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MORE ON JEEVAN- MUKHTI

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jasn sn • May 10, 2002 


SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMA:

Regarding the untenability of Jeevan Mukhti:-

# Since Release or Libeartion pertains to moving from
manifested to unmanifest form, it can not (for the
sake of arguement) happen while the jiva is still
inside the manifested body.

# The 'prayojana' (use) of the body is to facilitate
the Jiva to work out the karma. Once release from
karma is attained on account of the eligibility for
Liberation, there is no further need for the body.
Hence it is to be shed.

Now on to excerpts from texts on this:-

"TO HIM WHO IS AND HAS A BODY, THERE IS NO DESTRUCTION
OF THE PLEASING AND THE UNPLEASING; THE PLEASING AND
THE UNPLEASING TOUCH NOT HIM WHO IS AND HAS NO BODY'
(CNHANDOGYA)

can this be interpreted that liberation from the
pleasing and the unpleasing can happen to the one who
has left his body? ( comments please)

There is some reference to jeevan Mukhti in  Sri
Bhashya to Brahma sutra (swami Vireswarananda and
swami Adi devanada)

The sutra 4.2.7 says,

"DEPARTURE OF The INDIVIDUAL SELF FROM THE BODY)IS
COMMON (FOR TEH KNOWER AND THE IGNORANT) UPTO THE
BEGINNING OF THE PATH; AND IMMORTALITY ( OF THE KNOWER
IS OBTAINED) WITHOUT HAVING BURNED."

Inference:- 
* departure of the Jiva for reaching immortality is
common by leaving the body.

* there is the talk of the ignorant and the knower
which is not within the scope of the topic we ahve
taken up for discussion, namely , Liberation.

*Since it is indicated that the Knower alone reaches
immortality, this sutra can be interpreted to  imply
what happens to both the ignorant soul and the
knowee-soul upon leaving the body. Both go in the same
path upto a certain extent in the begining and later
the knower-soul reaches immortality.

*what is this extent - through which both the
liberated and the jiva to be reborn travel? (refer)
Chandogya which says," There are a hundred and one
arteries of the heart; of these, one passes up to the
crown of the head; going up through that, one attains
immortality; the others are for departing in other
directions."

Another from Brahadaranyaka upa : " The individual
self departs by that light either through the eye, or
through the head, or through other bodily parts".

* what these imply is that the Jiva leaving the body
is the first step for Mukhti (or for the ignorant who
will have to be reborn)

*Now why is it said that the knower-Jiva obtains
immortality 'without having burned'?
the explanation is given that 'without burning
connection of the soul with the body and the senses'
the Jiva attains immortality-- A very clear indication
of release from every kind of bhandam including the
body.

BS 4.2.8
"THAT (i.e. IMMORTALITY IS AS STATED ABOVE ); BECAUSE,
UPTO THE ATTAINMENT OF BRAHMAN, THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES
THE STATE OF SAMSARA."
*samsara continues till the attainment of immortality.

Samsara can be interpreted to mean connection with the
body. Because texts have this to say:-
" shaking off the evil, just as the horse shakes off
hairs,and as the moon releases himself from the mouth
of Rahu, I, a perfected self, having shaken off the
body, attain the uncreated world of Brahman" (Chando
gya)
"And for him the delay is only as long as he is not
freed from the body" (Chan)

One example from Ramayana -
Even Vishnu-incarnated Rama didnot leave for Parama
padam in his body. He was  said have entered the
Sarayu along with the people of Ayodhya (Mass
suicide?)
sarayu became the 'hetu' to reach  the immortal world
as  Rama took all living things -"Anmda
chara-chrangalaiyum vaikundathetri"- so goes the
saying.

Regards

jayasree sarnathan


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