JIVAN MUKHTI
Evam cha vedaanta-vaakyaih; sadguru-upadeshena cha;
sarveshu api bhooteshu
yeshaam brahma-buddhih utpannaa;
te jeevan-muktaah, iti
arthah.
Thus, by the words of Vedanta and the teachings of the Sadguru,
those in whom, in all beings, the vision of the Truth has been awakened,
they are the liberated ones. This is the meaning.
There are many ways in which the general public tries to assess saints and
sages. There criteria are invariably tied up with their own desires. If a saint
gives them what they want, he is a Mahatma! Indeed, a saint may do much to help
people by alleviating them from suffering, blessing them, caring for them,
advising them, etc.
But those are not the key factors that mark him as a realized being. This verse
strikes at the very root of sainthood. Without the quality mentioned, a saint
is not realized.
The verse also states that to each person, God is as he is. If a person is very
body conscious, he will see God that way, also, and put Him in a body. If a
person is unlimited by his body or mind, then that is what God will be to him.
The culmination of realization is that one sees the Self in all beings. It is
not that I am the Self and all else are demons.
The waves are nothing but water in essence. Sat chit ananda alone is appearing
in all these names and forms.
Jivan Mukti – Liberation while living
Jivan Mukti means that I continue to face the challenges in life. At the same
time, I am free from these unhealthy responses. All unhealthy responses are
emotional problems called Samsara.
It
is purely at the mental or psychological level and not at the physical level –
because it is knowledge and therefore gives benefit at the mental level.
The three benefits of Jivan Mukhti are :
Independence – Svatantriyam
The first and most important benefit is independence. I am
mentally emotionally
or psychologically an independent person. This means that the presence or
absence of things will not affect me emotionally.
Only when I am dependent on external factors, their presence and absence will
affect me emotionally. Jnanam gives me independence from all setup – whether it
is a person or situation or an object. I don’t seek company nor do I feel
lonely.
Fullness – Purnatvam
The second benefit is Purnatvam – sense of fulfillment in life. I know I am the
Atma which is not confined to this body but I am the Atman which is Sat Chit
Ananda Svaroopa and therefore I am free from limitation. Nothing is away from
me. Everything belongs to me. There is no sense of isolation or
rejection.
If I am a person, I can be rejected. But nobody can reject me because I am all
pervading. Sense of isolation, sense of rejection and sense of limitation go
away just as space cannot be rejected by anyone, I the Atma cannot be rejected
by anyone.
Balance of Mind – Samattvam
The third benefit is Samattvam. This means the emotional strength to face ups
and downs of life. Jnanam becomes a great shock absorber. Similarly, in life I
cannot control my future situation where many things are beyond my
control.
But by Jnanam even the worst troubles may affect me sometimes, but not
permanently.
It is to be noted that physically we will surely have to depend on the world.
We require food, clothing and shelter. We will never get physical independence.
But psychologically we may be able to become independent. This is called Jivan
Mukhti. The word literally means Freedom while Living.
Continued……
Love.
