself. There must
also be the faithful and steady pursuit of svadharma, the study of the
scriptures, like the Veda or the Bhagavad Gita, and a disciplined spiritual life
of japa and dhyana.
 There are ten virtues which together comprise the basic dharma of the
aspirants. They are compassion (daya), non-stealing (asteya), discrimination
(dhee), spiritual knowledge (vidya), truth (satya), control of senses
(indriyanirgaha), inner and outer cleanliness (souca), patience and fortitude
(kshama), steadfastness (dhrithi) and no anger (akrodha). All persons must
cultivate these ten virtues irrespective of the asrama they belong to. They
are enough to save you, wherever you are; and if one has not acquired them,
his life is a waste, whatever is his asrama. The daily routine of his life is the
essential thing and it should reflect these ten qualities.

Lord Krishna told Arjuna: “The highest stage of liberation that is

attained by samkhya yogis (those on path of knowledge), adepts at Jnana-
Yoga, is also attained by those who are adepts at nishkama-karma-yoga (the
path of renunciation of fruits of action). Both yield the selfsame result.
Know that this is the truth. There is no difference in this between the
grihastha and the sanyasi. What is needed is unremitting practice and
sincere endeavour. This requires the renouncing of desire, the giving up of
egoism and the sense of possession, even the discarding of active thinking
and single-pointed contemplation of the Brahma-tattva. For one who has
achieved this, there is no grief, for there is no shade of ignorance. The wise
man who has won this height can never be deluded by the false and the
temporary. Even if at the last moment of his life one is able to realize this
jnana, he is certain to be liberated from the cycle of birth and death.” 21

The Atma is sat, cit and ananda; those are its nature, if somehow it
has to be indicated. This can be realized only by purifying the heart, mind
and intellect of man. Persons, who have that purity, whatever their varna or
asrama, can attain moksa. When a person is beset by attachment to some and
hatred towards others even in the solitude of the jungle, he will meet only
evil. Even if one is leading the grihastha life in the midst of the family, if he
has achieved victory over the senses he is a real tapasvi. Engaged in karma
that is not condemned, he is entitled to become a jnani. For one who is
unattached, the home is a hermitage. Then, even by means of progeny, of
activity, of riches and of yajna, yaga and similar rituals, liberation can be
achieved. What is wanted for liberation is just freedom from the impurity of
attachment. Attachment is the bondage. 22

Janaka, Aswapathi, Dileepa—these are examples of persons who

gained moksa as grihasthas. Whenever one gets detachment from objects,
one can take sanyasa. Unless such a chance is seized, man is bound to fall.
Whatever may be the stage or asrama you are in, when you get full
renunciation, you can enter upon the sanyasa stage from that very moment.
There is no iron rule that you must live through the three earlier asramas or
stages. This too is the injunction of the sruti. The reason is: such a pure soul
has undergone the training available in the other stages—the purification—
in the crucible of life in previous births. His destructive tendencies have
been rooted out and the progressive ones, the uplifting ones, have been
developed in past births themselves.

The fact that a person has no inclination for the three asramas and that
he has no attachment or attraction towards them is a clear sign. If
detachment has developed in the past birth, the inclination will be absent.
Since the awareness that the Atman alone is real has dawned, the person is
unattached to the three earlier stages of life. When renunciation has
appeared, one can give up worldly life, even though the series have to be
overstepped.
 But the person who confers sanyasa must examine fully and convince
himself that the person on whom he is conferring it is devoid of sensual
impulses and attachments. sanyasa should be given only to one who has no
agitation in the mind. The candidate too should examine himself and see
whether his inner consciousness is free from the gunas. If it is not so free, he
will not only break the vows of sanyasa and be outcast, but he may even
break down under the burden and meet a calamitous end. 23

There are three types of sanyasa. They are deha-sanyasa, mano-

sanyasa and atma-sanyasa. Deha-sanyasa is sanyasa in appearance, so far
as the outer body is concerned. He wears the ochre robe, assumes the name,
appears in the form, but, he has no awareness of the Atma. He wanders
amidst all the objective desires clinging to external things. He is like
ordinary men, for all intents and purposes.

