Tuesday, 24 October 2017

The path of no return and return

Gita essays 14

Lord Krishna assured Arjuna that a person who is sincerely committed to the constant practice of meditation of Lord, with single minded devotion, can reach Him easily.  Here we should remember that when Lord refers to Himself in first person singular using term ‘I” and “Me”, He is talking as Paramathma, Akshara Brahman.  He also explains to Arjuna why attaining The Lord is the most desirable goal for one. People of the world seeking permanent peace, security and happiness have either Paramathma or world, as their goal.  Those virtuous people who have Paramathma as their goal and meditate on Him sincerely with single-minded devotion praying for His Grace and Grace only, reach Him after death, totally freed from samsara and the cycle of birth and do not return to earthly existence at all.  They have attained Moksha, the ultimate goal.  On the other hand those seeking worldly goals, even if they go to heavenly lokas after death due to their punya, return to earth and the life of sorrow and samsara at the exhaustion of punya and continue to struggle.  This cycle of birth and death continues until they change their goal and seek Lord and Lord only in their earthly life and attain Him through meditation and single-minded devotion. This is true even of the virtuous people engaged in ritualistic worship and Sakama upasana as well, who go to any one of the higher lokas other than Brahma loka, after death, be it bhuvar loka, suvar loka, mahar loka, jana loka, tapo loka, or satya loka, declares Lord Krishna.  In these lokas they enjoy, no doubt, the joys and comforts of the higher lokas, free from the miseries of disease, death and old age, but it is only as long as their stock of punya allows them and get shunted back to earth to continue in the cycle of birth and death in struggle and samsara.  


Attaining Paramathma is obtaining the Ikya Jnanam through which one is unshakeably established in the firm knowledge of the identity of one’s Athma with Paramathma.  So only those who have got the Brahma Jnanam whether on earth or in the Brahma loka, are freed totally from the cycle of birth and death.  Only Paramathma who is eternal is not subject to time.  To drive home this point firmly Lord points out in verse 17 that even Brahmaji, as we shall refer to Lord Brahma to distinguish Him from Brahman, is subject to time.

 Those who know the day of Brahma, which is of a duration of one thousand chathur Yugas, and the night, which is also of one thousand chathur Yugas’ duration, they know day and night. (8-17)


One chathur yuga consists of four yugas. They are Krita yuga, Threta yuga, Dvapara yuga and Kali yuga. Together they run for 4,320,000 years.  Brahmaji’s  one full day consists of daytime of 1000 chathur yugas and night-time of 1000 chathur yugas, i.e. in total 2000 chathur yugas.  365 such days make Brahmaji’s one year. Brahmaji’s lifetime consists of one hundred such years.  So His life runs much much longer but still it is also limited.  When night falls for Brahmaji, all the lokas except Brahma loka dissolve into Maya, in what is called pralaya and manifest again when Brahmaji’s day starts which is called creation.  At the end of Brahma’s lifetime all the lokas including Brahma loka are dissolved into Maya and later spring back into manifestation as a new creation.  In the case of jivas this cycle of manifestation and unmanifestation goes on eternally until the jivas exhausting their karma totally through Athma Jnanam attain the Lord. So in verses 18 & 19 Lord Krishna states:

From the unmanifested all the manifested (worlds) emerge at the coming of the “day”; at the coming of the “night” they dissolve merging into that itself which is called the unmanifested. (8-18)

This same multitude of beings, born again and again, is dissolved, helplessly, O Arjuna, (into the unmanifested) at the coming of the "night", and comes forth at the coming of the "day"! (8-19)


Thus the worlds and beings go in a cyclic form of manifestation and unmanifestation.  When Brahmaji’s life time ends, all the worlds without exception i.e. including Brahma loka also dissolve and Akshara Brahman  is the only survivor at the end of Brahmaji’s life which is called Mahapralaya.  If we designate Maya as unmanifest then it is lower unmanifest and Paramathma, the Akshara Brahman who is beyond Maya is higher Unmanifest and the lower unmanifest  merges with the higher Unmanifest  at the time of Maha pralaya. That is why Lord Krishna states in the next verse:

But higher than this unmanifested, there exists another Unmanifested Eternal Being, who does not perish when all beings perish. (8-20)


