SB 3.27.10-16: The Goal of Becoming a Liberated Soul

Hare Krsna,

Studying Srimad Bhagavatam regularly removes our misconceptions about lot of things. I used to have some misunderstanding about the concept of liberation. I used to think that liberation is possible only when one is free from this material world. As long as one is in this material world, one is considered conditioned. Of course, this principle does not apply to liberated souls who come to this material world to execute Lord’s mission. For example, our dear Srila Prabhupada is eternally liberated. My misconception rose from the scriptural view that jivas are either eternally conditioned or eternally liberated (nitya-baddha and nitya-mukta). Therefore, for a conditioned jiva to transcend the conditioned stage, he has to transcend this material world first. The analogy is a prisoner in a prison. As long as he is inside the prison serving his sentence, he cannot be considered liberated. Only when he completes his sentence and is released from prison does he become liberated. I thought the same principle applied to material conditioning and liberation.

This lesson teaches us that one can attain liberation even while being in his so-called material body and within this material world. Liberation basically (at least in the beginning) means change in consciousness. As long as one thinks he is the enjoyer due to false ego, he is considered conditioned. But when one comes to the realization that he is an eternal servant of Krsna and acts in that consciousness, he is considered liberated.

The question is, how does a liberated soul think, feel, and act? The answer is given in SB 3.27.11. A liberation soul realizes the Supersoul to be – (a) transcendental, (b) manifest as a reflection even in the false ego, (c) the cause of prakrti, (d) pervading into everything, (e) one without a second, (f) absolute, and (g) the eyes of the illusory energy. This means a pure devotee (and a liberated soul) sees the presence of the Supreme Lord as a reflection in everything material manifested. He does not see anything but Krsna, and in everything he sees that the energy of Krsna is acting. This means he is no longer under the illusion of false ego but thinks that he is a spirit soul – part and parcel of Krsna. When one is reflected through the material contamination of the body and mind in false identification, he is in the conditional state, but when he is reflected in the pure stage, he is called liberated. (SB 3.27.13 Purport).

Next question is how does one become liberated? As our teachers posted in the forum post, the yogic process outlined by Lord Krsna to Arjuna is not possible in this age. It is said that in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed. (SB 1.1.10). Due to a troublesome and restless mind, it is not at all possible to perform the eight-fold mystic yoga process to attain liberation. Nor does one have a long-life span to achieve yogic perfection in this age.

Considering the miserable condition of the conditioned soul, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, whose appearance day would be celebrated in a few days, advented in this age of Kali Yuga to bestow what no incarnation has ever bestowed before. He has given us nama-sankirtana (chanting of the Holy Name) by which we can achieve all perfection – even in this lifetime. Not only do we achieve liberation but also, we achieve Krsna-prema. What could be more glorious and higher than this? If we sincerely follow the teachings of Mahaprabhu, we will attain the goal of becoming a liberated soul. For this, we have to sincerely engage in the nine types of devotional service beginning from hearing, chanting, remembering, etc.

“By the practice of Krsna consciousness, however, one engages in nine types of devotional service to the Lord. The first and foremost of such devotional engagements is hearing about Krsna. This is a very powerful transcendental method for purging the mind of all misgivings….This is practical because by hearing about Krsna one becomes automatically attached to the Supreme Spirit. This attachment is called paresanubhuti spiritual satisfaction. It is just like the feeling of satisfaction a hungry man has for every morsel of food he eats. Similarly, by discharge of devotional service, one feels transcendental satisfaction as the mind becomes detached from material objectives. It is something like curing a disease by expert treatment and appropriate diet. Hearing of the transcendental activities of Lord Krsna is therefore expert treatment for the mad mind, and eating the foodstuff offered to Krsna is the appropriate diet for the suffering patient. This treatment is the process of Krsna consciousness.” (BG 6.35-36 Purport)

īhā yasya harer dāsye | karmaṇā manasā girā | nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu |jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate

“A person acting in the service of Kṛṣṇa with his body, mind and words is a liberated person even in the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities.” (BRS 1.2.187)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!