In mano-sanyasa, he gives up all decisions and desires; He has the

mind under strict control. He is not guided by impulses or agitations. He is
ever calm and collected. In atma-sanyasa he breaks through all thoughts
about things that are unrelated to the Atma, for he is ever immersed in the
contemplation of the true reality, “Aham Brahmasmi.” He is steady in the
consciousness of his being Atma. His ananda is continuous, akhanda. This is
called amrita-sanyasa. The thickest darkness can be destroyed only by the
light that emanates from the splendid solar orb; similarly, without the
splendour of atma-sanyasa, ignorance cannot be dispersed— the
encasements that hide the heart cannot be shattered and the Atma cannot
shine in its own glory.
 Deha-sanyasa is attained by discrimination between the eternal and
the temporary, the evanescent and the everlasting. Mano-sanyasa is reached
by conquering the waywardness of speech, of the senses and of the mind.
Atma-sanyasa is won by filling oneself with the principles of vedanthic
thought. When these educative influences become strong and you are well
established in these virtues and attitudes, then you can get liberated as a
result of the combined effect of these stages.

He who, like the bee sucks in silence and in great bliss the honey in
the flower, who is intent on uninterruptedly tasting the nectar of Atmic bliss;
who ignores this world as but a “scene,” a drsya; he indeed is the most
fortunate. His life is the most worthwhile.24

2.2. KINDS OF MUKTI

Worship, with fixity of consciousness and purity of feeling and free

of all extraneous thought, becomes itself bhava-samadhi. As a result of this
bhava-samadhi, the Lord appears before the inner eye of the devotee, in the
form which he has chosen for worship. The vision is not a matter of
imagination; it is a 'face' experience. Without difference of location, he can
abide in the presence of the Lord, in the self-same place. This is called
salokyamukti. Besides being always with the Lord, as in salokyamukti,
bhaktas realize all that they see as the glory of the Lord. The experience is
referred to as samipya-mukti. Existing ever with the Lord, witnessing always
the glory of the Lord, and becoming suffused with God-consciousness is
sarupya-mukti. This is the final fruit of bhakti-sastra. But, at this stage, there
is yet a trace of differential feeling, so the Advaita Siddhanta will not admit
it as the highest. Simply because the bhakta has sarupya or same rupa as the
Lord, we cannot take it that he has powers of creation, preservation and
destruction, which the Lord possesses. It is only when all trace of difference
disappears, and unity is attained that the highest stage is reached. This is
what is called, sayujya. This comes of Divine Grace, won by the essence of
the sadhana of each; it cannot be claimed as the fruit of effort. The bhakta
will aspire for this merging (aikyam). He wishes to serve the Lord as he
pleases and to experience the joy of the form which he has attributed to the
Lord. But, the Lord out of His grace, gives him not only salokya, samipya
and sarupya but also, sayujya. Bhakti-marga results also in the attainment of
brahma-jnana. Even if the bhakta does not crave for it, the Lord Himself
vouchsafes it to him. The sayujya-mukti is also referred to as ekantha-
mukti25.

