MOKSHA OR EMANCIPATION

 

Every individual born on earth is expected to achieve Four important things in life. They are called the “PURUSHARTHAS.” They are 1 Dharma or righteousness 2 Artha or earning wealth 3 Kama or Desire and finally 4 Moksha  or Emancipation. In fact that is the basis for the life of man on earthI . it is also the purpose for which man is born. Man is expected to lead a life of Dharma or righteousness laid down by the Vedas and other scriptures. He should do things prescribed by the Vedas and avoid those prohibited. Artha means money. It is impossible to live without Money and one has to earn money for his livelihood. Sikshavalli  of Taittiriya Upanishad ordains, “ Satyam vada, Dharmam chara, swadhyayaan pramadaha,  Achaaryapriyam dhanamahrutya..”---Speak the Truth always; Follow Dharma; Do not neglect reading the Vedas; Lead a Vedic life following the path of Satya and Dharma. In other words, all earnings should be in accordance with Satya and Dharma.  

Kama means Desire or Wish.  For every aspect of life Dharma should be the basis. Money has to be earned in a righteous manner, not in devious ways. Similarly all desires must be satisfied according to the rules laid down in Dharma. In fact desires are too many and man is never satiated when a desire is fulfilled. One desire leads to another and there is no end for it! Man in this world is the victim of multiple unquenched desires! His craving has no end at all He is ready to go to any extent to satisfy his desires! This attitude leads to his ultimate doom. But a desire according to Dharma shall surely satisfy him and  lead  to progress. So man has to follow the path of Dharma, earn his wealth through the principles of righteousness, and at the same time satisfy his desires according to the tenets of Dharma! Any deviation from the path of Dharma is taboo and looked down upon

The last and final aspect of Man’s life on earth is Moksha or emancipation or salvation. Many definitions are prevalent on it. It is believed that Moksha  is a state obtained after death! It is also said that Moksha is a state of supreme bliss unperturbed by any mundane disturbances and troubles. It is all imagination and we do not have any evidence to know what it is! None has come down to earth to explain what Moksha  is after enjoying it! People believe that a good person, pious and religious, devoted to God and one who serves humanity selflessly shall surely attain Moksha or salvation. Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Saibaba  gives a wonderful definition for the word Moksha! “ Moha kshaya is Moksha, ie  giving up attachment is liberation. When you gradually reduce attachment, that itself leads you to liberation

Most of us are unfit to attain Moksha because we are unable to achieve Moha Kshaya or reduce our attachments! From the child’s birth attachments add on to it. Even as it grows up these attachments increase in leaps and bounds. Involved in his material existence, man increases his burden of attachments and finds it extremely difficult to get rid of it! He is immersed in the inextricable cycle of Samsara or family life. His attachment to his wife, children, kith and kin, property weigh him down  and there is absolutely no chance for him to think of anything else, leave alone Moksha! Under the illusion of Maya he thinks that he is right while it is not so! As long as this “ mamakara” or attachment persists there is no chance of obtaining Moksha  or emancipation. One of the Azwars describes samsara or family life as a great ocean.  Desire is the waters of the ocean!  The wind of love and lust has roused the waves in the ocean! Wife is the moat! Sons are the alligators ready to swallow! Samsara is a great Ocean “ mahati  jaladhau”!  O Lord! Grant me the boat of Bhakthi to cross it”

Does it mean that Man can never attain Moksha because he is drowned in the sea of Samsara?  No! The majority of people in the world are involved in their material existence and are not bothered about moksha or salvation. But here and there, a class of rare men spring up with amazing qualities of non attachment, devotion, piety, determination, and commitment for selfless service to humanity!  A child Dhruva who left everything for the vision of Lord Vishnu, child Prahlada the ardent devotee of Sri Hari and the son of the inveterate enemy of Vishnu are perfect examples of pure non attachment or Vairagya!  There are many more illustrious people like the sage Valmiki who from being a robber,  transformed himself into the Adi Kavi of the Ramayana!  In our own days we have the great Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the epitome of Non attachment  and a model for selfless service to humanity! Saint Sri Thyagaraja is another example of one with family but who transcended all family responsibilities in his tapas on Sri Rama! There is absolutely no doubt that these eminent personalities have attained MOKSHA because of their Non attachment!!