4.2. The Nature of Liberation

Through the association of Parabrahman or the Akṣarabrahman- Guru the Satpuruṣa–who is the manifest form of Parabrahman on earth, the jīva overcomes the ignorance in the form of the kāraṇa body, to which it has been strongly attached since eternity. It also overcomes the resulting influences of kārmas, vāsanā, svabhāva and prakṛti (the forms of māyā), and thus the jīva is liberated. In this state, the jīva is able to experience its true form as being pure, knowledgeable liberated and characterized by eternal existence, consciousness and bliss.

Svāminārāyaṇa illustrates:

“The exclusive cause behind the jīva attaining liberation, transcending māyā and becoming brahmarūpa is its engagement in the jnāna, meditation, devotional songs, spiritual discourses, etc., of the manifest form of Bhagavān, who is Parabrahman. It is due to these that the jīva transgresses māyā, attains an extremely elevated state, and also attains Parabrahman’s Akṣaradhāma.” (Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/32, p.463)

In this way, the Svāminārāyaṇa School explicitly propounds that for ultimate liberation one must become brahmarūpa. Svāminārāyaṇa states:

“Jīva or īśvara becomes brahmarūpa and attains liberation.” (Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/31, p.460)

The jīva also experiences its original form as being unchanging, beyond the three guṇas and māyā, as the form of knowledge, the form of bliss and as extremely lustrous. Knowledge, devotion, bliss, and such innumerable qualities -which were concealed by the barrier of ignorance -become manifest and are experienced (Vac. 346 Sār. 18). It attains the gunātita state, transcending the three guṇas, three bodies and the emotions of the three bodies. Thus, through attachment to the manifest form of Brahman (Gunātita Satpuruṣa), the jīva becomes brahmarūpa and ultimately attains the realization of Parabrahman within its atman. In this way, through the removal of the causes of miseries, i.e. ignorance, bodily attachment, vāsanā, svabhāva, etc., the jīvātman is freed from all sufferings. Not only do all forms of suffering -mental, physical, and those of worldly dealings -end, but the jīva also attains release from the cycle of births and deaths. Further, by becoming brahmarūpa and attaining brahmabhāva, it also eternally receives the infinite and divine bliss of Parabrahman.

The important point highlighted by Svāminārāyaṇa about the form of liberation in the Svāminārāyaṇa Darśana is that it does not merely involve overcoming the three guṇas, bodies and states, and thus becoming free from all miseries; it also involves becoming brahmarūpa, realizing Paramātman and experiencing Paramātman’s eternal bliss. In short, ultimate liberation is not only being eternally free from misery but also eternally enjoying ultimate bliss. More convincingly, The Svāminārāyaṇa School of philosophy defines mukti as a state of immortality, where death and rebirth are eliminated, because their very cause, māyā or ignorance, is no more.

Svāminārāyaṇa enlightens:

“Just like a grain of rice that has had its outer chaff separated does not grow, one who... is freed from eternal ignorance in the form of māyā becomes free of birth and death.” (Vacanāmṛta Sārangpur 11, p.227)

The approach used by the Vacanāmṛta is similar to that used in the Svāminārāyaṇa Bhāṣya. Bhadreśadāsa proclaims:

“adhyātmayogādhigamena pariśuddhātmānamadhikṛtya pravartito yaḥ sākṣādabahmasvarūpaguroyogastatprasaṅga itiyāvat | tena prāptaḥ pariśuddhe svātmanyakṣarabrahmabhāvānubhavātmako yo'dhiko gamaḥ śuddhātmavijñānādapyādhikyena prāptaṃ yad brahmasākṣātkārātmakaṃ jñānamitiyāvat tenetyarthaḥ | sākṣādbrahmasvarūpagaruprasaṅgena svayamapi tatsādharmyalakṣaṇaṃ brahmarūpatvaṃ sampādyeti tu piṇḍitārthaḥ | tataḥ kiṃ karaṇīyamityaha matvā dhyātvā brahmarūpeṇa svātmanā taṃ paramātmānamupāsyetyarthaḥ | brahmarūpatvasya parabrahmopāsanā'dhikārahetutvād adhyātmayogādhigamena matvetyuktam |(Katha-upaniṣad 2/12, pp. 96-97)

“The firm association with the Brahmasvarūpa Guru is called adhyātmayoga, through which one acquires the empirical experience of Akṣarabrahmabhāva in his pure atman, this is adhigama. This brahmabhāva or Akṣarabrahmabhāva is additional to, ātmabhava which is identified as brahman-revelation. It means that to attain the redemptive virtues from the association of Akṣarabrahman and become brahmarūpa. Thereafter one should indulge in the upāsanā of Parabrahman. Only a brahmarūpa devotee is eligible to offer upāsanā to Parabrahman. That is why the mantra puts adhyatmadhigamen before devam matva (offering upāsanā to Parabrahman).”^[1]

He adds further:

“evaṃ viśiṣṭopāsanamanuṣṭhāya kiṃ labhyata iti tatphalamāha dhīraḥ dhīmattvāt paramātmaramamāṇatvācca dhairyasampannaḥ pūrvokto brahmarūpo bhaktaḥ harṣaśokau jahāti laukikaviṣayalābhā'lābhādidvandvasaṃjātānandodvegādilakṣaṇadvandvamukto bhavati |” (Katha-upaniṣad 2/12, pp.96-97)

“After offering such phenomenal upāsanā, what is attained? The answer is-the brahmarūpa devotee, becomes free of the dualities of worldly happiness and misery such as profit and loss, etc.”