2.3 OBSTACLES IN THE PATH OF MOKSA

Even those who proceed along the path of spiritual progress towards
the goal of moksa have big obstacles namely the past, the present and the
future obstacles. Recollecting and remembering the past and getting affected
by it is the obstacle from the past.
Obstacle from the present operates in four ways.
i. Attending more to the peculiarities of textual criticism than the
sense of the teaching, (Vishaya-asakti).
ii. Dullness of the intellect which prevents one from grasping the
words of the elders and of the wise (prajna-mandyam).
iii. Crookedness (kutarka) and
iv. Justifying one’s own statement as correct, through an exaggerated
conceit (viprayaya-duragraha).
 The future creates obstacles since you anticipate troubles and worry
about them even before they come. 26
The arishad-vargas: kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and
mathsarya are to be avoided. They are the obstacles in the path of one who
seeks liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
There are certain other traits too called dambha and darpa. Dambha
prompts people to do yaga and yajna (sacrifices), to give away vast sums in
charity, in order to win the applause of the world. Darpa is the pride that
haunts man when he is rich and happy. The desire that others should get the
grief, the misery and the worry, which one is suffering from is called irshya.
This is different from asuya. Asuya means thinking always of doing evil to
others; the preparedness to put up with any trouble in order to satisfy this
desire to harm others. All these are called Inner Foes. So long as man is
caught in this net of delusion spread by these Foes, the yearning for
liberation will not dawn in his mind. 27

Baba mentions in his book Jnana Vahini that there are four obstacles
to be overcome inorder to realize the Atman. They are laya, vikshepa,
kasaya and rasa-asvadanam. 28
Sleep (laya)- when the mind withdraws from the external world, it
enters into deep sleep or susupthi, on account of the overpowering influence
of samsara. The sadhaka should arrest this tendency and attempt to fix the
mind on to Atma-vichara, or the inquiry into the nature of the Atman. He
must keep watch over the mind, so that he may keep awake. He must
discover the circumstances that induce the drowsiness and remove them in
time. He must start the process of dhyana. The usual producer of drowsiness
and sleep during dhyana is indigestion. Overfeeding, exhaustion through too
much of moving about, want of sufficient sleep at night, these too cause
sleepiness and drowsiness. So it is advisable to sleep a little during noon, on
those days when you wake up after a sleeplessness night, though generally
all those who engage in dhyana should avoid sleep during daytime. Practice
the art of moderate eating. You can walk until you conquer drowsiness; but
remember you cannot plunge into dhyana, immediately after you have
warded off sleep.
Waywardness (vikshepa)- the mind seeks to run after external objects
and so, constant effort is needed to turn it inwards, away from the attractions
of sensory impressions. This has to be done through the rigorous exercise of
the intellect, of inquiry. Discriminate and get the conviction driven into you
that these are evanescent, temporary, transformable, liable to decay, and
therefore, unreal (mithya). We must convince ourselves that what is sought
after as pleasurable and avoided as painful are only the fleeting products of
sensory contacts. We must train ourselves in this way to avoid the
distractions of the external world and dive deep into dhyana. Vikshepa is the
mental attitude, the urge to run back into the world from one’s shelter. The
removal of vikshepa alone will help the concentration of the mind in dhyana.
Deep attachment (ksaya)- The mind is drawn with immense force by
all the unconscious and subconscious impulses and instincts of passion and
attachment towards the external world and its multitudinous attractions. It
therefore experiences untold misery and might even get lost in its depths.
This is the stage called ksaya.
The enjoyment of bliss (rasa-asvadanam)- When ksaya and vikshepa
are overcome, one attains the savikalpa-ananda, the bliss of the highest
subject-object contact. This stage is what is called rasa-asvadanam. Even
this is not the highest of the supreme bliss, which one does not attain or
acquire, but simply becomes aware of. Sweetness (rasa) of the subject-
object samadhi is a temptation one has to avoid, for it is only the second
best. It is enough joy to act as a handicap.
The joy is as great as that of a person who has just deposited a huge
load he has been long carrying, or as that of a greedy person who has just
killed a serpent guarding a vast treasure he wanted to grab. The killing of the
serpent is savikalpa-samadhi. The acquisition of the treasure, is the
nirvikalpa-samadhi, the highest stage.

