In article <ghenE6vtIG.76@netcom.com>, mani@be.com says... > >mpt@dhc.net (Michael Tandy) writes: >> Even asuras >> can gain moksa, but only one who is graced with the mercy of the >> Lord or His devotees can gain pure bhakti ... > >This is unphilosophical theologizing. In Vedanta, moksha is >nothing but a state of unalloyed, blissful communion with the >Absolute, which is the same as the culmination of bhakti. >I fail to understand how someone can attain liberation but >be without pure bhakti. It neither makes sense nor is >supported by Vedantic teaching.
This is wrong. One who is situated in pure bhakti generally has
little concern for liberation, or for that matter, anything else. That is
not to say that s/he isn't liberated, however. In fact, one must be
liberated to perform pure devotional service (Gita, 18.54). But pure
devotional service is defined by Vaisnava acaryas as bhakti which is devoid
of any other interest, whether from the realms of karma or jnana. This is
indeed a state of blissful communion with the Absolute, and so it qualifies
as mukti, but there are other types of mukti which do not qualify as pure
devotional service. It is for this reason that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
regarded such bhakti as "paJcaM puruSArtham," (the fifth human attainment)
or "prema-pum-artho mahAn" (love of God, the highest goal of human life;"
such devotion is beyond ordinary dharma, artha, kama, and moksa. This is
what distinguishes bhakti in the Gaudiya sampradaya from others, who are
satisfied with motivated devotion.
But aside from this, it is a fact that asuras can gain liberation;
there are many instances of this throughout the sastras. It is also that
only the grace of Lord Visnu or His pure devotees can bestow such a refined
level of bhakti on someone. It seems as if you haven't substantially
addressed these facts or defended your objection to them very deeply. Would
you like to elaborate on how one can attain pure devotional service without
the mercy of Hari/guru/vaisnavas? Please also show (with reference to Vedic
authorities) why you believe that the numerous pauranika examples of demons
being liberated by the mercy of Lord Visnu are false.
-m
