"Moksha"-an overall view of the three principal schools of thought, discourse by Parama Poojya Sri. Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji. (for the Video version of this discourse select "Conferences" and then "sriJeeyarMoksha")

There are several schools of thoughts today propagated all around the world. but all these schools followed wither Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya or Madhwacharya. Poojya Pejawar Mutt swamiji has already given us a wonderful eloboration on the subject. He said that "Truth" is always one and of course the same, but people perceive it in different ways depending upon their own need. We always give an example of electricity. 

Electricity is one, just one. But the devices are different. So also its purposes and thus the different names. When we experience that power through this device, we call it a mike. But when we experience the same power through some other device, we call it a bulb. When it is used to show pictures on a box, we call it as Television. 

Of course, it does some conflicting activities also, contradictory activities. The same electricity when experienced to cool down something, we call it "a refrigerator." When it heats, we call it as "heater." Electricity being the same, people feel it in differnat ways. It depends upon their own requirements. The mind is the device to experience that electricity. When exhausted in hot sun, we need to switch on the cooler. When one is feeling cold he would turn on the heater. In this way, we use the power in the way we need it for ourselves. 

The individual who is experiencing the cooler should not hate the one who is using the heater. If he says, "I do not like the heater" and wants to damage the gadget, we call him a crazy person, a mad person. The ultimate reality always exists as "One." The Vedas are the ultimate authority to talk about the "Ultimate Reality." We, the human beings born on this earth have so many constraints and limitations to experience that ultimate truth that is responsible for the vast universe. We are very small to experience "the whole." We need some authority. All the three Acharyas right from Shankaracharya have accepted the Vedas. We call these achryas as "Vaidhika Acharyas." The doctrines established by them are called "Vaidhika Mathas." We call them as "Vaidhika dharshanas". Because our experience is very limited, we need to depend upon something to talk about that which talks about the "unseen things."

 There are so many things which we cannot see. We need mundane senses to appreciate them. These also have so many restraints. We have indriyas but we cannot see them, we can only see the gateways, we can only see the check post, but we cannot see the senses. Nor can we see the "manas". Of course, we certainly cannot see the soul. What about the God then? Is it our experience which has to say something about these or is it our perception which has to see the reality? It is at this juncture that the Vedas come to our rescue. The Vedas talk about all these various aspects. It discusses about, "What it is?" " how is it?" , " why is it?", "what is the ultimate goal of all these things?" 

We therefore take the Vedas into account and try to understand about the various aspects of the nature, the Soul, about the concept of God, about the senses, the mind, the intellect, the buddhi and about so many other things. As our acharyas have taught us, we sincerely have to follow the Vedas say. "Adav Vedaha Pramanam" they declare. 

We all know that different people have their different priorities. But, still, when we are in a particular country, we have to follow the code of conduct of that country and follow the rules and regulations laid by that country. Even if we are not interested to follow those rules, the country will enforce those rules on us. We cannot but follow them or else find ourselves guilty in the eyes of the laws of that country. So also is this universe of ours. It has a law which has been enforced and that law is "The Vedas." As the great sage Manu mentions: 

"Veda sidepya eva dao devadinam chakara saha." 

The ultimate power whom we say is "God" has created all these things taking the aid of the Vedas. We have to accept faithfully that the Vedas are the ultimate authority to guide us all.

 The Vedas are in two parts: "The Karma kanda and Jnana kanda." Whreas the first one dictates how we have to conduct our actions taking into account the second part gives us the knowledge to conduct such actions. After all knowledge is needed to conduct any type of work. We need to have an understanding about what to do, how to do and how to take into account the various other aspects surrounding us. For example, the person taking the video should know how to handle the instrument. He must know how to hold it, where are its various controls, how to operate them etc. he should also know the technique of taking the video. Many a times, an amateur videographer would have actually taken only a part of the body instead of the entire person or the roofs and floors of the building and not the people. Experience gives him the knowledge to operate it and take proper pictures. The working part of the video is what we call the "karma kanda" and the technique "the jnana kanda." The first section of the vedas is the practice and the secod section is supporting knowledge behind the practice. The ultimate goal of the vedas is to reveal that Lord Krishna who preached the Bhagawadgita. In all the eighteen chapters of the Gita there is a pushpika (flower) at the end of each chapter where it says: "Iti Srimad Bhagawadgitasoopanishadsu, Brahmavidyam, Yogasastre, Sri Krishnarjuna samvade--- adyayaha." (thus is said in the Gita which is the Upanisad, Brahmavidya and Yoga sastra.) The Gita is considered as the essence of the Upanisads, the ultimate knowledge of the Brahman and the sastra that gives us all the path to Moksha. The entire essence of the vedas has been revealed by the Lord in 700 verses. 