2.4. MEANS FOR ATTAINING MOKSA

Every person wants and desires that he should get moksa. We may say
that liberation is synonymous with freedom. When we desire freedom, it
implies that at the moment we are in some kind of bondage. Bondage is in
our own family, in our own home, in which we are tied up and entangled.
Our own affection for our people is bondage. That is the chain which has
bound us. This is what we may call affection with some kind of an
attachment. When we are tied up with the chain, the chain of affection and
attachment to the family, there are two ways by which we can free ourself
from this chain. One way is to get the strength by which to break the chain.
There is a second way and that is to make ourself tiny, smaller and smaller
so that we can just slip and get out of the chain which is binding us. 29

With the exception of these two alternatives, if we want to reach

freedom and if we want to get out of the chain, there is no way of doing it.
These two can be described as the devotional path (bhakti-marga), and the
path of knowledge (jnana-marga). Bhakti means we recognize that there is a
master that we have to put ourself in a humble position and be subservient to
the master. We also recognize that our conduct should be such that we please
Him and get His grace. This is referred to as an attitude of behaviour that, by
implication, proclaims, “I am your servant.” When we are bound by a chain,
within that chain if we can tell ourselves dasoham, dasoham, that means we
are humble, we are developing humility, our ego is becoming less and less. It
shrinks us so much as our humility grows that we can slip and get out of the
chain.

The other path, which is the path of knowledge, is the way of getting
out of the chain by telling ourselves Sivoham, Sivoham; I am Siva, I am Siva
—that means we are expanding, becoming bigger, finally we become so big
that we can break the chain and get out. So, to break the chain and free
ourselves, is the path of knowledge and the other is the path of devotion.

Hinduism speaks of many different means or paths to reach God. Of

them, three are considered major paths: Karma-Yoga—the path of action,
Bhakti-Yoga—the path of devotion and Jnana-Yoga—the path of knowledge.
What is distinctive about Hinduism is the amount of attention it has devoted
to identifying basic spiritual personality types and the disciplines that are
most likely to work for each. The result is a recognition pervading the entire
religion, that there are multiple paths to Truth.

2.4.1. KARMA-YOGA

The Karma-Yogi adopts the path of establishing union with God-head

by elevating and sublimating acts. We meet in the world many who seem to
have been born, just to accomplish one particular mission or project. Their
intellect is not satisfied with mere imagination or planning. Their minds will
be full of actual concrete achievements which they yearn to realize.
Everyone in the world is seen engaged in some activity or other, all the time.
Yet, very few know the significance and worth of karma. Karma-Yoga
teaches man the awareness of this significance and guides him along to
achieve the maximum benefit out of the activity. Where, when and how
karma has to be done, how spiritual urges can reinforce strength of mind in
the performance of karma, and how karma is to be taken up so that spiritual
development can result are learnt here.

In this context it may be pointed out that Karma-Yoga involves too

much physical strain. But, basically, it is the company that one keeps,
decides the strain and the stress that the mind and the body of man are
subjected to. "I like very much to engage myself only in this task"; "I sought
only to do good to him, but, he ignored my desire and tried to injure me";
these are the usual causes for the strain and stress mentioned above. Such
disappointment makes one lose interest in activity. It wants to do good and it
seeks to do good to someone in some way, hoping to derive joy there from
and distribute joy. When such joy does not arise, despair sets in. But, without
getting attached, without being aware as to whom the karma helps or how,
the lesson that Karma- Yoga teaches is - do karma, as karma, for the sake of
karma. The real nature of a Karma-Yogi is to fill his hands with work. He
feels that he is happy, while doing work. He does not think of results; he is
not urged by any calculations. He gives, but never receives. He knows no
grief, no disappointment; for he has not hoped for any benefit.

2.4.2. BHAKTI-YOGA

Bhakti-Yoga is congenial for those who are emotionally oriented. It is

the path for those capable of filling their hearts with Love. The urge is to
have God as the Beloved. The activities here will be different, for they relate
to incense-burning, gathering flowers for worship, building shrines and
temples where one could install and adore symbols of Beauty, Wisdom and
Power.

