I feel great pleasure in writing a foreword to 'The Concept of Moksa in Advaita Vedanta with special reference to jivanmuktiviveka of Sri Vidyaranya' by Dr. Vaishali Kamik. As a guide, I had to go through this work carefully. Certainly, this is a new contribution to the field of knowledge.
Shri Vidyaranya is one of the most important Advaita Philosophers of the fourteenth century A.D. He was a great genius and versatile scholar. His contribution to Advaita Vedanta is remarkable. Though lots of research works have been done on Vidyaranya's other works, so far no independent and detailed study on his important work 'Jivanmuktiviveka' is being done. Dr. Karnik has made a detailed textual study of the work and presented its essence very systematically. It is certainly the first of its kind in the field of Advaita philosophy.
Moksa or liberation according to Advaita is the realization of identity between the individual self and the universal Sek the Brahman. Sankara rightly points out that it is becoming one with Brahman [Brahma bhavas moksah]. The release is not something that is to be newly achieved. Release [Moksa] is the eternal nature of the Self. Only this Supreme fact remains unrealized because of nescience. This nescience is removable by the right knowledge [Vijnananirasya]. Religious actions only purify one's mind and it is only the right knowledge that leads to the realization of Atman or Self. Once this ignorance is removed, one is released from bondage. This release or this state is possible in this very embodied life. This is known as the state of Jivanmukti-living liberation or liberation while living. The final release is obtained after the death of the body [Videhamukti]. This Jivanmukti concept which has a basis in the Upanisads is systematically developed by the Advaita Vedantins. The possibility of living liberation is accepted by the Buddhists, Jainas, and Advaita Vedantins in the Indian philosophical field. In Buddhism, the realized person in the embodied state is called Arhat [in Hinayana] and Bodhisattva [in Mahayana], Kevali in Jainism, and Jivanmukta in Advaita Vedanta. Jivanmuktiviveka of Vidyaranya is a milestone in providing various proofs for the possibility of Jivanmukti and the life of Jivanmukta.
The author Dr. Vaishali Karnik, in this book, has done a commendable job, of giving a brief survey of the concept of Moksa in Indian philosophy and Pre-Sankara, Sankara, and post-Sankara Advaita Vedanta up to Vidvaranva's period [Chapters. II-III]. The fourth chapter is dedicated to describing the life and Date of Vidyaranya along with the vast literature produced by this great Advaita stalwart. The fifth chapter is a very important one in which proofs for the possibility of Jivanmukti are discussed in detail. Sri Vidyaranya gives his proofs, in addition, to supporting his views; he gives proofs found in Upanisads and writings of earlier Advaita Vedantins. In the sixth chapter, the author discusses the nature of Jivanmukti and Videhamukti given in the text. The means of Jivanmukti are discussed in chapter seven. Vidyaranya mentions threefold means of liberation while living viz., Vasanaksaya, Manonasa, and Jnana. This is a unique contribution made by Vidyaranya to obtain Jivanmukti. This threefold means of liberation is not found in any other works of Advaita Vedanta. The learned author analysis all three means of liberation in detail based on the original text. Chapters eight and nine deal with the purpose of attainment of Jivanmukti and the state of Jivanmukta called ParamaharilsaYogi, respectively. Chapter ten describes the concept of Moksa in Vaisnava Vedanta especially in Visistadvaita of Ramanuja and Dvaita of Madhvacarya, Vaisnava Vedantins accept only Videhamukti [Liberation after death] and reject the possibility of Jivanmukti [Liberation while living]. In the conclusion, the author authentically presents a comparative study of the development of the concept of Jivanmukti within the Advaita Vedanta, which is a praiseworthy attempt.
This book displays the author's scholarship and insight into the subject. The subject matter is systematically presented lucidly. The subject matter of the book has its significance in the field of Indian philosophy. This is certainly scholarly work on the subject and I have no hesitation in recommending this work to the readers and students of Philosophy.