The Lord incarnates Himself on the earth to reveal the doctrines, the essence of the Vedas to save the souls. To save the souls? For what purpose? As our swamiji just now mentioned, "to experience their own real nature which is really the Divine abode." How will it be and what will be there is the topic for us to understand. This session is about "Moksha" according to the Gita. 

It is a very tough subject. As the Gita is the essence of the upanisads, we should first of all know what the upanisads have said about the "Moksha" and then analyse how has given us the modus operandi to attain it. 

The Taittariya upanisad, (Krishna Yajurveda): the upanisad begins like this: "Brahmavidaa apnothi param. " Brahmavid": he who has attains the Brahma jnana: such a individual attains the Supreme. It clarifies what is Brahma. It says "Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam" is Brahman, Vedanaam: "Yo Vedanihitam BuvaYaam Parame Vyo Mannu." It means that whosoever knows that the Brahma which is Satyam Jnanam and Anantam, will dwell in paramavyomi. (dwells in the divine abode). Such an individual is apt to be called "Brahma vedita." What he is going to attain? 

SOHOSNUTHE SARVAAN KAMAAN SAHA BRAHMANA AVI PACCHITETI. 

It means that he is going to experience all the divine qualities along with Him in His divine abode. How to experience "That" is again another question. "That" refers to the state of "Moksha." In sanskrit moksha means "coming out of bondage." 

What is the bondage for us? Is there any bondage?

 "I am free person, I am free person" we think so. We do have so many bondages and we call them as "karmabandhanas." We have to come out of the "karma bondage." 

There are some who consider that coming out of the body itself is moksha and that they need not put any efforts. Going away from the body is not really moksha. Coming out of the bondage of karma is real moksha. How can this happen is the next question. 

Sri Krishna gives us a beautiful elaboration in the Gita. 

Really speaking, one cannot come out of the strings by your own effort because karma bondage is something which only Lord Krishna himself knows. No one else can undo the karma bondage. All the devatas and all other souls are also under the karma bondage.

 "Brahma bhuvanam loka punaravatina naa dhi." 

Sri Krishna says: "Na aham karmani limanti; na me' karma phale sphriha." "I have no karma bondage" says Lord Krishna. he is the only one to guide the mankind as how best wealso can come out of the bondage. He took incarnation showing His divine form right from His birth time in the jail. But unfortunately his father and mother said: "we do realise that you are God Himself, but Kamsa might come any time and do some harm. Go away from here." 

Krishna later on went to Nandavraj and wanted to reveal the secrets of Veda to those who played with Him. They were also notinterested in listening to the Lord. Krishna tried for nearly 14 yrs. He then wnet to Mathura where there were people like Akrura and others. They were arrogant and considered themselves as great sages. They were not interested also. There were Pandavas, Bhishmacharya, Vidura and many elders of repute. They were also not interested in listening to Him. Is it not true that we are more interested as to how we can earn, how fast we can earn, how easily we can earn the material benefits. This practice did not start from us. 

Hiranyakashipu was very fond of earning so many things. Ravana, Kamsa, Duryodhana were fond of material possessions. Sri Krishna was in search of a person who was least bothered about the mundane acquisitions. He ultimately found the Pandavas. They actually could have fought with the Kauravas to acquire back the kingdom. They wanted to stand for righteousness and so went to the forest. Yes, these are good devils among so many devils, let me take them and each something, he thought. He started protecting them from so many dangers. They did not ask for his guidance when they were in agnatavasa. 

