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jeevan-mukta - Slokam 47 of acyuta Satakam.

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champakam • February 20, 2003 


This is in response to the query from "Vijayalu", attached below, 
regarding the use of the term "jIvan mukta" by svAmi deSikan in 
Slokam 47 of acyuta Satakam.  The Slokam is

   vishaya-rase viraktA vikAra jananairapi na khalu vikriyamANAh   |
   jIvan-mukta-sadRSA acyuta dRSyante pAvaNAS-tava bhaktAh  ||

The approximate translation from SrI SriramdeSikAcharya svAmi's LIFCO
publication titled "SrI deSika stotra-s", is:

"O acyuta! Your devotees are not distracted by trivial pleasures, and 
their mind is not swayed by objects that normally attract the senses. 
They remain very pure, and as a result, they appear like people who 
have attained mukti in this world itself".  

In his detailed vyAkhyAnam, Sri Sriramdesikacharya explains that even 
though these devotees are still in this world, they are 
uninterruptedly immersed in bhagavad anubhavam, and thus are like the 
mukta-s in SrI vaikunTham in this aspect.  

Th following is an excerpt from the explanation provided by SrI SrI 
D. Ramaswamy Iyengar in his book explaining the Sloka-s of acyuta 
Satakam:

"The term jIvan-mukta is an advaitic term and has no place in 
viSishTAdvaita philosophy or SrI vaishNava sampradAya.  By realizing 
that the world is an illusion and there is nought but Brahman, an 
advaiti becomes Brahman-conscious and identifies himself with 
Brahman – aham brahmosmi.  At that stage of realization he is 
referred to as a jIvan-mukta.

"This concept is quite foreign and wholly opposed to viSisTAdvaita, 
which believes only in videha-mukti, or moksha after casting off the 
body.  AcArya rAmAnuja has refuted the jIvan-mukta theory in his SrI 
bhAshya in unmistakable terms.

"At the same time there are experiences and utterances of the AzhvArs 
and AcArya-s which tend to make out a case for the enjoyment of mukti 
even while continuing in this earth.  

"It is true that there is basis in the Upanishads themselves to 
support this line of thought so well postulated and popularized by 
the AzhvArs, vide – amRta iha bhavati, atra brahma samSnute, meaning 
respectively `such a person is deathless even here, on this earth', 
and `He enjoys Brahman here itself'.  The AzhvArs' sayings are far 
more explicit.  SvAmi deSika has beautifully depicted this line of 
thought and enjoyment in verse 33 of his adhikAra sa'ngraham (taken 
from uttara kRtyAdhikAram of his rahasya traya sAra).  This is 
translated as:  `All the loving services that the Eternals and muktas 
in vaikunTha render to paramapada nAtha there – the great ones of 
this earth who have learned the tamizh Vedas of sweet essence perform 
here in this world with eclat'.  

`They are here referred to as jIvan-mukta-sadRSa-s.  Their mentality 
and outlook on life are pictured in the first and second lines of the 
Sloka (Sloka 47 of acyuta Satakam).

In SrI ra'nganAtha pAdukA Oct. 2002 issue, jIvan-mukta is defined 
as "jIvantaSca te mukta-sadRSASca jIvan-mukta sadRSAh, jIvantas-
santah mukta-sadRSA ityarthah".  The idea is:  They are alive in this 
earth, and they are like mukta-s in their total dedication and 
enjoyment of bhagavAn".

Bhagavad rAmAnuja has refuted the concept of jIvan-mukta as viewed by 
the advaitins in his SrI bhAshyam.  I do not have the reference for 
this, and others are invited to elaborate.
  
-Krishnamachari
  
From:  "vijayalu"  
Date:  Sun Feb 16, 2003  3:11 am
Subject:  Re: Clarification

DEAR SIR,

While I was whiffing thru the pages of Desika Stothrani published by
Nrishma Priya trust, I read a slokam of Vedanta Desikan in Achyutha 
Sathakam
Verse 47, in which Swami mentions about Jeevan Mukthargal........ " 
Jeevan
Muktha sadhrusaH achyutha theerurysyanthe Bhaavanas thava bhakthaha". 
( sorry
for any wrong english dictum). Please enlighten me further about this 
verse
and what Swami meant in this.
Many thanks
VKV





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