Reaching This Unmanifested Eternal Being, who is also called Paramathma and Akshara Brahman, a Jiva is Liberated from the cycle of birth and death.  Jnani attains this Liberation as a videhamukthi involving no travel after death; nishkama upasaka travels to Brahma loka and attains Liberation there as krama mukthi and sakama upasaka and other karmis travel to other lokas only to return to earth and its pleasures, pains and sorrows.  The other lokas are the lokas between bhu loka and Brahma loka and all these intermediary lokas are referred by a general name swarga loka.  The path nishkama upasaka takes to Brahma loka after death is the path of no-return and is called Sukla ghathi and the path sakama upasaka and other virtuous people, including karmi, take to swarga loka after death is the path of return and is called Krishna gathi.  Sukla gathi, also called bright path by the Lord, the path of no return, is guided by five devathas.  They are agni devatha, jyothir devatha; ahar devatha (devata presiding over day time); sukḷa pakṣha devatha; uttarayaṇa devatha.  Krishna gathi, also called dark path by the Lord, the path of return, has four devathas as guides.  They are dhumaḥ devatha (devata presiding over smoke); ratri devatha (devata presiding over night time);  kṛiṣhṇa pakṣha devatha and dakṣhiṇayana devatha.  These two paths, the bright path and the dark path are also considered to be eternal.  As Lord Krishna concludes this topic, He glorifies Nishkama Saguna Brahma upasaka, calling him a Yogi.   He says Yogi knowing the limitations of various rituals, study of Vedas and charitable acts,  pursues steadfastly Nishkama Saguna Brahma upasana and attains Moksha, through krama mukthi and He also advises Arjuna to become a Yogi and attain the Supreme Lord.
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Thursday, 19 October 2017

Remembering Lord at the time of death

Gita essays – 13

While concluding His teaching on Jnana Vijnana yoga (ch.7) Lord Krishna stated that when a jijnasu bhaktha acquiring Jnanam and Vijnanam surrenders to the Lord he blossoms into a Jnani bhaktha knowing all about the Para prakrithi and Apara prakrithi of the Lord and he does not lose sight of the Lord even at the time of death.   But this the Lord conveys with a twist employing six technical terms which put together stand for Para plus Apara Prakrithi.  So at the start of 8th chapter Arjuna, a keen student that he is, asks seven questions with a desire to understand properly the six terms and the secret of remembering the Lord at the time of death.
What is that Brahman? What is adhyatmam? What is karma? What is said to be adhibhutha? What is said to be adhidaiva, O Krishna! (8–1)
Who is adhiyajnaḥ? How does (he remain) here in the body? And how are you to be remembered at the time of death by those who have practiced self-control? Oh Madusudana. (8-2)

Lord answers the first six questions in verses 3 & 4 and answers the seventh question from verse 5. We shall first see the answer to the first six questions.
1)    The imperishable Supreme is the Brahman.
2)    The imperishable Brahman when seemingly functioning through a Jiva is called Adhyatmam. Consciousness looked at from the universal level is called Brahman and the same Consciousness looked at from individual level is called Adhyatmam.
3)    Karma refers to all actions which is the cause for the birth of all beings.
4)    Adhibhutha is the entire inert perishable universe
5)    Adhidaiva is the Hiraṇyagarbha who blesses all the organs of all beings.
6)    Adhiyajna is the Lord as the presiding deity of all the actions of the individual

After answering questions 1 to 6 briefly, Lord Krishna starts answering elaborately how the Lord can be remembered at the time of death. The dominant thought-pattern at the time of death determines the place of rebirth as well as the type of rebirth.  But the thought pattern at the time of the death is determined by the predominant thought pattern throughout one’s life. Hence, Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to remember the Lord at all times, whether at work or play, so that even at the time of death also his thoughts will centre on the Lord only.  He assures Arjuna that thinking of Lord at all times with his mind and intellect fixed on Lord, he will without doubt attain the lotus feet of the Lord after death. Though it may appear difficult, one can succeed with constant effort and sincere practice. For when one cultivates such spiritual thoughts as strong habits and thereby creates good vasanas when the will is stronger, at deathbed when will is weaker these good vasanas will propel his thoughts towards Lord only.  This is achieved by a nishkama saguna Brahma upaska whose thoughts are always on Lord and Liberation and he will attain krama mukthi, as Lord promises.   

