Q: Can you please tell me what is moksa or salvation and how does one attain it?
A: Vedic texts recognize five types of liberation (moksa, mukti).
Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) 3.29.13:
salokya-sarsti-samipya-sarupyaikatvam apy utadiyamanam na grhnantivina mat-sevanam janah
salokya--living on the same planet; sarsti--having the same opulence; samipya--to be a personal associate; sarupya--having the same bodily features; ekatvam--oneness; api--also; uta--even; diyama--nam--being offered; na--not; grhnanti--do accept; vina--without; mat--My; sevanam--devotional service; janah--pure devotees.
A pure devotee does not accept any kind of liberation--salokya, sarsti, samipya, sarupya or ekatva--even though they are offered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 9.4.67:
mat-sevaya pratitam tesalokyadi-catustayamnecchanti sevaya purnahkuto 'nyat kala-viplutam
mat-sevaya--by being engaged fully in My transcendental loving service; pratitam--automatically achieved; te--such pure devotees are fully satisfied; salokya-adi-catustayam--the four different types of liberation (salokya, sarupya, samipya and sarsti, what to speak of sayujya); na--not; icchanti--desire; sevaya--simply by devotional service; purnah--fully complete; kutah--where is the question; anyat--other things; kala-viplutam--which are finished in the course of time.
My devotees, who are always satisfied to be engaged in My loving service, are not interested even in the four principles of liberation [salokya, sarupya, samipya and sarsti], although these are automatically achieved by their service. What then is to be said of such perishable happiness as elevation to the higher planetary systems?
Ekatva, onenesss, is also called sayujya. Here are two relevant paraphrases of Vedanta-sutra:
"Many upanisadic passages describe liberation as the absorption of the soul into Brahman. This initial stage of the soul's entry into the effulgent Brahman sphere is called sayujya-mukti. Having attained the spiritual world, the soul may attain four higher kinds of mukti, all of which share the quality of unity established in sayujya-mukti. (Vs 4.4.4)
"The liberated soul is an enjoyer. In sayujya-mukti, the soul enjoys transcendental bliss without a spiritual body like a sleeping person enjoys dreams. The bliss of personal liberation, in which the soul manifests a spiritual body, is far greater. The desire of the liberated soul to enjoy is not materially motivated, for his pleasure is the mercy of the Supreme Lord." (Vs 4.4.13-14)
Vaishnava theology says that an individual 'soul' (jiva) ascends from the material world to the spiritual realm, passing through brahmajyoti (spiritual rays of God's abodes) and ends up where her eternal position (svarupa, 'inherent form') is, i.e. in relationship with a particular form of God - Krishna, Rama, Visnu, etc. (They are not only avataras but also have their own abodes.) This is nicely narrated in Sanatana Gosvami's Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrta, '(great) nectar of the (great) Bhagavata Purana'.
The main difference between monistic and monotheistic version is about the end situation. Vaisnavas do not consider be in the brahmajyoti a permanent position as per Bhagavata Purana 10.2.32, etc.
So sayujya is not really a liberation because it is not permanent. The efforts of brahma-vadis, impersonalists, are therefore misplaced. The other four types can be achieved only by bhakti, devotional service to the Lord. Thus bhakti is considered the real mukti and pure devotees don't aspire for anything else. There are nine processes of bhakti listed in SB 7.5.23-24:
sri-prahrada uvacasravanam kirtanm visnohsmaranam pada-sevanamarcanam vandanam dasyamsakhyam atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita visnaubhaktis cen nava-laksanakriyeta bhagavaty addhatan manye 'dhitam uttamam
Prahlada Maharaja said: 'Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of the Lord, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) -- these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krishna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.'
These processes are executed under the guidance of advanced devotees. In the beginning they may be done out of a sense of duty. Later, as the practitioner advances in his love for the Lord, these items of devotional service are carried out spontaneously.
adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriyatato 'nartha-nivrttih syattato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavastatah premabhyudancatisadhakanam ayam premnahpradurbhave bhavet kramah
"In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krishna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life."
Vaisnavas follow sadhana-bhakti, a system of rules that ensures the strength necessary for this progress in devotional life. They also follow a basic set of rules and regulations called "the four regulative principles" - no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex, no gambling and no intoxication. (SB 1.17.38, also see Mbh 2.61.20-21, BG 16.1-3, 18.42, SB 1.16.26-30, 3.25.21, 5.5.24, 11.5.11, Muktaphala-tika quoted in CC Madhya 20.59p.) Garuda Purana 2.2.23-24 lists panca pravahana ("five boats to cross the ocean of material existence"): tulasi, brahmanas, cows, Visnu, Ekadasi
Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) 3.29.13:
salokya-sarsti-samipya-sarupyaikatvam apy utadiyamanam na grhnantivina mat-sevanam janah
salokya--living on the same planet; sarsti--having the same opulence; samipya--to be a personal associate; sarupya--having the same bodily features; ekatvam--oneness; api--also; uta--even; diyama--nam--being offered; na--not; grhnanti--do accept; vina--without; mat--My; sevanam--devotional service; janah--pure devotees.
