Sanjay: Why do we clap while singing Bhajan?
Swami Ram Swarup: In bhajan there is a music/tune etc., and when a listener listens Bhajan, then in his heart music generates and automatically clapping starts. However, if one controls himself then he can also control clappings.
Harsh: Pranaam swamiji ,sadar charan sparsh,aasha hai aap swasth honge..swamiji , maine net pe padha ki mukti eternal nahi hai,apitu yeh satya hai ki aatma vedo k adhyan dwara ,mukt ho jaati hai parantu yeh eternal nahi hai..matllab hum mukt hoe k baad bhi kaafi samay tak iswar k saath hotey hai but uske baad phir se hamari journey start ho jaati hai dobara mukti prapt karne ki ..maine jo net pe padha tha swamiji woh paste kar raha hu ,aapke vichaar aur guidance chahta hu iss vishay par…woh article yeh tha swamiji.. : Is Mukti eternal or unending?
Swami Ram Swarup: No. If that had been so, we would all have obtained Mukti by now and no soul would have remained in the world trying for Mukti (freedom from existing bondage). The whole purpose of creation would have turned irrelevant then. And if we have been unable to get Mukti so far, it is impossible to ever get Mukti in future. Because soul is unborn and time has no beginning. Thus as per Vedas, Geeta, Upanishads and every scripture, we have been in existence for INFINITE time. If we cannot get Mukti in INFINITE time, there is no way we can get Mukti EVER. THUS MUKTI IS NOT ETERNAL Hence, after period of Mukti is over, soul comes back to world and starts its journey to Mukti again.
However, the duration of Mukti is very high compared to human life. As per Mundakopanishad, this duration is equivalent to time span of 36000 cycles of creation. Each creation cycle is equal to 43.2*200 million years. So when scriptures say that Mukti is endless, they imply that before this complete term of Mukti is over, the soul will NOT come into cycle of death and life.
Q: Any evidence from Vedas on Mukti not being endless?
A: Refer Rigveda 1.24.1-2:Question: Whom do we consider the most pure? Who is the most enlightened one in entire world. Who provides us mother and father again in the world after gifting us ultimate bliss or Mukti?
Answer: The self-enlightening, eternal, ever-free Ishwar alone is most pure. He alone provides us mother and father again in the world after gifting us ultimate bliss or Mukti.
Shankaracharya in his treatise on Chandogya Upanishad (8.15.1 and 4.15.1) states that soul stays in Brahmaloka or Mukti till his duration is not complete. In explanation of 6.2.15, he states that souls stay in Mukti for several Samvastara (years). In his explanation of Shatpath Brahman 14.6.1.18, he writes that If souls do not come back after salvation, then the word Iha in the mantra becomes meaningless.
Q: What are the fallacies of considering endless Mukti?
A:
1. It is against Vedas as per above reference.
2. Since soul is unborn and has existed for infinite time. Still it could not obtain Mukti. Thus Mukti automatically becomes impossible if it is eternal. OUR EXISTENCE IN NON-MUKTI STATE IS GREATEST PROOF OF MUKTI NOT BEING FOREVER.
3. Actions of a soul are limited. The fruits of limited actions CANNOT be unlimited.
4. If Mukti be eternal, the world shall come to end eventually after all souls obtain Mukti. Since souls are unborn, there cannot be possibility of new souls being created. And if souls are created, even their destruction becomes inevitable.
5. Unless Mukti is cyclical, even Mukti becomes a prison from where one cannot return.
6. Even the value of bliss reduces if it goes on for endless time. Note that soul is not Ishwar to be able to comprehend bliss in full. Its capacity to enjoy bliss is also limited. Thus only return of Mukti does best justice for the souls.
Q: If there is return from Mukti, then why put efforts for it? After all it is also temporary!
A: Soul has limited capacity and limited knowledge. Thus something that transcends its capacity to appreciate the length cannot be termed temporary. On earth, we make great efforts to manage happiness for 1 hour, 1 day, few months, few years. We plan so much for a life of merely 100 years knowing fully well that it will end after that. We eat today and start planning for next meal tomorrow morning.
Ans. My blessings to you. Whatever you and article says, is true. The Rigved mantras quoted in your article are authentic, the vedas being eternal knowledge which emanate directly from God. As per Vedas, Brahma lok is the human-body and no other Brahma lok is mentioned in Vedas.
Other comments are true.
