MUMUKSHUTVA
Adi Sankara says,
“DURLABHAM TRAYAM
EVAITAT DEVANUGRAHA HETUKAM
MANUSHYATVAM
MUMUKSHUTVAM MAHAPURUSHA SAMSHRAYAH”
(Manhood, burning desire for liberation (Mumukshutvam), the
capacity to completely surrender to a man of wisdom - These three things are
rare indeed, and wherever they are found, they are due to the Lord’s own Grace)
- (Vivekachudamani)
1. In this life, one
takes so much for granted. What one does not realize is that, just being born
as a human being is a rare blessing in itself. Amongst the multitudes of
billions of organisms (living beings), only a few are given the opportunity of
being born as humans. That by itself, should be considered as our privilege and
utilized with utmost respect.
2. Even if one is born
as a human, not everyone gets the desire or drive to work towards liberation (Moksha).
A very few of the few beings are inspired with this desire.
Swami Chinmayananda
writes -
“To employ in life, a deep discriminative understanding and to
perceive the ultimate futility of all the ordinary mundane pursuits of life and
thereby discover an enthusiasm to seek a nobler path of self-redemption is
rarest of all!!
3. In spite of being
inspired to attain Moksha, not everyone is lucky enough to get the company and
proximity of the learned and enlightened.
Those who are blessed
with the above three are truly fortunate. They should make use of every ounce of
it and count their blessings along the way.
After Vairagya and Shad Sampat are attained, the mind moves towards the source of its own accord, because it
has lost its hold now on external objects. It has no resting place in this
objective universe. Purification of the mind and mental discipline form the
rock-bottom foundation of yoga.
When this is
effectuated, the longing for liberation dawns by itself. Mumukshutva is coupled
with burning Vairagya. Self-Realization will come within the twinkling of an
eye.
That aspirant who is
endowed with these four qualifications should hear the Srutis (scriptures) from
a Brahma Nishta Guru (Preceptor who is established in Brahman), and then
reflect and meditate on the inner Self. He will soon get Self-Realization.
The Four Stages of
Mumukshutva:
The spark of yearning
for the Divine, whether it is small or big, exists in every human being. It is
this spark which starts one on the quest for lasting happiness. It may be just
a seed, but when conditions and circumstances are made favorable, it can germinate
into an irresistible yearning for God that is unstoppable by any force on
earth.
i) Tivra Stage: In this stage one
wants nothing but Moksha. The experience of the world becomes intolerable and
only the balm of liberation would ease the anguish one feels. There is no
waiting time left, he simply has to “let it go.” Such is the intense,
burning aspiration for God at the highest level.
ii) Madhyam Stage: In this stage, one
moves about like a pendulum between deep desire for God and forgetfulness of
Him. The Shastras say that such a person will need three more births to get
freedom.
iii) Manda Stage: This person knows
about the need for Moksha, but postpones it or later. “This is not the age for
it,” he says, when he is full of vigor and vitality. “I will see to when I am
old.” Such a person, say the Shastras, gets liberation at the end of
a Yuga.
iv) Ati-Manda Stage:
This
man thinks that attaining liberation is like winning a lottery, that he will
just stumble on it one day! The Shastras say that such a person NEVER gets
liberated, there is not a chance to “win this lottery”.
In author’s own
experience, after His Master, the Lord of Lords, Sri Sathya Sai gave that one glance
to the author in SK Hall in August 2010 during the Parthi Yatra and with that Swami
ignited the fire of Mumukshutva in the author.
Without adequate interest
in reading Srutis, he hardly knew what Mumukshutva really meant up to that
period, but he experienced it in absolute terms and later, after a week or so,
when he picked up Vivekachudamani and
read the initial chapter, he could relate to his inner experience.
In the fire of Mumukshutva
ignited by the grace of Swami who knew that in physical terms, that was the
last glance He is giving for His devotee, the author comes back, takes
up books on Vedanta treatise which he had never read much earlier and he
experienced as though the whole Muscat city, the whole Oman country, the whole
world and beyond the earth, even all the worlds, were burning in the fire of
Mumukshutva lit up within.
Author has shared
the experience not to talk about himself but to give you exactly what
Mumukshutva means, as an experience, as a state of existence, in spiritual
sadhana.
From that time onwards, in his pursuit of higher SELF, all other priorities, likes, dislikes in life took the last seat and from there, they disappeared very fast.
When Mumukshutva is lit up to that extent, then, one develops such a craving for Moksha that he cannot settle down for anything else in life.
Hari Aum Tatsat.