It is not proper to give guidance to those who do not ask for it. If we give suggestions when not asked for, we are labelled as crazy folks. The traffic warden in the busy market place will give the direction to those who go to him personally and ask for help. Instead if he stands up in the middle of the road and goes on shouting about the directions to various places, he will be labelled as crazy traffic warden. Therefore, valuable sugestions should not be revealed to those who really are not seeking for. Krishna was waiting for that true seeker. He created so many situations to see if anyone would ask for guidance and help. When Draupadi was in need of food, he did come to their rescue. Ultimately, he did find the right person in Arjuna. Arjuna said, "I would like to receive your guidance" Quote: "Shishya stheham shadimam tvam prapannam." "Yach shreyasnischitam, Yadi Nischitam tat bruhi." He asked for revelation of that which is for the "Shreyas." Whatever has been given by the sages in the form of the Vedas, reveal it to me, he asked. 

Sri Krishna started pouring down the entire knowledge starting from the secret of the body, manas, buddhi, soul, God. Arjuna got really bored because he did not want those details. Krishna's final teaching is to be understood by looking at the final section of the Gita. He said, "surrender to me, I will take care of you in total. I will give you moksha." As poojya swamiji said: "whoever He choses will know the secret. He reveals himself to only such people and not to those who conduct a number of rituals. In one simple sentence He said, "Swakarmanaha tamah siddhim vindati manava."

We say "Manava" when referring to us, the humans. Are we truly manavas?

 What are the essential qualities that make man truly a "man"? how is he different from other species of life? 

Do you not think ants are better intellectuals? They can smell and understand where the sweet is before you. 

The migrating birds are better intellectuals because they can travel thousands of miles without the use of any compass. 

Even with route maps we miss directions. 

Are we the intellectuals? Are they the intellectuals? 

If we are using our intellect properly, we should not be doing bad things. 

We are disturbing the structure of the nature, aren't we? Are we intellectuals? 

CFC which we release through the airconditioners and refrigerators is breaching the ozone layers as big as the continent of Australia. Are we intellectuals? 

We are going against the essential laws of nature. Are we intellcetuals? 

We know how to spoil the cock, the cow and other animals. Man is the worst beast who eats meat though his bodily mechanism is not suitable for meat consumption. Do you think that is intellectual?

It is man who is spoiling the water, the entire atmosphere. 

You call "manava seva Madhava seva." It means that service to fellow humans pleases the Lord. 

It is wrong to think that "manava seva is Madhava seva" because man is the worst creature on earth who is spoiling the entire structure of the nature. 

He feeds the animals with all sorts of nonsense and then goes on to eat that animal. Are we intellectuals? 

There is a saying in Ayurveda: "Grithena vardhathe ayuhu." It means ghee augments one's life. but we now say that the ghee is full of cholesterol and is dangerous to the health. Is it the fault of the ghee or yours? 

It is your fault because you have spoilt the ghee.

The correct procedure in preparing the ghee: 

a) the cow must be pure. Is it pure? No, it is highly hybradised. 

b) One should boil the milk, culture that milk and extract the cream. But now a days we are extracting the cream commercially without even boiling the milk. 

Whose fault is it? 

Recently I attended a veterinary camp and the vet was instructing the farmers on the benefits of artifical insemination. He was saying that we do so in order to get good breed and thereby increase the production of milk and to preserve the good breed. 

Why is that we can't do so for preserving the good breed of humans? We do not agree because each one of us would like to preserve his own family. Is it correct to preserve our own family structure and ruin the family structure of all other creatures? 

So, the correct statement should be, "serve all creatures as service to God." Lord Krishna says is the Gita that He exists in every creature and every object. He exists in flowers also. Are we taking care of the flowers? We are interfering in their natural growth and are creating artificial flowers. 

Are we intellectuals? 

Let us put another question to ourselves. 

"can we survive without animals, trees, water, good air or unchemicalised earth?" 

without man, all of these things can be preserved intact. 

Do you agree that man is the worst creature on earth? He is the one who is causing all the damage and we want to serve him thinking it as service to God. God will be highly displeased with such service. 

The Gods in our pantheon are depicted as associated with animals. Vishnu with the eagle, Ganesha with the mouse, Sibramanya with the snake., Krishna with the cow, Shiva with the bull etc. Krishna has declared that, 

"Mayayat Idam Sarvam Jagat Avyakta Murtinaam." 

I pervade all over and I permeate all these objects, He says. 

We should understand our essential nature and properties. What are those properties? 