A pure devotee does not accept any kind of liberation--salokya, sarsti, samipya, sarupya or ekatva--even though they are offered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 9.4.67:
mat-sevaya pratitam tesalokyadi-catustayamnecchanti sevaya purnahkuto 'nyat kala-viplutam
mat-sevaya--by being engaged fully in My transcendental loving service; pratitam--automatically achieved; te--such pure devotees are fully satisfied; salokya-adi-catustayam--the four different types of liberation (salokya, sarupya, samipya and sarsti, what to speak of sayujya); na--not; icchanti--desire; sevaya--simply by devotional service; purnah--fully complete; kutah--where is the question; anyat--other things; kala-viplutam--which are finished in the course of time.
My devotees, who are always satisfied to be engaged in My loving service, are not interested even in the four principles of liberation [salokya, sarupya, samipya and sarsti], although these are automatically achieved by their service. What then is to be said of such perishable happiness as elevation to the higher planetary systems?
Ekatva, onenesss, is also called sayujya. Here are two relevant paraphrases of Vedanta-sutra:
"Many upanisadic passages describe liberation as the absorption of the soul into Brahman. This initial stage of the soul's entry into the effulgent Brahman sphere is called sayujya-mukti. Having attained the spiritual world, the soul may attain four higher kinds of mukti, all of which share the quality of unity established in sayujya-mukti. (Vs 4.4.4)
"The liberated soul is an enjoyer. In sayujya-mukti, the soul enjoys transcendental bliss without a spiritual body like a sleeping person enjoys dreams. The bliss of personal liberation, in which the soul manifests a spiritual body, is far greater. The desire of the liberated soul to enjoy is not materially motivated, for his pleasure is the mercy of the Supreme Lord." (Vs 4.4.13-14)
Vaishnava theology says that an individual 'soul' (jiva) ascends from the material world to the spiritual realm, passing through brahmajyoti (spiritual rays of God's abodes) and ends up where her eternal position (svarupa, 'inherent form') is, i.e. in relationship with a particular form of God - Krishna, Rama, Visnu, etc. (They are not only avataras but also have their own abodes.) This is nicely narrated in Sanatana Gosvami's Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrta, '(great) nectar of the (great) Bhagavata Purana'.
The main difference between monistic and monotheistic version is about the end situation. Vaisnavas do not consider be in the brahmajyoti a permanent position as per Bhagavata Purana 10.2.32, etc.
So sayujya is not really a liberation because it is not permanent. The efforts of brahma-vadis, impersonalists, are therefore misplaced. The other four types can be achieved only by bhakti, devotional service to the Lord. Thus bhakti is considered the real mukti and pure devotees don't aspire for anything else. There are nine processes of bhakti listed in SB 7.5.23-24:
sri-prahrada uvacasravanam kirtanm visnohsmaranam pada-sevanamarcanam vandanam dasyamsakhyam atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita visnaubhaktis cen nava-laksanakriyeta bhagavaty addhatan manye 'dhitam uttamam
Prahlada Maharaja said: 'Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of the Lord, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) -- these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krishna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.'
These processes are executed under the guidance of advanced devotees. In the beginning they may be done out of a sense of duty. Later, as the practitioner advances in his love for the Lord, these items of devotional service are carried out spontaneously.
adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriyatato 'nartha-nivrttih syattato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavastatah premabhyudancatisadhakanam ayam premnahpradurbhave bhavet kramah
"In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Krishna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life."
Vaisnavas follow sadhana-bhakti, a system of rules that ensures the strength necessary for this progress in devotional life. They also follow a basic set of rules and regulations called "the four regulative principles" - no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex, no gambling and no intoxication. (SB 1.17.38, also see Mbh 2.61.20-21, BG 16.1-3, 18.42, SB 1.16.26-30, 3.25.21, 5.5.24, 11.5.11, Muktaphala-tika quoted in CC Madhya 20.59p.) Garuda Purana 2.2.23-24 lists panca pravahana ("five boats to cross the ocean of material existence"): tulasi, brahmanas, cows, Visnu, Ekadasi
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