Kaivalya

July 19, 2009

A few days ago an esteemed member, Mr Balasubramaniam elegantly described Kaivalya of Advaitic tradition. Herein I am bringing the SriVaishnava tradition for comparison.Let me introduce the terms first before we discuss them.Muc = to be free; Mukta = one who is liberated from cycle of birth and rebirth. Jivanmukta = living being who is freed. Corporeal liberation. Siva sect believes in this. Sri Vaihnavaites don't accept this.Videha mukti = liberation after death. Incorporeal liberation. Sri Vaishnava Tradition believes in this.mumukshu = One Longing for liberation from bondage.Kaivalya = Self-realization; A state in which the soul is freed from corporeal burden in Advaita tradition. It is NOT God-Realization; you are not at the Feet of Siva or Vishnu. Moksha or Mukti = liberation from fetters, bondage, avidya,

metempsychosis.Vaishnava sect distinguishes between Self-Realization (Kaivalya) and God-Realization, the latter is the true liberation or Moksha, a service at the feet of Vishnu (Paramapadam). Jivamukta (Corporeal liberation--liberation while alive in a body) is not accepted in Srivaishnavism, which asserts Jivanmukti is an oxymoron: either you are liberated or you are alive in a body; you can't have both: liberation and body simultaneously.Tenkalai SriVaishnavism says that kaivalya is liberation of the soul from rebirth; it is Self-Realization. The Vadakalais say that true liberation is God-realization meaning you serve at the feet of Vishnu for ever. God-Realization is superior to Self-Realization (Kaivalya).With Kaivalya you see God through a Glass Ceiling but never get to serve Him in person. Simply put what do you like to do: do you want to see the movie or hang around in the parking lot? Do you want to gain entry into

your house or hang around the compound wall? That is the question posed by the Srivainsvite Vadakalais to the rest of the world.HTML clipboard

Jnana Yoga is not generally recommended for salvation in Srivaishnavism; it leads to enlightenment and bliss of the soul. and freedom from metempsychosis. All this amounts to Kaivalyam and not God-realization. Kaivalyam is Atma-anubhavam and NOT Bhagavat-saksatkara. Atma Anubhavam is the realization of the knowledge of one's own soul and not God realization. It is knowing oneself and NOT the God. Kaivalyam guarantees complete release from mundane existence and thus lets the individual soul enjoy its true nature. Kaivalyam is not enjoying the Universal Soul (Bhagavan). The true Moksa is to serve God without any interruption in Vaikuntam or Parmapadam. Real Moksa is simply not a state of negation (which is Kailvalyam ), absence of bondage. Real Moksa has a positive aspect to it in that one gets close to Bhagavan, gets touched by Bhagavan, and perform interminable eternal service (Nitya-kaiá¹…karya) to Bhagavan. In modern parlance, the Moksa Purusa has earned his tenure and no one can fire him from Vaikuntam. There is no mention in Divyaprabhandam that these liberated Kaivalya souls take the ArcirÄdi path to Vaikuntam. (see the chart elsewhere.) Arciradi path is the Empyreal Highway to Paramapadam or Vaikuntam.I open this subject in the forum for discussion.Veeraswamy Krishnarajwww.bhagavadgitausa.comclick on 'vadakalai and tenkalai.

July 19, 2009

Hari OmVeeraswamy Krishnaraj`s mail is a patiently compiled and painstaking attempt to explain the term "Kaivalya" according to various schools of philosophy. This presentation labours to bring out the subtle distinction between what is known as Self-realization(Atma Sakshatkaram) and God-realization( Bhagavat Prapti). Vedas highlight importance of the former while Puranas like Srimad Bhagavatam, Vishnupuranam etc. highlight the importance of reaching the feet of Sriman Narayana or Hari. In the broader sense both expressions mean the same end. In the Gita, Lord Krishna advises Arjuna a number of times to worship Him (the former) alone ( manmana bhava, madbhaktah, mayyeva mana aadhatsva, madyaaji mam namaskuru , maamaiva eshyasi, maam ekam saranam vrajaetc. etc.) and if Arjuna worships Him with single-pointed attention (ananya bhakti), the latter would come to Him alone. A closer reading of the Gita would reveal that Lord Krishna is not talking only as Krishna, son of Vasudeva or as Sriman Narayana but as the Supreme Being(Paramatma), which has no form(nirakara), no attributes(nirguna) etc. etc. That Supreme Being is the Self(Atma). Hence the expressions Self-realization and God-realization(Isvara Prapti or Bhagavat Prapti) refer to the ultimate goal(param dhama,parama padam etc.) of beings. The Purusha Sookta of Rg Veda says,Purusha evedagum sarvam.... ....meaning Purusha alone is the entire world, both past and future; he is also the lord of immortality. This great Purusha, brilliant as the sun, who is beyond all darkness(tamasah prastaat) I know Him in my heart. Whoever knows the Purusha thus attains immortality in this very birth. I know of no other way to

salvation(Naanyah pantaa vidyate ayanaaya).Even if this amounts to revisiting the subject of Kaivalyam, the word "kaivalyam' is derived from the word 'kevalam'meaning 'only'.Kaivalyam gives one absolute bliss since one can enjoy Nirguna Brahman i.e. pure Consciouness without the limitations of the dehatma buddhi which is the real bondage. Let us now take a look into a few of the selected verses from Srimad Bhagavatam to understand this terminology:-Verse 3.11.2 Here the word