The great saints and sages; spiritual leaders and guides throughout the
world have emerged just from this devotional and dedicatory stage of
spiritual endeavour. Some tried to imagine God as formless, and described
worship of God through various such acts as blasphemy, tried to suppress the
bhakti cults and in the process, they slighted the reality and its power and
majesty. The belief that God cannot be symbolized in a form is an evidence
of blindness; the charge that such worship is barren is a hollow charge. The
history of the world is the witness to the efficacy of bhakti. It is not proper to
ridicule these activities, ceremonials and rituals and the descriptions of the
lives of sadhakas who adhered to them in order to earn union with divinity.
Let those who yearn after the joys of worshipping the form do so; certainly,
it will be a sin to shatter their faith and treat it as in fructuous.

The glory of the great heroes of the spirit, those who have scaled the
highest peaks of realization, and those who attained spiritual fulfillment is
exercising immense influence on the mind of mankind. It is as a result of a
long line of such seers that the spiritual message of India has attracted the
attention of all nations. If India has been able to earn the reverence of the
world, the reason has to be sought in the precious treasure that they have
earned and preserved. Here, love of God and fear of sin have been the chief
pillars of life and the everlasting guides for living. India has won a name for
being a holy land, a land steeped in renunciation and in spiritual sadhanas
aimed at union with the Absolute, renowned for tyaga and yoga. The urges
that this culture encouraged were all directed to the conquest of the vagaries
of the mind.

The Bhakti-Yoga teaches the path of Love without any expectations.

Love all; love all as you love yourselves. No harm can come to you then. It
will only spread joy and happiness to all. God is present in all beings as
love. So Love is directed to and accepted by, not the individual but by God
who is resident there. The seeker of God who relies on the path of devotion
and dedication soon becomes aware of this fact.

Some love God as the mother, some others as the father, and some
love God as their dearest friend. There are others who regard God as the
most beloved, the only desired goal. They all endeavour to merge their Love
with the Ocean of Love that God is. Wherever Love is evident, take it that it
is God's own Love. God is the greatest Lover of mankind. Therefore, when
any one decides to serve man whom He loves, God showers Grace in plenty.
When the human heart melts at the suffering of others and expands as a
result of that sympathy, believe that God is present there. That is the sign of
the validity of the path of devotion, the Bhakti-Yoga.

2.4.3. JNANA-YOGA

The Jnana-Yogi is not convinced of the reality of any material object

in the Universe, or of any activity. He believes that he should transcend the
daily chores of life and not be bound by social or other obligations. In the
vast Ocean sat, all objects are but drops, in his view. They are all struggling
to move from the circumference to the centre, from which they manifested
through maya. The Jnana-Yogi too yearns to merge in the centre, the core of
Reality, away from the tangle of apparent diversity. He exerts himself to
become the Truth, not only to become aware of it. Of course, as soon as he is
aware of it, he becomes it. He cannot tolerate the thought that he and Truth
are separate and distinct.

The Divine is his only kith and kin. He knows none other. He does not
entertain any other urge, any other attachment, any other desire. God is all in
all. He cannot be affected by grief or joy, failure or success. He sees and
experiences only one unbroken, unchallenged stream of bliss-consciousness.
For the person who is firmly established in this state, the world and its ups
and downs appear trivial and illusory. In order to stay in that consciousness,
he has to counter the pulls of the senses and face the fascinations of the
world without any agitation of mind.

The Jnana-Yogi is vigilant against the temptations held before him by

his senses, and turning them aside; he approaches the Divine and seeks
strength and solace there. He realizes that the power and energy that vitalize
the tiniest of the tiny and the vastest of the vast is the same Divine Principle.
His actions, thoughts, and words reveal this vision he has experienced. This
is the Supra-vision (Paramartha drshti). It sees all elements - the earth, fire,
water, air and ether - as the Divine itself and all beings - man, beast, bird,
and worm - as emanations from God and therefore fully Divine.