The Bhagavad-Gītā also confirms this fact:

guṇānetānatītya trīndehī dehasamudbhavān |
janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhairvimukto'mṛtamaśnute ||^[2]

“When one rises above the three guṇas that originate due to māyā; one is freed from birth, old age, disease, and death; and attains mukti.”

Bhadreśadāsa comments: “dehī mumukṣuḥ dehasamudbhavān kṣetrā''kāraprakṛtipariṇāmabhūtaśarīrasambhavān etān proktān trīn sattvarajastamaākhyān guṇān atītya nityaguṇātītabrahmasvarūpagurusamāśrayaṇādibhiratikramya guṇātītabhāvaṃ prāpya brahmabhūtaḥ san janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhaiḥ triguṇanibandhanairjanmamṛtyujarādisāṃsārikakleśaiḥ vimu ktaḥ san amṛ taṃ mokṣam aśnute labhate ||” (Bhagavad-Gītā 14/20, p.300)

“An aspirant, by the company of the eternal Gunātita Guru, abjures the three guṇas; sattva, rajas, and tamas. These guṇas have emerged from the māyic body, which is the effect of māyā. In this manner, the aspirant infringes these three guṇas, becomes free from all bondage of deaths and births, and attains liberation.”

The Brahmasūtra also draws a conclusion by saying:

“paramātmaprākaṭyānubhāvakaṃ… brahma ca pratyakṣa brahmasvarūpagurūpasattyā sākṣātkṛtya mumukṣurapyanāvṛttilakṣaṇamapavargaṃ bhajata iti |” (Brahmasūtra 4/4/22, p.432)

“Through the firm refuge of the Brahmasvarūpa Guru, who is the manifest form of Parabrahman on earth, a seeker attains permanent liberation.”^[3]

Therefore, it is clear that to attain mokṣa or Paramātman, offering upāsanā to Him is indispensable. Thus, one who desires mokṣa must know Paramātman. To become eligible to offer this upāsanā, one has to become brahmarūpa and therefore must know Akṣarabrahman. And to attain this state of being brahmarūpa, one has to know the ātman.^[4]

Obviously, as we learned in the topics on jīva and īśvara, the ātman is by its very nature immortal and pure. However, liberation in the Svāminārāyaṇa School is more than just a return to an original state of being for the ātman. It is a new, higher spiritual state -indeed, the highest, perfect spiritual state -that is enriched by the direct realization of Parabrahman.

It is not just a release from the pain and limitations of transmigration but an eternal, overwhelming experience of the limitless and unending bliss of Parabrahman.

“It entails not merely the dispelling of ignorance but the positive receiving of Akṣarabrahman’s qualities. In other words, this is the pre-eminent brāhmic state, what Svāminārāyaṇa calls the state of being brahmarūpa or akṣararūpa, and described in the Bhagavad-Gītā as 'brāhmi sthiti' (2/72) or being 'brahmabhūtaḥ’” (Bhagavad-Gītā 18/54).

In this state, the liberated ātma becomes like Brahman'; that is, it receives many of the necessary qualities for the ultimate liberation of Akṣarabrahman. As Svāminārāyaṇa explains in:

“When the jīva attains a likeness to that Brahman..., then that jīva can also be said to be brahmarūpa.” (Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/20, p.439)

Convincingly, for example, by the identical descriptions found in Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 8/1/5 and then in Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 8/7/1, which relate, according to Bhadreśadāsa, to Akṣarabrahman and the liberated ātma, respectively. The verses describe both as being without evil, free from old age and death, sorrow, hunger and thirst (physical or worldly cravings) and having all desires and wishes fulfilled.^[5]

Bhadreśadāsa provides a detailed justification of the referents of both these verses. He elaborates them with their different context—one for Akṣarabrahman in Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 8/1/5 and the liberated ātma in Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 8/7/1. In the latter, Bhadreśadāsa enunciates that the first six qualities -being without evil and free of old age, death, sorrow, hunger thirst -are the liberated self's innate qualities, whereas the last two -having all desires and wish fulfilled -are received by association with Akṣarabrahman. He also emphasizes that this latter, not just a description of the liberated ātma but an instruction to spiritually liken and join on with the living Akṣarabrahman Guru as a way to that liberated state.^[6] 350

The need to become brahmarūpa and transcend ignorance is the main teaching and preachings of Svāminārāyaṇa and Guṇatitanand Svāmī.