Saguna Brahma upasana is meditation on Lord on any one of His forms, as Ishta devata or on a symbol to represent the Lord.  This upasana can be done seeking material benefit here or in the next world, when it is called sakama upasana.  When upasana is done for spiritual benefit alone then it is called nishkama upasana. When saguna Brahma upasana is done as a nishkama upasana seeking Liberation only, the upasaka remembering the Lord at the time of death travels to Brahma loka after death and in Brahma loka receives Brahma Jnanam at the feet of Lord Brahma and gets Liberation at the time of next pralaya without taking birth in earth again, in the meantime.  This type of mukthi is called krama mukthi.   In this upasana, form or symbol that is used to fix the mind on the Lord during upasana is called alampanam.  This alampanam is called prathima alampanam when it is of form like Rama, Krishna, Devi etc., and it is called pratheeka alampanam when it is a symbol like Om, saligramam etc.   Lord first talks about nishkama upasana with a prathima alampanam in verses 9 &10:
Whosoever meditates upon the Omniscient, the most ancient, the ruler (of all), who is subtler than the subtle, the sustainer of all, whose form is inconceivable, effulgent like the sun and beyond the darkness (of ignorance), (8-9) (continued in 8-10)
At the time of death, with unshaken mind, endowed with devotion and by the power of Yoga, fixing the whole life-breath in the middle of the two eyebrows, he reaches that resplendent Supreme Person. (8-10)

In the above two verses we have a beautiful description of the Divine Lord.  He is ‘Omniscient’ because He knows everything as He is everything. It is from His inscrutable power of Maya that the Universe including time and space emerged and so He is ‘most ancient’. As ‘ruler of all’ through His law He regulates all actions of the Universe including the movements of stars and galaxies. As there is nothing bigger than Him, so also there is also nothing smaller than Him and so ‘subtler than subtle’. As He is the very life in all beings He is the ‘sustainer of all’.  He is the very subject, the Consciousness behind all feelings and thoughts and so He is ‘of inconceivable form’. He is self-luminous and in his light everything else shines including sun and the moon and stars and so He is ‘effulgent like the sun’.  He is the master and controller of Maya and so ‘beyond the darkness of ignorance’. These can also be taken as pointers for meditation on Supreme. The upasaka should control the karmendriyas and jnendriyas and through Yoga withdraw Prana through the Susumna nadi to the top of the head between the eyebrows at the time of death.  In that condition, he should meditate on the Supreme Lord with single minded devotion and he goes to that Supreme Lord after death i.e. attains krama mukthi.

In verses 12 & 13 Lord Krishna talks about nishkama upasana with a pratheeka alampanam. 'Om' being the symbol representing Ishta devata here, this is called Omkara upasana.
Having restrained all the sense organs, having confined the mind to the heart, and having fixed one’s Praṇa on the top of the head, engaged in the practice of Yogic concentration, (8-12) ( continued in 8-13)
Uttering the monosyllable ‘Om’ which is (the name of) Brahman and remembering Me, one who departs, leaving the body, attains the supreme goal (8-13)
Here Lord Krishna outlines steps to be taken to achieve control over thoughts at the time of death to remember the Lord:
1)    Practicing control over sense-organs
2)    Confining mind in the ‘heart’
3)    Drawing Prana to the head
4)    Staying occupied in Yogic concentration
5)    Keep on uttering the single syllable ‘OM’
6)    Remembering the Lord constantly

A Nishkama upaska, has control over sense-organs even in normal times, when interacting with the world.  Now they  stand totally withdrawn into mind as in sleep.  The mind like the bird taking refuge in the nest in the evening rests in the heart, the seat of the Lord in the body. Prana also travels to the head, leaving each organ one by one.  Silently chanting ‘Om’ with the Lord alone in his thoughts, he leaves the world casting off his body never again to return i.e. attains krama mukthi. A person who is sincerely committed to the practice of meditation of Lord, with single minded devotion, can realise Him easily, again affirms Lord Krishna.
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Sunday, 15 October 2017

The need for Vijnanam

 (adapted from my article “Jnanam and Vijnanam” published in Medha, annual journal of Sydney Sanskrit school)