One fact has to be noted here. If a person has this knowledge of the
immanence of the Divine, and even of its transcendence, he cannot be
honoured as a jnani. For, the knowledge has to be digested through actual
experience. This is the crucial test. It is not enough if the intellect nods
approval and is able to prove that God-head is all. The belief must penetrate
and prompt every moment of living and every act of the believer. Jnana
should not be merely a bundle of thoughts or a packet of neatly constructed
principles. The faith must enliven and motivate every thought, word and
deed. The self must be soaked in the nectar of the jnana.

The intellect is a poor instrument. For, what the intellect approves as

correct today is tomorrow rejected by the same intellect on second thoughts.
Intellect cannot judge things finally and for all time. Therefore, seek for the
experience. Once that is won, the Atman can be understood 'as all this'. That
is the Jnana- Yoga.

2.5. THE DIFFERENT MEANS FOR MOKSA ARE COMPLIMENTARY

According to Satya Sai Baba all these various means of realization are
complimentary and not contradictory. If man lives properly as a human
being it will be occasionally possible for him to turn towards the Divine, but
if man does not live as man, it will not be possible for him to even
occasionally think of the Divine. It is only when man makes an attempt to
know who he is, can he understand the Divine. Only then is there a chance
for him to enter the Atma and enjoy bliss and happiness. If we can sanctify
the work that we do, the time that we spend and sanctify the use to which we
put our body, then it will be possible to realize the truth and thus we go from
one step to another. We go from karma - sanctifying the work - to bhakti and
jnana. That is the reason why all these means must be treated as
complimentary and not contradictory.

One must recognize and see the common purpose and the essence of
these three approaches. It is not right to see only the differences and
contradictions between each other. It is only in a superficial view that these
paths are different but from the point of view of the destination, these three
are one and the same.

A piece of candy has sweetness, weight and shape; the three cannot be
separated, one from the other. Each little part of it has sweetness, weight and
shape. We do not find shape in one part, weight in another and sweetness in
a third. And when it is placed on the tongue taste is recognized, weight is
lessened and shape is modified, all at the same time. Therefore, each
individual deed must be full of the spirit of seva, of prema and of jnana. In
other words each group of life's activities must be saturated with karma,
bhakti and jnana. Factually, the Supreme Personality of God-head is the
original source of all self-realization. Consequently, the goal of all
auspicious activities - karma, bhakti and jnana - is the Supreme Personality
of God-head.

Generally, people are working to get some desired result for sense
gratification. Everyone is working to get some money, and money is used to
satisfy the senses. But, out of many millions of such fruit oriented workers,
one may become a jnani. When man becomes frustrated by working hard
and tasting all the results of karma, and when he is still not satisfied, then he
comes to the platform of knowledge. Knowledge is characterized by inquiry
- "Who am I? Why am I frustrated? Why am I confused? What is my real
position?" That is the platform of knowledge. Out of many thousands of
such persons who have attained to this platform of knowledge, one who has
actually understood what is the position of the living entities is called
liberated. And out of many thousands of such liberated persons, hardly one
can understand who the Lord is.
 Pure devotional activities are of one variety only. These devotional
activities should be coordinated with our daily, active life. Coordinating such
devotional activities with our daily activities is technically known as Karma-
Yoga. The same devotional activities when mixed with the culture of
knowledge are technically called Jnana-Yoga. But when such devotional
activities transcend the limits of all such work or mental knowledge, this
state of affairs is called pure transcendental devotion, or Bhakti-Yoga.

The liberation of the bhakta, therefore, which is called not just mukti
but vimukti, surpasses the other kinds of liberation - sayujya, sarupya,
salokya and samipya. A pure devotee always engages in pure service. Taking
birth in the upper planetary system as a demigod is a chance to become a
further purified devotee and go back home, back to God-head. Ultimately
there is only one way to attain the true liberation known as vimukti, and that
is by satisfying the Supreme Personality of God-head.

