The Path of Moksha - Ashtavakra Gita

The Path of Moksha - Ashtavakra Gita

In Bhagavad Gita, Shree Krishna made discourse on four paths of salvation to Arjuna during Mahabharata. These four paths of spiritual realization are based on the premise that people are born with different temperaments and tendencies. The four paths are knowledge (jnana yoga), the path of devotion (bhakti yoga), the path of action (karma yoga), and the path of meditation (raja yoga).
 
Sufi-saints have also defined four stages viz. shariyat, tarifat, marifat and hakikat. Shariyat means following methods-preparations, rules-regulations, system-procedures, self-control, remedies etc. Tarifat means ego is lost, performance is stopped. Marifat means experience of consciousness but duality remains. Hakikat means only consciousness remains. Liberated person experiences consciousness everywhere. Hence, he neither criticise, nor praise, nor excited, nor angry, nor acquire, nor reject. He lives naturally 

Sri Ashtavakra says, modern amenities and instruments are invented by human being with great efforts and research. Likewise, people are making efforts such as japa, tapa, yoga, sadhana, hath yoga, mantra sadhana, worship etc. to find almighty. But almighty is inside each one. Only requirement is to clear the mind. Doer-ship or ego develops stress of expectations. Non-fulfilment of expectations causes miseries. Ego and almighty, both cannot remain together. Once “I am-ness” dropped, almighty remains. The opposites (violence-non-violence, compassion-cruelty, politeness-harshness, humility-pride etc.) appear till duality. When entire universe appears as one consciousness, opposites disappear. 

Sri Ashtavakra has preferred the spiritual wisdom as a path of moksha. He explained the paths as under:

1. People experience four universe, one outside and three inside viz. thought universe, emotion universe and witness universe. Accordingly, based on their pre-dominance, there are four paths of liberation viz. path of actions without attachment, jnana yoga path, Bhakti path and path of witnessing. As per yoga, by restraint of distractions of chit, experience of jivatma is possible. The yogic process is to remove distractions. In enlightened person, chit comes to rest, no impulse rises.  
2. The last destination of bhakti or worship, dhayan or Samadhi, raja yoga or Samkhya, tantra or hath yoga, is spiritual wisdom or enlightenment and fruit of enlightenment is moksha. But in case person is impulsive, having desires or worried, even after attaining spiritual wisdom, it means he has not achieved the fruit of spiritual wisdom.
3. Person who has attained spiritual wisdom remains satisfied in his consciousness. Hence, one should be of pure senses whose senses do not run to senses objects. He leads life with what is the available instead of with desires. He is satisfied with the things required for bare minimum needs of body. He prefers solicitude and even in public, he feels alone.  
4. Scholars tell two paths of moksha viz. pravatti and nirvatti. Pravatti path is to lead life and perform all the karmas. Not performing one’s duties is ego and not obeying nature’s rules. Persons on Nirvatti path says by enjoyment desires are not fulfilled but increases. Hence, these should be abandoned.
5. Astavakra tells about third path. He says pravatti develops attachment. Nirvatti path tells about abandoning worldly pleasures for moksha which is also bondage. Spiritually enlightenment person is liberated from both, pravatti and nirvatti paths. He leads simple and natural life. He neither performs actions out of desires nor abandons them.
6. Ashtavakra says, jivatma is inert & motionless and in the centre. Entire universe moves around it. If distance is more from jivatma, speed is more and as one come closer to jivatma, speed reduces. As attachment (राग), aversion (द्वेष), jealousy (ईर्ष्या), greed (लोभ), delusion (मोह) and ego (अहंकार) increase speed rises.
7. Ashtavakra says any action or activity even meditation cannot liberate. Meditation, worship etc. are to make the body ready to bear the phenomenon. Without that, one can get disturbed. After the liberation is attained, all actions for liberation, worship, meditation & dhayan are to be abandoned. These efforts become bondage. Jivatma is effortless, luminous and liberated, hence spiritual wisdom about it is sufficient. All good or bad deeds are done by body, mind or speech not by jivatma. When you reside in jivatma, you are peaceful, wise and liberated. Full loyalty in jivatma sprouts spiritual wisdom.
8. Ashtavakra says, moksha is not possible till any support is available even of God. Any support is bondage. Craving for anything including worldly pleasures, heaven, moksha etc. is world.
9. Moksha is complete void of thoughts, peace and bliss. Both enjoyer and renunciant are disturbed. Moksha is not a thing to grab, or place to reach, or enjoyment to delight or sadhana or perfection or heaven.

 
Reference:

1. Ashtavakra Gita, By Pandit Vivek Shri Kaushik, Puja Prakashan, Sadar Bazar, Delhi.