Moksha/Liberation of Vedas

No life human or non-human is without sufferings. With the cycle of birth and death between human and non-human is no way to escape sufferings. So, the natural question is, if there is any way to escape sufferings. The answer lies in not having a birth. No birth — no sufferings. Getting out of the cycle of birth and death is called Moksha.  During Moksha soul does not take birth as a human or non-human. It enjoys the divine bliss. This divine bliss is way beyond any system can explain compared to human happiness.

Human life is an opportunity to attain Moksha. If this life is wasted, then it will be a grave disaster. Therefore, all ought to work towards the goal of attaining Moksha.

Prayer for Moksha

त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम | उर्वारुकमिव ब बन्धनान्म्रीत्योर्मुक्षीय माम्रीतात || RV 7.59.12

Tryambakam yahaamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam, urvaarukamiva ba bandhanaanmreetyormuksheeya maamreetaata. RV 7.59.12

Meaning: We invoke and do homage to lord Tryambaka,Creator and protector of the three worlds, whose immanent fragrance of energy and bliss enhances the life and joy of existence all three times. O Rudra, destroyer of evil and suffering, giver of bliss, release me from the bonds of mortality like the ripe fruit falling off from the stalk and redeem me into the infinite presence of immortality (Moksha).

Following Veda mantras give insight to Moksha.

Surrender to God

अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान्विश्वानि देव वायुनानि विद्वान |

ययोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नम उक्तिं विधेम || YV 5.36

Agne naya supatha raayei asmaanvishvaani deva vayunaani vidvaan. Yuyodhyasmajjuhuraanameno bhμuyishthaan te nam uktimm vidhema. YV 5.36

Meaning: Agni, light of the world and treasure—home of all the power and wealth, God of all the knowledge, karma and paths of life, lead us on by the right path, simple and straight, to the highest goal of life, Moksha, through right knowledge, right action and right wealth. Fight out and ward off from us all that is evil and leads to suffering — crookedness, deviousness, intrigue and deceit. We bow in thanks and surrender to you and sing the sweetest songs in praise of you.

Know Right From Wrong

विद्यं चाविद्यां च् यस्तद्वेदोभय सह | अविद्यया मृतयुं तीतर्वा विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते || YV 40.14

Vidym chaavidyam ch ystdvedobhya sah, avidyyaa mritum teetrva vidyyaamritmshrunte. YV 40.14

Meaning: Who knows the difference between knowledge and ignorance, by doing works, using true knowledge, attains moksha.

Wise and Noble Actions

इन्द्रस्य सख्यम्रीभवः समानशुर्मनोर्नपातो अपसो दधन्विरे | सौ धन्वनासो अमृतत्वमेरिंरे विष्ट्वी शमीभिः सुकृतः सुकृत्यया || RV 3.60.3

Indrasya sakhyamreebhavah samaanashurmanornapaato apaso Dadhanvire, sau dhanvanaaso amritatvamerire vishtvee shameebhih sukreetah sukreetyayaa. RV 3.60.3

Meaning: Men of intelligence, wisdom and vision, enjoy the love and friendship of Indra, God omnipotent of the world. They perform actions worthy of the son of infallible man. Warriors of the bow, dedicated to noble action with good intention and righteous resolution, doing acts of goodness leading to peace and joy, attain the state of immortality (Moksha).

Attain the one closest

अन्ति सन्तं न जहात्यन्ति सन्तं न पश्यति | देवस्य पश्य काव्यं न ममार न जीर्यति || AV 10.8.32

Anti santam na jahatyanti santam na pashyati.

Devasya pashya kavyam na mamara na jeeryati. AV 10.8.32

Meaning: Though It is within in the heart core, and man can not forsake It, still man does not attain to It, Nor does he even see It though it is at the closest. O man, see the divine poetry of Brahma which neither dies nor grows old. And man too, having seen It neither dies nor grows old (after Moksha).

Means of Moksha/Liberation

1. Knowledge and Ignorance

Attaining true knowledge of the subject matter is must. No knowledge or wrong knowledge is ignorance. Ignorance is the cause of sufferings. Blind faith, accepting things without thorough scrutiny, following blindly leads to astray. Therefore discriminate carefully, know the true not the false, choose the righteous path and reject the evil. Have right knowledge of living beings and God – their characteristics, nature and actions.

 Four Types of Ignorance

1. Temporary and permanent: Belief in temporary things as they are permanent and in permanent things as they are temporary. E.g. body and the world are temporary but believing as they are permanent, and Atma which is permanent to be as temporary.
2. Vice and Virtue: Belief in vices like telling lies, stealing etc., not believing in virtues of honesty, truthfulness, justice, caring etc.
3. Pleasure and Pain: Belief in pain causing excessive sensual indulgence, intoxicants, gambling as pleasures. Not finding happiness in the real means of happiness such as love, friendship, contentment etc.
4. Living and non-living: Worshipping tombs and stones as they are living. Treating animals and humans as if they are non-living.

2. Meditation

Performance of God’s praise, prayer, meditation (Upaasna) and complete devotion to the Creator of the universe.