Baba says: Man's feelings and activities move along three paths
namely bhakti, karma and jnana. The first type does everything in a
dedicatory spirit of worship, which promotes purity and goodness. The
second type does actions which are service-oriented, either towards the
individual, or the society or the nation. They derive joy through such activity
and realize their life-goals there from. They feel that activity is the purpose
of living, its justification, its goal. The third type is moved by the spirit of
inquiry into the basic principles governing life and nature, or as Vedanta
states, into the tattva. Tattva is a word of two syllables---tat and tva. Tattva
means the highest and the fullest knowledge. The rays of the sun fall upon
things, both clean and dirty; they illumine good things and bad. But they are
not affected by them in the least. So too, the 'Tat' is unaffected by the
consequences of karma or the ups and downs of life. It is the serene witness
of the visaya, the observer of objective Nature. Tat is Atman. Tvam is the
ever-changing, ever-affected, nature. Tat is Atman. Tvam is an-atman. The
rational type finds joy in analyzing and discovering the Atman, discarding
the an-atman. Surprisingly the term 'rational' has taken on contrary and
crooked meanings. Its proper objective is the atmic investigation for which
man is endowed with the reasoning faculty.
These three types are actually three strands intertwined into one rope.
They cannot be untwined. A house is built of brick, mortar and wood. So
too, for the mansion called human life, bhakti, karma and jnana are
essential, just as heart, hand and head. For spiritual success one should
possess the heart of Buddha, the hands of Emperor Janaka and the head of
Sankaracarya. The three together in one, form the Love of God. 30

References
1. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Prasnottara Vahini. p.20.
2. yagnavalkyethethihovacha –
yadidam sarvam mruthyunabhipannam kena yajamano mrithyorapthi muchyatha ithi│
hothram thvrija magnina vacha vaagvai yajnasya hotha │
thadeyam vak soya magnihi sa hotha samukthihi saathi mukthihi║
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad III.i.3.
3. sarvagranthinam vipramoksah
Chandogya Upanishad VII.xxvi.2
4. samsara moksa sthiti bandha hetuh
Svetasvatara Upanishad VI.6
5. Tejobindu Upanishad II.39-41
6. etaj jnanam ca moksam
Maitri Upanishad VI.iii.8
7. Muktika Upanishad I.i.26-29
8. na nirodho na chothpathi rna baddhi nacha sadhakaha│
na mumukshu rna vaimukthaha ithyesha paramardhatha║
Mandukya Upanishad Gaudapada Karika’s II.32.
9. pravrttim ca nivrttim ca│
karyakarye bhayabhaye│
bandham moksham ca│
 ya vetti buddhih sa partha sattviki║
Bhagavad Gita. XVIII.30.
10. maam evaye prapadyante maayaam etaam tarantite – Bhagavad Gita VII.14
11. manaeva manushyaanaam kaaranam bandha moksa yoh
bandhaya visayasango muktyai nirvisayam manah
Amritabindu Upanishad.2.
12. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Satya Sai Speaks. Vol.13, p.93.
13. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Satya Sai Speaks. Vol.13, p.16.
14. Heart2Heart Journals. Vol.04, Aug 2006.Conversations with Sai-part. 23.
15. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Satya Sai Speaks. Vol.27, p.70.
16. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Summer Showers, 1977. p. 223.
17 Sri Satya Sai Baba, Summer Showers, 1990. p.17.
18. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Summer Showers, 1974. p.116.
19. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Prasnottara Vahini. pp. 42, 43.
20. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Prasnottara Vahini. pp. 46, 47.
21. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Prasnottara Vahini. pp.56, 57.
22. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Prasnottara Vahini. pp.58, 59.
23. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Prasnottara Vahini. pp. 62, 63.
24. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Prasnottara Vahini. pp. 64, 65.
25. Charlene Leslie-Chaden, A compendium of the teachings of Sri Satya Sai Baba.
p.370.
26. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Prasnottara Vahini. pp.30,31.
27. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Prasnottara Vahini. pp.32,33.
28. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Jnana Vahini. p.3.
29. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Summer Showers, 1972. p.83.
30. Sri Satya Sai Baba, Satya Sai Speaks.Vol.15, p.60.