What is the basic realisation that comes from a knowledge of Vedanta ? What are the goals of human life ?
The realisation of God and मोक्ष – Moksha – Sanskrit for liberation.
There are many paths to the realisation of God – and Vedanta doesn’t claim monopoly on the same. It readily acknowledges that there are many paths to God, despite being the earliest and the most accurate body of knowledge about man, God and everything in between.
One should not think, ‘My religion alone is the right path and other religions are false.’ God can be realized by means of all paths. It is enough to have sincere yearning for God. Infinite are the paths and infinite the opinions. ( The Gospel of Ramakrishna, page 158)
Now, the realisation of God and Moksha are not easy things to do. Not because they are difficult, but because we are distracted. With life, with mundane things, with almost anything other than the most important things.
Of these two, the first part – realisation of God is easier, compared to the liberation or Moksa.
The second part is difficult. Almost impossible. If you were to ask the question, how many souls are liberated every day, or every year or in their lifetimes, I don’t think anybody could answer that.
But, my guess is that the number is a very small one. Minuscule.
The more important question is – can everybody – every living being be liberated ?
The answer is – yes – because, by definition, everybody came from a liberated state – ‘Sat.Chit.Ananda’ and therefore, at some point, will have to go back to that state.
But, if the question is, can everybody be liberated at the same time ?
The answer to this question is slightly more complicated and we will deal with it next time ( hopefully very soon). … keep an eye out.