Lord Krishna tells Arjuna in the beginning of chapter 7 of Bhagavad Gita
ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः।(Jnaanam te’ham savijnaanam idam vakshyaamyasheshatah)
यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते।।(Yajjnaatwaa neha bhooyo’nyaj jnaatavyamavashishyate)
I shall completely impart to you this Jnanam along with Vijnanam gaining which knowledge nothing more remains to be known in this life.
Let us explore the two words Jnanam and Vijnanam in the context of Lord Krishna’s advice to Arjuna and the need for Vijnanam  to foster religious unity in our faction-ridden world.
In the closing verse of previous chapter, namely chapter 6, Lord Krishna stated that that the yogi who devoutly worships Him with his mind fully focussed on Him is the best of yogis. In the following verse, which is the first verse in this chapter,  Lord Krishna stated how He can be known in full without any doubt.  We should remember here that Lord Krishna is not speaking these words as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva but as the cosmic Supreme, who has taken the mortal body for the protection of the virtuous and destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of Dharma (Ch.4 – 8).
Cosmic Supreme is defined in Upanishads as Brahman.  Brahman which means “Big one” is only an indicator and not a name and it only means It is bigger than whatever big you can think of or however big you can conceive.  Hereafter we will refer to the Cosmic Supreme, as Brahman only.  Brahman is spoken of as being of two natures, one with the three gunas, satva, rajas and tamas unmanifest, called Nirguna Brahman or simply as Brahman and the other with these three gunas manifest called Saguna Brahman or Iswara. The three gunas together are known as Prakrithi or nature and also as Maya. Maya does not mean an illusion, as ordinarily understood, but refers to the phenomenon which is valid for all our ordinary experiences but is proved false on investigation. When something is referred to as Maya what it really means is that it is not really what it appears to be. A common everyday experience of Maya is sunrise and sunset.  The time of sunrise and sunset is given in print media, displayed on TV screen and we also experience sunrise and sunset.  But does sun really rise or set?  No, it is only the earth’s rotation that creates this phenomenon and all of us are aware of this fact, even while talking or referring about sunrise and sunset. That is why Swami Vivekananda referred to Maya as a simple statement of facts as it is.  The Nirguna Brahman, which is the One without a second, and which is the Absolute Truth, is referred to by Lord Krishna, in verse 5 of the same chapter as His Higher nature that forms the adhishtanam for the whole Universe.  The knowledge of this Nirguna Brahman is referred to here as Vijnanam, visesha Jnanam and Jnanam refers only to the knowledge of Saguna Brahman or Iswara.    It is Vijnanam that makes Jnanam complete and whole as Iswara’s higher nature is Nirguna Brahman.   Only with Vijnanam we can truly imbibe the spirit of the pregnant Rig Veda mantra ‘एकं  सत्  विप्रा  बहुधा  वदन्ति ‘ (Ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti) meaning “Truth is one, learned men call it by various names”  
We will now examine how Vijnanam, the knowledge of Nirguna Brahman can contribute to religious harmony and unity of humanity.  Kena Upanishad first reveals pure Consciousness, also called Athma, as the power behind all our powers of cognition. The pure Consciousness is an independent principle which is not part, product or property of the body and it enlivens the body- mind complex, which is made of pancha bhuthas.  The pancha bhuthas are inert by themselves and so the body mind complex as their compound is also inert.  It is only the blessings of pure Consciousness that makes the body mind complex sentient.  Later the Upanishad goes on to equate this pure Consciousness with Nirguna Brahman.  From this we conclude that Nirguna Brahman as pure Consciousness, enlivens all body mind complexes, irrespective of sex, age, race, religion. colour and nation.  So when you have Vijnanam, you realise that the consciousness principle that enlivens your body mind complex is the same One that enlivens all other body mind complexes.  You also realise that whatever be the external differences the internal power that makes people move and function as sentient human beings is the same.  This power is the Nirguna Brahman, the pure Consciousness, referred to as Sat in the Rig Veda mantra. It is One only without a second and it is this One which is called by many names in its other nature as Iswara.
Kena Upanishad also makes it clear that the forms which are worshipped, are only that of Iswara and not that of Brahman.  Iswara is the one that is commonly referred to as God and worshipped in different forms or symbols under different names.  This Iswara only is the srishti, sthithi, laya karanam.  Since it is worshipped in different forms or symbols, the worshippers of each symbol or form feel theirs is the true God and all other representations are false/inferior Gods, when worshippers’ knowledge stops with Iswara without extending to Nirguna Brahman, the higher nature of Brahman i.e. with Jnanam without extending to Vijnanam.  So people with Jnanam only without the Vijnanam are only aware of the dividing factors that separate them and miss the uniting principle. So Jnanam alone without Vijnanam had been and is the breeding ground of religious fanaticism and intolerance, This and the resulting zeal for conversion has been the cause for fights and wars, not to speak of present day terrorism, in the name of religion. With Vijnanam you see not only the One Brahman in all, but also all in One Brahman, and know this Brahman is none other than your own real Self.
Burt Harding, one of the advaita teachers of west, presents the same idea in different words.  He says in his satsanghs that human being is a mix of human and Being.  Being is the Oneness principle, the word he uses for Brahman, which is same in all human beings, irrespective of their race, religion, colour, sex or sect or nationality.  When people’s knowledge stops with the 'human' only, without the knowledge of the 'Being', there is emphasis on factors that divide humanity.  When it extends to 'Being' and one discovers that his real Self is the Being that is Oneness and not the human, which is ego, then one sees the intrinsic unity of all people i.e. pure consciousness and does not see others separate from oneself.  Deepak Chopra, another advaita teacher, calls this knowing state of mind as the state of Unity Consciousness. Vijnanam leads one to this Unity Consciousness that is necessary to achieve the principle of real brotherhood among humanity. 



