Amma's Column

	Saturday, June 20, 2009
	Liberated Man Hindu Religion: The Liberated Man In Hinduism the highest ideal, the goal of life, has been held to be the attainment of total freedom even in this life, from the clutches of ignorance and all its products: egotism, hatred, craving and sorrow. This total freedom is attained by the transformation and expansion of consciousness and the final realization of the oneness of the Self with Brahman. This is a state to be attained not after death but right here in this world while one is alive. A man who has attained this state is called a Jivanmukta -liberated in life. Shankaracharya in his famous work "Vivekacudamani", speaks about such a blessed man in the following terms; A man is said to be free even in this life when he is established in illumination. His bliss is unending. He almost forgets this world of appearance. Even though his mind is filled with Brahman he is fully awake, free from the ignorance of waking life; fully conscious but free from any craving. For him the sorrows of the world are over. Although possessing a human body he remains united with the Infinite. Such a man is said to be free even in this life. Good and evil seem to exist, persons and objects appear to be distinct from one another, nevertheless, he has come to realize that there is no difference between mankind and the supreme Reality, for he knows that all is one in Brahman; he makes no distinctions. That is how we recognize the man who is free. Men may honour him, men may insult him, but his feelings remain the same; just as rivers flow into the ocean but the ocean is not disturbed, so sense objects flow into his mind but he feels no reaction, for he lives in the consciousness of the one Reality. Such a man is free indeed, even in this life.
	Amma's Column by Jyotsna Kamat Comments (0)

More Entries...

Browse Amma's Column by Tags

ancient India - avatars - banana - bangalore - buddha - calcutta - christmas - coins - colin mackenzie - colonel - conference ii - conversions - cousin - cows - dalit - democracy - dhols - dr narayan - drums - dung - fables - far east - gandhi - gandhiji - guru - hinduism - human body - idolatry - kalpa - karnataka - kautilya - krishna - marriage - new year - nuances - obituary - old temple - patience - personalities - peru - pontiff - postal service - prime source - queen - rao - relevance - religion - revolt - runners - saga - saints - Saints of India - salt satyagraha - science - sher - sri lanka - suresh - terracotta - tradition - tsunami - tulunadu - unity - universality - women - zen - 11th century - 75th anniversary - alberuni - all india radio - amrita - ancient art - ancient india - ancient indians - animals - anmori - arthashastra - autobiographical notes - b_g_l_swamy - babies - basham - bedas - belief - bengaluru - bhagat singh - Bhagatsingh as seen by Kamaladevi. - bhagavata purana - bhagirath - Bhakti Cult - bhat - brahmin - brute - buddha jayanti - card games - cart - caste system - centenary tribute - centennial - chanakya - chariot - cheers - chilli - chinese monk - Christmas - christmas eve - cloud messenger - cockfights - code of manu - colonel colin - complete works - conch shell - cuisine - curry - customs - dasa - demons - dessert - devil worship - dhyan - dikshit - dikshitar - discovery - doldrums - eknath - elephant - empire - epigraphy - fanny - festival foods - festive - forest scene - freedom - gandhi - gandhiji - ganesh - gautama buddha - gayatri mantra - gesture - Goa - gods - gramophone record - grandmother - great men - grinder - guru - happy new year - haste - helping hands - hind swaraj - hind_swaraj - hindu religious symbols - hinduism - hindus - history conference - humanist - hunger - idolatry - indian civil service - indian names - institution of marriage - interviews - jaina - juggernaut - kamath - karnataka - kasaragod - kavya - keladi - laughing buddha - legacy - lotus - loving touch - m n srinivas - mallya - mango season - manu - masters - materialism - medieval india - memories - middle path - midwife - misadventure - moorthy - music tradition - musical - musings - narad - narada - new articles - night life - obituary - offerings - old photo - Om - ordinary people - ornaments - pai - pampa - panchatantra - peacock - peacock dance - peacock dress - pearls - philanthropist - pigeons - poet - poetess - prayer - prehistory - promising artist - prostitutes - queen - quilt - rahul - rajasthan - rajendra - ramayana - ramdas - rao - robber - roots - rubaiyat of omar khayyam - saints - sane guruji - saraswati - saraswats - scorn - sea navigation - sedam - serpent worship - sharana - shastra - shivaji - silver art - sorab - south india - subba rao - swami - swamy - swastika - tara - tea - temple school - temple town - terracotta_town - three books - tiger - titan - torave_ramayan - tradition - translator - travelogue - tree of life - tribute - tsunami damage - Tulasidas - tuluva - upanishad - vedanta - vedas - viswanath - Viswanath Kashinath Rajwade - vivekananda - w h sleeman - wall paintings - what is in a name - wilks -

Jyotsna Kamat Ph.D. lives in Bangalore.

Introduction

ARCHIVES

More articles by Jyotsna Kamat