Kaivalyam is used in the sense of 'Oneness'. Atoms are the ultimate state of the manifest universe. When they stay in their own forms without forming different bodies, they are called unlimited oneness(kaivalyam). They are certainly different bodies in physical forms , but the atoms themselves form the complete manifestation.Verse 3.27.19.Here 'Kaivalyam' has been used to mean 'freedom'. The verse says, although the soul is the passive performer of all activities, how can there be freedom(kaivalyam) for the soul as longs as gunas(material nature) acts on it and binds it.Verse 4.20.10. In this sloka, the term'kaivalyam' has been used to mean freedom from material contamination. It says, when the heart is cleansed of all material contamination, the devotee`s mind becomes broader and he can see things equally. At this stage of life there is peace, and one is situated equally with Me .'Kaivalyam' is also used to mean liberation in verses 10.51.20 1nd 11.30.34. In the former verse it is said that only the Lord Vishnu can bestow it, whereas in the latter one the Lord says, because," My devotees possess saintly behaviour and deep intelligence, they completely dedicate themselves to Me and do not desire anything besides Me. Indeed even if I offer them liberation from

birth and death, they do not accept it."We can go on elaborating on this term. In fact, there is one sigle Upanishad named after "Kaivalyam".But it is time to close the discussions here.G.Balasubramanian"myumbra-bgusa" <myumbra-bgusa Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2009 11:00:33 PM Kaivalya

A few days ago an esteemed member, Mr Balasubramaniam elegantly described Kaivalya of Advaitic tradition. Herein I am bringing the SriVaishnava tradition for comparison.Let me introduce the terms first before we discuss them.Muc = to be free; Mukta = one who is liberated from cycle of birth and rebirth. Jivanmukta = living being who is freed. Corporeal liberation. Siva sect believes in this. Sri Vaihnavaites don't accept this.Videha mukti = liberation after death. Incorporeal liberation. Sri Vaishnava Tradition believes in this.mumukshu = One Longing for liberation from bondage.Kaivalya = Self-realization; A state

in which the soul is freed from corporeal burden in Advaita tradition. It is NOT God-Realization; you are not at the Feet of Siva or Vishnu. Moksha or Mukti = liberation from fetters, bondage, avidya,

metempsychosis.Vaishnava sect distinguishes between Self-Realization (Kaivalya) and God-Realization, the latter is the true liberation or Moksha, a service at the feet of Vishnu (Paramapadam) . Jivamukta (Corporeal liberation-- liberation while alive in a body) is not accepted in Srivaishnavism, which asserts Jivanmukti is an oxymoron: either you are liberated or you are alive in a body; you can't have both: liberation and body simultaneously.Tenkalai SriVaishnavism says that kaivalya is liberation of the soul from rebirth; it is Self-Realization. The Vadakalais say that true liberation is God-realization meaning you serve at the feet of Vishnu for ever. God-Realization is superior to Self-Realization (Kaivalya).With Kaivalya you see God through a Glass Ceiling but never get to serve Him in person. Simply put what do you like to do: do you want to see the movie or hang around in the parking lot? Do you want to gain entry into

your house or hang around the compound wall? That is the question posed by the Srivainsvite Vadakalais to the rest of the world.HTML clipboard Jnana Yoga is not generally recommended for salvation in Srivaishnavism; it leads to enlightenment and bliss of the soul. and freedom from metempsychosis. All this amounts to Kaivalyam and not God-realization. Kaivalyam is Atma-anubhavam and NOT Bhagavat-saksatkara . Atma Anubhavam is the realization of the knowledge of one's own soul and not God realization. It is knowing oneself and NOT the God. Kaivalyam guarantees complete release from mundane existence and thus lets the individual soul enjoy its true nature. Kaivalyam is not enjoying the Universal Soul (Bhagavan). The true Moksa is to serve God without any interruption in Vaikuntam or Parmapadam. Real Moksa is simply not a state of negation (which is Kailvalyam ), absence of bondage. Real Moksa has a positive aspect to it in that one gets close to Bhagavan, gets touched by Bhagavan, and perform interminable eternal service (Nitya-kaiá¹…karya) to Bhagavan. In modern parlance, the Moksa Purusa has earned his tenure and no one can fire him from Vaikuntam. There is no mention in Divyaprabhandam that these liberated Kaivalya souls take the ArcirÄdi path to Vaikuntam. (see the chart elsewhere.) Arciradi path is the Empyreal Highway to Paramapadam or Vaikuntam.I open this subject in the forum for discussion.Veeraswamy Krishnarajwww.bhagavadgitausa .comclick on 'vadakalai and tenkalai.