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Thursday, 12 October 2017

Bhakthas and Bhakthi

Gita essays – 12

The virtuous people who offer worship to the Lord are termed bhakthas and they are classified into four categories by Lord Krishna (7-16). They are:

1)    Aartha bhaktha – Swami Paramarthananda calls him as 'crisis bhaktha'.  He thinks of the Lord intensely when he faces a crisis and at normal times thinks of God only at his convenience.  For him God is a means to get his problem solved and not the end, end being resolution of the problem be it economical, physical, personal or social. He is a sadhana bhaktha, whose knowledge of Lord is limited to Apara Prakrithi only.

2)    Artharthi bhaktha – He worships Lord for material prosperity, which includes progeny, position etc.  He is a regular worshipper, no doubt, and not crisis-driven like Aartha bhaktha but he has always a demand for fulfillment in his prayers.  For him too, God is not the end but only the means to achieve material gains. He is also a sadhana bhaktha, whose knowledge of Lord is limited to Apara prakrithi only.

3)    Jijnasu bhaktha – He has no personal axe to grind in his prayers and he is interested in acquiring total knowledge of God that will add strength to his worship.  For him Lord is the means as well as the end.  He is a sadhya bhaktha as Lord is not sadhanam, the means but sadhyam, the end as well, but his knowledge also is limited to Apara Prakrithi only and he is seeking the total knowledge of the Lord.

4)    Jnani bhaktha – He has knowledge of both Para prakriti and Apara prakrithi and for him God is neither the means nor the end but his real Self and his worsip is out of fulfillment of all wants, not for fulfillment of any wants. He is a Siddha bhaktha.

Aartha bhakthi and Artharthi Bhakthi are called sakama bhakthi, as both are for personal benefit and material gains. Jijnasu bhakthi and Jnani bhakthi are termed nishkama bhakthi, as the worship is not motivated by personal gains or material benefits.  

After giving the four categories of bhakthas, Lord mentions that all of them are noble, no doubt, but among them all, the Jnani Bhaktha is the best as he has steadfast and single pointed devotion to the Lord and he holds the Lord very dear to him. He also knows the Lord is His own Self and what is dearer to one than his own Self.  As sage Yajnavalkya tells his wife Maitreyi  in Brihadaranyaka Uanishad (2-4-5) “न वा अरे सर्वस्य कामाय सर्वं प्रियं भवति, आत्मनस्तु कामाय सर्वं प्रियं भवति (Na va are sarvasya kamam sarvam priyam bhavati, atmanastu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati.)” meaning “Verily all is not dear not for the sake of all but it is for one’s own sake that all is dear.”  Lord also reciprocates Jnani’s ananya bhakthi by holding the Jnani bhaktha dear to him and declares he is not different from Him.  Narada Bhakthi Sutra in its sutra 67 echoes Lord’s words:  “भक्ता एकान्तिनो मुख्याः(bhakta ekantino mukhyah)” which means “Devotees, whose single goal is the Lord Himself and whose single-pointed devotion towards the Lord is for its own sake, are the best”   Lord also tells that such Jnani bhakthas having ananya bhakthi for the Lord with the advaitic Jnanam of  Jiva Brahma Ikyam are rare as this maturity of Athma Jnanam is reached only after many Janmas in which one may be passing through several stages of aartha, artharthi, jijnasu bhakthi before his steadfastness is rewarded through Lord’s Grace and he blossoms into a jnani bhaktha with the knowledge of Lord’s Para prakrithi as well.  As a Jnani bhaktha, he becomes Jivan muktha, attaining videha mukthi after death.

