What is Moksha?
Moksha or liberation from the cycle of birth and death is the ultimate state a jeeva can reach. Although the word ‘Moksha’ is used to refer to the positive aspect of liberation, that is, finding eternal bliss in Vaikunta or similar abodes, liberation from the cycle of birth and death can also mean eternal misery in a land of darkness or andhataamisra. This is reserved for tamo-yogis who indulge in Hari-dwesha or exhibit hatred towards Vishnu and his devotees.
The true fruit
The transient pleasures of heaven (Swarga) are merely the husk and chaff. If one performs meritorious tasks with the aim of attaining Swarga, he is granted a short stint in Swarga, but finds himself back on the earth once his merit is spent. Moksha which is an eternal state is the true fruit desired by even the celestials.
In Vaikunta, there is no birth-death-ageing... the three fears that plague the mortal world. Sorrow, evil, envy, and the three gunas (and their influence) are non-existent.
There, everyone is dear to the lord. Although a hierarchy exists, every one experiences complete joy, according to their saadhane and inherent capacity. There is mutual love and respect amongst all.
Ever-satisfied, if at all they wish for anything, it is granted to them even as they think of it, for such is the speed of gratification in Vaikunta.
Types of Moksha
Saayujya
Bramha, Garuda, Rudra, Shesha along with their consorts are extremely fortunate to be granted intimate association through the divine grace and pleasure of the lord. They serve the lord drowned in the ocean of joy.
Saarupya
These liberated ones wander around with lustrous spiritual bodies that resemble Naarayana’s, with four arms, draped in silk, well adorned, and with skin the colour of clouds.
Saameepya and Saalokya
The joy of those who have attained proximity of existence to the lord (saameepya) is closely equalled by the joy of those who have attained eternal residence (saalokya) with the lord.
Moksha is a dynamic state
The liberated souls do not spend their time doing nothing. They continue to worship the lord according to their inherent nature. They may worship him by performing yagnas, by discussing his attributes, by singing his glories ...Every action of these mukta-jeevas occurs as a continuation of their earlier endeavour to God-realisation, yet with no compulsion to perform them.
Realising the Swaroopa
The linga-deha, or the linga-sharira, is the subtle body which envelopes the swaroopa-deha, like the husk covers the grain. The linga deha is a constant companion of the eternal swaroopa deha. The jeeva requires a sthoola deha, or the gross body, to perform saadhane to rid itself off the linga deha. The jeeva has to shed his/her linga deha to experience moksha or eternal bliss.
The swaroopa deha is the innermost entity. During the normal course of the cycle of birth and death, one remains unaware of one’s swaroopa deha. The swaroopa deha is the original form of the jeeva, which may be human, animal, plant, tree, bird, or any other being.
Shedding the linga sharira
The various jeevas which have been granted moksha (mukta-jeevas), reside in Satya loka, the abode of Bramha, till the end of the cycle of creation. Along with Bramha and other devathes, such jeevas shed their linga-dehas after a dip in the Viraja river, which separates the material worlds from the dimension of timelessness, and enter Vaikunta in their swaroopa deha.
The souls that have attained moksha, including all the Bramhas of the past, reside in Vaikunta. Yet there is always ample space for everyone. Such is its greatness.
To be continued...