Why It Is Important to Abandon the Desire for Mukti

(From "Bhakti Tattva Viveka" - click to read more from it.
You can also read the previous page: Shuddha-Bhakti and 2 Witches of the Desires for Bhukti and Mukti)

As it is imperative to abandon the desire for bhukti, it is equally important to abandon the desire for mukti.

There are some very deep principles and conceptions regarding mukti.

Five types of mukti are mentioned in the scriptures:

salokya-sarshti-samipya-sarupyaikatvam apy uta

diyamanam na grihnanti vina mat-sevanam janah

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.29.13

Sri Kapiladeva said, “O My dear Mother! Despite being offered the five types of liberation known as salokya, sarshti, sarupya, samipya and ekatva, My pure devotees don’t accept them.

They only accept My transcendental loving service.”

Through salokya-mukti one attains residence in the abode of Bhagavan.

To obtain opulence equal to that of Bhagavan is called sarshti-mukti.

To attain a position in proximity to Bhagavan is called samipya-mukti.

To obtain a four-armed form like that of Bhagavan Visnu is called sarupya-mukti.

To attain sayujya-mukti (merging) is called ekatva.

This sayujya-mukti is of two kinds: brahma-sayujya and isvara-sayujya.

The cultivation of brahma-jnana or impersonal knowledge leads one to brahma-sayujya.

Also by following the method prescribed in the spiritual scriptures one attains brahma-sayujya.

By properly observing the Patanjali yoga system, one attains the liberation known as isvara-sayujya or merging into the Lord’s form.

For devotees both types of sayujya-mukti are worthy of rejection.

Those who desire to attain sayujya as the perfectional stage may also follow the process of bhakti, but their bhakti is temporary and fraudulent.

They don’t accept bhakti as an eternal occupation and merely consider it to be a means to attain brahma.

Their conception is that after attaining brahma, bhakti does not exist.

Therefore, the bhakti of a sincere devotee deteriorates in the association of such spiritualists.

Shuddha-bhakti never resides in the hearts of those who consider sayujya-mukti to be the ultimate perfection.

Regarding the other muktis, Srila Rupa Goswami explains (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.55-57):

atra tyajyatayaivokta muktih panca-vidhapi cet

salokyadis tathapy atra bhaktya nati virudhyate

sukhaishvaryottara seyam prema-sevottarety api

salokyadir-dvidha tatra nadya sevajusham mata

kintu premaika-madhurya-jusha ekantino harau

naivangi kurvate jatu muktim panca-vidham api

Although the aforementioned five types of mukti are worthy of rejection by devotees, the four types of salokya, samipya, sarupya and sarshti are not completely adverse to bhakti.

According to the difference in a particular devotee’s eligibility to receive them, these four types of mukti assume two forms: sva-sukha-aishvarya pradanakari (that which bestows transcendental happiness and opulence) and prema-seva-pradanakari (that which bestows loving transcendental service unto Bhagavan).

Those who reach the Vaikuntha planets through these four types of liberation obtain the fruit of transcendental happiness and opulence.

Servitors or devotees of the Lord never accept such liberation under any circumstances, and the premi-bhaktas or loving devotees never accept any one of the five varieties of mukti.

Therefore, within pure unalloyed devotees the desire for liberation does not exist.

Thus to remain free from the desire for mukti is anyabhilashita-shunya, being devoid of any desire other than that to please Sri Krsna.

This is one of the tatastha-lakshana or marginal characteristics of bhakti.(from Part 1 – "The Intrinsic Nature of Devotion")

Another revelation, Violent Creatures of Lust, Anger and So Forth. Check out the previous page too: Shuddha-Bhakti and 2 Witches of the Desires for Bhukti and Mukti. You will benefit from reading the whole work: Bhakti Tattva Viveka.

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