For example, we use the abbreviation "R" to denote "responding, having realisation of the reality." We should realise and then respond accordingly. That realisation has to be four at four levels. They are: 

1)level no 1: realise and understand your own body. Krishna wants us to take care of our own body. He says, "Yuktahara viharasya-(chapter 6,). He does not advocate terrible fasting and he does not advocate keeping awake all the time. This is realisation at level one: "realisation at the body level." 

2) Realisation at level no.2: realisation at the family level: we all have certain responsibilities to our families. So, know those responsibilities and fulfill them. 

3) Realisation at level no 3: realisation at the level of the society. Ours is not the only family. There are millions of families around the world. Respect their status. We should worship the way we are supposed to depending on our religion and culture and similarly others have a right to worship their own way. Instead, we build so many bondages around us and start saying our way is the only right way. We even g to the extent of converting faith of others. How brutal it is? How absurd it is? Learn to respect all. No matter he is atheist or theist. Even atheism is a way of living and you need to respect that also. 

Krishna said in the Gita: "Devam Deva Yajaantha Pithru Bhuta Yanti Madya Maa." He said: "If you are interested in Devatas, you worship them and certainly you can reach them. If you want to worship your ancestors, then do so and you can reach them. If you are interested in Me, you can reach Me also."

The Bible and the Quoran are the specific and sacred books for Christians and Muslims. But, Bhagawadgita is for the entire mankind. The period He revealed it to the mankind, there were no different religious groups as such. He revealed it for the sake of man. Therefore learn to respect others and practice worship your own God. 

Realisation at level 3 is respect the society and worship your own deity. 

4) realisation at level no 4: this is realisation of the power behind all our actions and survival. 

Understand the power behind and surrender totally to that power. He will surely bring you out of the

 "karma bondage." 

Each one of you has to do your own practice of what is ordained at these four levels. Some are for the body, some for the family, some for the society and some for the sake of the God. Unless you believe that the world is truth, existence is truth, existence of God as truth, it will be difficult to practice these things. So first of all have faith that these things are true, belonging to me. (Me' prakriti hi para and apara) 

In the 7th chapter the Lord said: 

Apara prakriti as the things which we see and 

Para prakriti as the soul which we cannot see. 

And 

Both belong to "Me" and both are "Anadi". 

They never die nor be created. 

You have to do your duties thinking that it is a form of worship. That is the only way you cana ttain 

"siddhi." Remember that the last chapter in the Gita, the Lord says: 

"Sarva dharman parityajya" "Mam ekam sharanam vraja." 

the word "dharma" is important. Take it as meaning "karma."

 "Sarva dharman parityajya"-do not think that the "karma(actions). supports you. Discard that notion.

 "Mam ekam sharanam vraja": The God is the only supporter and take shelter in Him. I am the real supporter, the Lord stresses. 

We have to understand it as, "practice the karma and surrender the results to Me, I will take care of you." Do not read it as "give up the karmas."

 "Aham Mokshayishyami", He says. It means that 

He will allow us to come out of "karma bondage." He will allow us to experience His divine qualities, His divine abode. What is called as God in the Vedas said is also reiterated in the Upanisads and in the Bhagawadgita. Name that God in your own way, no problem at all. In our doctrine of "Vishishta advaita" it is "Qualified One God." The God will be always with us, with the Nature. If we do not impure the nature, impure ourselves, we can experience His greatness. Where we experience our own greatness, we should dedicate ourselves to Him. We can then serve Him better. 

This is called as "Moksha." The Vedas say, 

"Muktihi Mokshaha Maha Ananda." 

The "ananda" without any sorrows, without any impediments will be experienced only when we reach His abode.if we do not let our ego come in between our body and the experience of ananda, then we can really experience Him. 

That is what Sri Krishna said in the Gita and what He asked us to practice. As it is a vast subject, we should know what the acharyas have said about it. Each acharya has contributed in a particular parameter. The same "Truth" was given in different perceptives. It is up to us to understand that and to follow that. We will then be able to attain "That". Let us serve all beings in the spirit of "service onto Him." Let us dedicate ourselves, all our activities as "His service." Let us give respect to others and their views. 

Today let us enjoy the company of our Acharyas, Poojya Sri Vishwatheertha Swamiji and Poojya Sri Jayendrasaraswati Swamiji. We feel today is an auspicious occasion. We offer our Mangalasahasrasanas to you all for having patiently listened to us.

JAI SRIMAN NARAYANA.