JIVANMUKTI VIVEKA: Part 1: Post-3. Swami Guru Bhaktananda

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Tuesday 28, October 2025. 19:50.
JIVANMUKTI VIVEKA: Part 1: Pramana Prakarana: “The Evidence of Liberation” : IN 5 PARTS: THE ENQUIRY INTO LIBERATION 
REFLECTIONS: Swami Gurubhaktananda 
Based on the 55 Lectures delivered:  Swami Advayanandaji (referred to as “Swamiji” in the book),  
In-charge, Chinmaya International Foundation, Veliyanad, Kerala.  
from 10th June 2015 – 28th May 2016 '
The Central Purpose of Jivanmukti Viveka:
The purpose of the entire text can be summed up in the following three points: 
Post-3.

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The Central Purpose of Jivanmukti Viveka:

The purpose of the entire text can be summed up in the following three points: 

1. To Establish the Real Meaning of the Bhagavad Geeta:  

Tatparya is the real, the essential or core meaning of any text. For the Bhagavad Geeta, it is Sadhana – the spiritual practice that is required to attain the lofty goal of life, namely Jivanmukti. 

In order to bring out this point, Sri Vidyaranyaji makes the great effort of quoting numerous citations from the Shrutis and Smritis, from the Puranas and Agamas, and even from the Itihasas down to the Kavyas (poetical works). In other words, he spares no pains to achieve this aim in the fullest degree. The book is full of quotations. Indeed, it is a most wonderful collection of something like 700 quotations. This shows the importance he has attached to going about the quest for Jivanmukti by adopting the proper means or Sadhana as prescribed in the Bhagavad Geeta. 

Just as Lord Krishna spares no trouble in ensuring that Arjuna understands the full implications of pursuing the spiritual path, Sri Vidyaranyaji does the same in this book to assert the key practices of Tattwa Jnana, Vasana Kshaya and Manonasha. Upon the tripod of these three spiritual practices is built the edifice of Jivanmukti. 

2. To Remove the Delusion of “Being Realised”:  

A delusion that persists in the minds of spiritual seekers is the untestified belief that one has reached the goal of Jivanmukti. Upon closer scrutiny it is found that this is far from being the case. Under self-delusion, it is very easy for a seeker to declare himself a realised person and give himself a certificate!  

Sri Vidyaranyaji takes great pains over explaining all the qualifications needed to arrive at the point of Self-realisation. It is by no means an easy accomplishment. When scrutinised through the words of Lord Krishna in the Geeta, as well as the words of the Shrutis, it is always discovered that Self-realisation is a very rare phenomenon in human life. 

Naturally, to convince the self-deluded person is itself a mammoth task. But, in the interest of spiritual attainment, Sri Vidyaranya does what is needed to remove this canker. 

3. To Protect Sincere Seekers from “Self-proclaimed” Gurus: 

 The world of Mumukshus or true seekers has this grave danger to face. In the search for the Truth, to find the right person to guide one to the goal is very hard. It requires the Grace of the Lord and absolute sincerity of purpose to be led to the qualified Guru.  

To secure the optimal conditions in one’s search for the true guide, Sri Vidyaranyaji places his utmost faith in all the three Sadhanas expounded in the Geeta: Tattwa Jnana, destruction of Vasanas and the dissolution of the mind. Tattwa Jnana is not sufficient. After knowledge is received, the seeker is urged to pursue the other two Sadhanas before expecting any worthwhile realisation. Vividisha Sannyasis should not stop at Knowledge but become Vidvat Sannyasis and take up the cudgels of Sadhana in earnest.  

In other words, they should not remain contented with Videhamukti, which assures that they obtain Tattwa Jnana, but they should progress further with greater effort in personal Sadhana to arrive at Jivanmukti. 

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THE TEXTBOOK FOR THIS STUDY:

Swamiji announced that we are required to have a copy of the textbook, Jivanmukti Viveka, on sale from Ramakrishna Mission or the Theosophical Society. In the book, the first 13 mantras are in Samskrit Padya or verse format and provide an outline of the entire text. 

The rest of the book is in Samskrit Gadya or prose format, containing numerous quotations followed by their explanations by Sri Vidyaranyaji. These are presented here in translation boxes. Swamiji’s class discussions and the Reflections are presented in the commentary section after the translation. These discussions are very useful to students as they expand further on the meanings given by Sri Vidyaranyaji. 

 Readers are strongly advised to purchase the above textbook, even though practically all the material is repeated here, with the translations re-constructed as well as 

re-worded to follow the Samskrit phrase by phrase. 

Title:  Jivanmukti Viveka by Swami Vidyaranya 

Translator: Swami Mokshadananda 

Publisher: Swami Tattwavidananda, Adhyaksha, 

  Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, Champavat, 

  Uttarakhand, Himalayas, India. 

Email:  mail@advaitaashrama.org 

Website: www.advaitaashrama.org 

Edition: Fourth Reprint, December 2015. 

ISBN:  978-81-7505-182-9, Printed at Trio Process, Kolkata 700014. 

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Next
PART 1A:   THE PADYA 
(13 Mantras on the Overview)   
THE CLASSIFICATION of SANNYASA 
Continues

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