After discussing Jnani bhaktha, Lord talks about the sakama bhakthas who have only knowledge of Lord’s Apara prakrithi and worship Him in His various forms to get their wants and desires fulfilled.  In whatever form they worship the Lord with full faith and sincerity, Lord sustains their faith in that form by answering their prayer in that form Itself. They do not know that all forms are only forms of the one Supreme Lord, Brahman, as His Apara prakrithi and all the fruits they seek are only of finite and limited nature, keeping them firmly in samsara.  Only knowledge of Para prakrithi, Brahma Jnanam, is the ultimate reward one should seek as it is totally fulfilling and satisfying and also liberating from samsara and they know not of this knowledge. They are ignorant of the Lord’s superior nature which is changeless and transcendent and in their ignorance they consider Him as the Unmanifest that has assumed manifestation. They mistake the changeless One behind the many as the One among the many in their ignorance. Lord then diagnoses the cause for their ignorance as Avarana sakthi, the veiling power, of Maya, which Lord now calls as Yogamaya ( he earlier referred to it as ‘My Maya’). This power of the Lord that is keeping them ignorant of the eternal, birthless, unsurpassed nature of the Lord as Para prakrithi, can be overpowered only when they curb their extrovert nature and shift their attention from the objects and pleasures of the world to the lotus feet of the Lord and surrender to Him seeking sincerely His Grace.  Lord alone knows fully and completely the past, present and future of everyone and everything and has no problem of ignorance about anything. As Maya is under His control Avarana Sakthi does not affect Him. But Jiva is under Maya’s control and under the spell of Maya does not know of Lord’s Para prakrithi and suffers from samsara.

This ignorance starts from birth itself due to delusion of the pairs of opposites arising from desire and aversion.  Not knowing the source of the unlimited real happiness within themselves due to this delusion they seek it in the outside world and spend their entire lifetime running after it. This Sri Sankara beautifully portrays in Bhaja Govindam (verse 7) thus:
बालस्तावत्क्रीडासक्तः (balastavatkriḍasaktaḥ)
तरुणस्तावत्तरुणीसक्तः ।( taruṇastavattaruṇisaktaḥ)
वृद्धस्तावच्चिन्तासक्तः (vṛiddhastavaccintasaktaḥ)
परे ब्रह्मणि कोऽपि न सक्तः (pare brahmaṇi ko'pi na saktaḥ)  
The childhood is spent in attachment to playfulness. Youth is spent in attachment to women. 
Old age is spent in thoughts (of past events or present helplessness). And there is hardly 
anyone who gets attached to Parabrahman.

Some noble person with enough punyam starts to think of the Lord in crisis and starts as an aartha bhaktha.  When this becomes a habit, with increase in punyam he turns into an artharthi bhaktha. Later in that life itself or in succeeding lives he grows into a jijnasu bhaktha, as his punyam grows. For the fortunate few all this growth can happen even in one or two lives. And then seeking to end samsara and get Liberated, he seeks a Guru and studies sastras with his help and he is well on the road to become a Jnani bhaktha.  When he surrenders to the Lord with Vijnanam, he totally gets rid of his delusion with dualities, with his mind becoming free of raga and dwesha, and his desires changing into preferences.  He becomes jnani bhaktha knowing all about the Para prakrithi and Apara prakrithi of the Lord.   Being established in this knowledge, he does not lose sight of the Lord even at the time of death and enjoys both Jivanmukthi and Videhamukthi.

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