“This is not only for personal spiritual fulfillment and safety, they explain, but also to be able to devote oneself to Parabrahman fully. The only one who is brahmarūpa is worthy of offering devotion to Puruṣottama.” (Vacanamrut Loyā 7, p.303)

Closely after this statement, Svāminārāyaṇa cites a similar declaration found in.

“He who becomes brahmarūpa (brahmabhūtaḥ)... attains my supreme devotion.” (Bhagavad-Gītā 18/54)

Svāminārāyaṇa unpacks this brāhmic state, which is procured through the oneness with Akṣarabrahman, as one of personal holiness, ethical perfection, absolute fulfillment, freedom from māyā (kāma and base instincts), and singular devotion to and total indulging in Parabrahman. The best way to elaborate upon these aspects is to understand them in the two contexts that the state can be experienced -after death, in Akṣaradhāma, and while alive, on earth. Thus, Svāminārāyaṇa has accepted two types of liberation: jīvanamukti and videhamukti. Before we proceed to elaborate on these two types of liberation, at this point, an important distinction needs to be drawn between a brahmarūpa self ('being like Brahman') and Brahman itself.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

itthamihā'dhyātmayogādhigamena devaṃ matveti padatrayeṇa dehatrayādivimuktaśuddhātmasvarūpavijñānaṃ tādṛśe pariśuddhātmani ca brahmarūpatvā''pādanaṃ tadarthaṃ cā'kṣarabrahmasvarūpaguroḥ sākṣādyogastataśca puruṣottamaparabrahmopāsanamiti nirṇayacatuṣṭayamupadiṣṭam | (Katha-upaniṣad 2/12, pp.96-97). harṣaśokāviti tūpalakṣaṇaṃ sarvavidhamāyikadoṣāṇāmataḥ sarvamāyikadoṣān parityajya triguṇātītaḥ sa ihaiva brāhmī sthitimanubhavatīti bhāvaḥ

[2]:

Bhagavad-Gītā 14/20

[3]:

svātmabrahmaikyena yadupāsanabalād upāsako'pi 'eṣa ete tarati | nainaṃ kṛtākṛte tapataḥ' -bṛ. 4/ 4/ 22, 'eṣa nityo mahimā brāhmaṇasya na vardhate karmaṇā no kanīyān tasyaiva syāt padavittaṃ viditvā na lipyate karmaṇā pāpakeneti' (bṛ. 4/ 4/ 23(, 'sarvaṃ pāpmānaṃ tarati' (bṛ. 4/ 4/ 23(, 'ye tad viduramṛtāste bhavanti' (bṛ. 4/ 4/ 14(, "taṃ na kaścana pāpmā tarati' (chā. 8/ 6/ 3(, 'udeti ha vai sarvebhyaḥ pāpmabhyo ya evaṃ veda' (chā. 1/ 6/ 7(, 'sarvāṇyenaṃ vāmānyabhisaṃyanti ya evaṃ veda' -chā. 4/ 15/ 2(, 'sarvāṇi vāmāni nayati' -chā. 4/ 15/ 3, 'sarveṣu lokeṣu bhāti' (chā. 4/ 15/ 4, 'buddhiyukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛtaduṣkṛte' (gī. 2/ 50(, 'iti māṃ yo'bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate' (gī. 4/ 14)

[4]:

This is explicitly and repeatedly corroborated by such important adjectives as 'amṛta' {literally, 'immortal'} found to describe the liberated self in the Upaniṣads (Īśa-upaniṣad 11, 14; Kena-upaniṣad 1/2, 2/4, 2/5; Katha-upaniṣad 1/28, 6/2, 6/9, 6/14, 6/15; Praśna-upaniṣad 1/10, 3/11, 3/12; Mundaka-upaniṣad 3/2/9; Taittiriya-upaniṣad 1/10/1; Aitareya-upaniṣad 3/4; Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 1/4/4, 1/4/5; Brhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 1/3/28, 2/4/2, 2/4/3, 4/4/7, 4/4/14, 4/4/17, 4/5/4, 5/14/8) and the Bhagavad-Gītā (13/12, 14/20). We also learned in the chapter on Akṣarabrahman that Akṣaradhāma, the abode of Parabrahman where liberated selfs eternally rest in communion with him, is a place from where there is no return to a transmigratory existence (Vacanāmṛta Sārangpur 14; Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 4/15/6, Brhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 6/2/15, Bhagavad-Gītā 8/21, 15/6, Brahmasūtras 4/4/22).

[5]:

ya ātmāpahatapāpmā vijaro vimṛtyurviśoko vijighatso'pipāsaḥ satyakāmaḥ satyasaṃkalpaḥ so'nveṣṭavyaḥ sa vijijñāsitavyaḥ sa sarvānśca lokānāpnoti sarvānśca kāmānyastamātmānamanuvidya vijānātīti ha prajāpatiruvāca || (Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 8/7/1)

[6]:

Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 8/7/1, pp.367–368