Answers to Qs by Venkat Machiraju on Visistadvaita. (Moksha?)

[Guest guest]

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha Jai Sreemannarayana!

 

Dear Devotees: Please accept our Humble Pranams

 

Priya Sri Venkat Machiraju:

 

We are very glad that you have shown an interest in these topics.

 

"Philosophers have spent their life discussing and pondering on this topic"

but we will do our best to explain based on purvacharyas commentaries.

 

First we will re-write your questions and then the reply, One Q at a time.

(Other knowledgeable devotees, please feel free to pitch in)

 

Question1

What is moksha, is it merging in God. Is it staying in Vaikunta eternally?

 

Answer1:

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(adiyEn will give details of what is Atma (cit) , Matter (acit) & Ishwara

(Paramatma) in the next mail.

This is needed to understand the other concepts)

 

Jivatmas are of three Grades, (gradation is to a very limited extent)

 

1st and most unique are the NityaSuris (Eternally Free), e.g: AdiSesha, Garuda,

Vishvaksena, Sudarshana etc.

These Jiva Atmas have never been in bondage of Karma and Samsara,

They have always been in etrenal Service and attendance to HIM.

 

2nd are the Mukta Atmas (Liberated ones): Evolving through the forms of bodies,

and many janmas (births)

they eventually attain moksha through spiritual disciplines and surrender to the

LORD (out of HIS grace)

 

By the Grace of LORD they are liberated from Samsara and raised to the divine

status in Vaikuntha

In Vaikuntha the Jiva Athmas are given Suddha sattva body.

Now being free from the load of Karma, their Dharmabhuta Gyana now attains to

its maximum expansion.

But the Jiva still has the Aomic nature only (Anutva), distinguishing them from

GOD, who is Infinity (Aantam).

 

In Vaikuntha these Jivas become engaged in HIS eternal selfless service,

or become absorbed in the Bliss of Brahman.

 

All these Jivas get the Knowledge and Bliss as GOD, but not in Power.

They can NEVER become GOD as NARAYANA alone is the great cause of this Universe.

(HE allows the Srushti)

 

3rd are the Bound Jiva Athmas (Baddhas): These Atmas, not liberated are in the

Cycle of Samsara,

evolving gradually going through birth and deaths. Eventually they will also get

salvataion out of the GRACE of

LORD. (After millions, billions births etc)

 

Uniqueness in Ramanuja Sampradaya:

==============================

Salvation is open to ALL. (Not just to a select few)

 

There are NO Nitya-Samsaris (Eternally bound Jiva Athmas), all the Atmas are HIS

property and

will go BACK to HIS eternal Service. (Some may go in this Janma some after many

many janmas)

 

 

There is NO Jivanmukti, or liberation for Jiva Athma, while the body is alive.

 

The knowledge generated by Vedantic studies and spiritual pursuits, can raise a

person to a state of Steady Wisedom (Sthitapragjna - 2nd Chapter of Bhagawath

Gita)

This Jiva may also have Gyana and Bhakthi of the highgest form, but is still not

Liberated Yet.

 

Only with the Grace of the Lord a Jiva Athma gets the above said knowledge as

well,

and with HIS Grace when the body fo Such a devotee dies, the Jiva Athma passes

throught the

subtler regions of the cosmos (Vayu Loka, Varuna, Aditya, Indra, Prajapati and

Brahma Loka)

and then to Vaikuntha where the Jiva Athma get a divine body of Suddhasattva.

 

Here the Jiva Athma's dharmabhuta gyana becomes all pervasive, like that of Lord

himself,

The Atma here becomes the all-knowing one (Not while at earth, with the Bodily

associations)

and becomes engrossed in the service of the LORD.

 

The Atma is eternally different from the LORD, in bondage and in freedom (at

vaikuntha)

and he never gets the power of Creation (which is unique charecteristic of LORD)

 

Answers to Q4 and Q5: Yes once the Atma is realized (with HIS Grace) that his

being is only a Sarira

(Body of GOD), and therefore he is Sesa (Servant in selfless service of LORD)

the Atma does not

entertain the false ego (False Ego: Atma in ignorance acts under pervereted

ego, born out of identification with the

physical body & mind)

In this state the Atma has no craving for the fruits or ahankara that the

actions are his own, nor is there there a

sense of agency. All the Jiva Athma is the instrument for the Divine.

 

Once in Moksha the Atma is in the Selfless service of the Lord, (adiyEn can

explain this if needed)

JivaAtmas do not come back to this Bhuloka (with Karma associations).

 

Once with HIM Atma will never come back to this Bhuloka (with Karma

associations), it is permanent,

eternal and everlasting Bliss.

 

In the next mails:

==================================================

Q2: Are according advaitists the individual identity is simply illision?

 

Ans: Will Address in the next mail

 

Q3: Are Jiva is real and after travelling through several births gets moksha.

If one gets moksha which to understand physically, is it like a drop of water

merging in the occean of God?

 

Ans: Will Address in the next mail

 

Q4: Say if you merge in God after moksha is there any gaurentee that you will

not come back as the creation is going in cycles?

 

Answered Above.

 

Q5: How permenant is moksha?

 

Answered Above.

 

Q6: Are the Jivas created? If they are created then they will also have an end?

If the Jivas are part of God how did they decide to become ignorant

to enter into creation and maya?

 

Ans: Will Address in the next mail

 

Q7: Even if they entered into maya as all the jivas are created at the same

time under similiar conditions and if God is impartial how did the jivas karmas

vary so much?

 

Ans: Will Address in the next mail

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a:zhwa:r emberuma:na:r Jeeyar thiruvadigale: sharanam

 

adiye:n ra:ma:nuja da:san

Mukundan Vankipuram Pattangi

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