युज्जते मन उत युज्जते धियो विप्रा विप्रस्य ब्रीहतो विपशिचतः |

वि होत्रा दधे वयुनाविदेक् इन्मही देवस्य सवितुः परिष्टुतिः || RV 5.81.1

Yujjate mana uta yujjate dhiyo vipraa viprsya breehto vipshichatah, vi hotraa ddhe vayunaavidek inmahee devasya savituah prishtutiah. RV 5.81.1

Meaning: Those desirous of bliss join their soul including the mind, and intellect with the Supreme, so that the mind becomes tranquil and the person becomes blissful and enlightened with spiritual knowledge directly from God, the Source of all true knowledge.

This conscious joining of the soul with Supreme Consciousness i.e. God, is true upäsanä or yoga or meditation.

युञ्जानः प्रथमं मनस्तत्त्वाय सविता धियः |

अग्नेज्योर्तिर्निचाय्य प्रीथिव्या अध्याभरत || YV 11.1

Yunjaanah prthamm manastattvaaya savitaa dhiyah,

Agnejyortirnichaayya preethivyaa adhyaabharata. YV 11.1

Meaning: Yogi (by meditating) who strive to realize the reality of Divine Existence and His knowledge; Self effulgent and All illuminating God installs his (yogi’s) intellect in Him. This is the characteristics of a real yogi.

3. Obedience

Attain pure conscious thru prayers and by listening to the small voice.  Obey God’s commandments of justice, honesty, caring etc.  Be genuine not a diplomatic or fake. Regularly evaluate your life and works.

4. Virtuous life

Stay away from wickedness and lead a virtuous life. Be free from bad company, evil thoughts or bad associations. Not to indulge in improper sensuous or in wicked pleasures. Do the charity work and have a complete devotion to the cause of virtue.

5. Righteous Deeds

Follow God’s will by doing dharma (good deeds) e.g. vegetarianism, humanity, honesty, truthfulness, kindness, purity, self-discipline, and gain true knowledge of God and self. Do impartial justice. Teach true knowledge of God, soul and nature. Have an honest profession. Do everything with impartiality, equity and righteousness.

6. Mumukshutwa (मुमुक्षुतव)

Mumukshutwa is intense desire for moksha. Love for nothing else except moksha. Persevere for moksha and be indifferent to the worldly joy and sorrow.

Five Causes of Sufferings

Vedic philosophy talks about five Causes of Sufferings:

• Ignorance – Root cause of all the other four.
• Arrogance
• Attachment
• Resentment
• Fear of Death

1. Ignorance (अविद्या): Ignorance is of four kinds as discussed above. Only true knowledge can remove the ignorance.
2. Arrogance (अस्मिता): Considering big and superior is arrogance. One attains godly qualities only by being modest.
3. Attachment (राग): Attachment is desire of things, which were enjoyed previously. By having an understanding that there is always a change in life; there is always a separation after every union; this cause gets relieved.
4. Rivalry (द्वेष): One is rival because of the past bad experiences. By ignoring those bad experiences rivalry cures.
5. Fear of Death (अभिनिवेश): All living beings want to stay alive and do not want to die. This is because of previous life’s experience. All humans, animals, birds, insects fear death. With the true knowledge of God and soul, this fear goes away.

Three kinds of sufferings

1. Adhyatmik: Because of diseases of the body,
2. Adhibhowtik: Because of social evils,
3. Adhidaivik: Because of natural calamities, i.e. excessive rain, excessive heat, excessive cold, the fickleness of the mind and the senses.
   

Importance of True Knowledge

अहं दां ग्रीणते पूर्व्य वस्वहं ब्रहम क्रीणवं महयं वर्धनम |

अहं भुवं यजमानस्य चोदिता यज्वनः साक्षि विश्वस्मिन्भरे || RV 10.49.1

Aham daam greenate purvya vasvaham brahama kreenavam mahayam vrdhanama, aham bhuvam yajamaanasya chodita yajvanah saakshi vishvsminbhre. RV 10.49.1

Meaning:  God alone provides true knowledge to truth seekers. He alone is promoter of knowledge and motivates virtuous people into noble actions to seek bliss. He alone is the creator and manager of the world. Hence never worship anyone else except one and only God.

The most important reason of sufferings is ignorance. The answer is knowledge. Ignorance is darkness, knowledge is light and power. Attaining true knowledge is the paramount duty of all human beings. Given, the true knowledge is not easily available. But that is not an excuse. It has to be discovered individually. Only one with strong desire and efforts achieves this. Where there is a will, there is a way.

अग्ने व्रतपते व्रतं चरिष्यामि तच्छकेयं तन्मे राध्यताम | इदमहमनृतात सत्यमुपैमि || YV 1.5

Agne vratapate vratam charishyami tachchhakeyam

tanme radhyataam. Idamahamanritata satyamupaimi. YV 1.5

Meaning: Lord of the fire of yajna, Lord of Law and vowsof faith, I take to the vow of commitment to truth and I give up the untruth. Bless me that I may be able to keep the vow. Bless me that I may realize it.

Therefore, research and knowledge is highly encouraged in the Vedas. There are many mantras which state that one has to be a constant seeker of knowledge and wisdom, otherwise one will get side tracked.  True knowledge is the key to liberation. One must make sincere efforts in this journey and allow others to take a similar journey.  Righteous actions based on true knowledge gets one free.