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* who by the knowledge of the absolute brahman (identical with his own self) has dispelled the lgnorance (अज्ञानः) regarding it, and has realised it.
 
* who by the knowledge of the absolute brahman (identical with his own self) has dispelled the lgnorance (अज्ञानः) regarding it, and has realised it.
 
* who owing to the destruction of ignorance and its effects such as the accumulated past actions (सञ्चितकर्म), doubts (संशयः) like whether the individual soul is separate from or identical with brahman and errors such as the identification of the body with the self, has become bondage free and committed to the ultimate reality.<ref name=":0" />
 
* who owing to the destruction of ignorance and its effects such as the accumulated past actions (सञ्चितकर्म), doubts (संशयः) like whether the individual soul is separate from or identical with brahman and errors such as the identification of the body with the self, has become bondage free and committed to the ultimate reality.<ref name=":0" />
Adisankaracharya explains Jivanmukta as<blockquote>एवं च वेदान्तवाक्यैः सद्गुरूपदेशेन च सर्वेष्वपि भूतेषु येषां ब्रह्मबुद्धिरुत्पन्ना ते जीवन्मुक्ताः इत्यर्थः । (Tattvabodha)</blockquote>Through the statements in [[Vedanta (वेदान्तः)|Vedanta]] and the teachings of the [[Guru (गुरुः)|Guru]], those for whom the knowledge of Brahman occurs - they become free (from bonds of [[Karma (कर्म)|Karma]] and Punarjanma) while living.<ref name=":02">Swami Dayananda Saraswati (2012) ''Tattavabodhah.'' Chennai: Arsha Vidya Research and Publication Trust (Page 433 - 460)</ref>
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Adisankaracharya explains Jivanmukta as<blockquote>एवं च वेदान्तवाक्यैः सद्गुरूपदेशेन च सर्वेष्वपि भूतेषु येषां ब्रह्मबुद्धिरुत्पन्ना ते जीवन्मुक्ताः इत्यर्थः । (Tattvabodha)</blockquote>Through the statements in [[Vedanta (वेदान्तः)|Vedanta]] and the teachings of the [[Guru (गुरुः)|Guru]], those for whom the knowledge of Brahman occurs - they become free (from bonds of [[Karma (कर्म)|Karma]] and Punarjanma) while living.<ref name=":02">Swami Dayananda Saraswati (2012) ''Tattavabodhah.'' Chennai: Arsha Vidya Research and Publication Trust (Page 433 - 468)</ref>
    
== Qualities of a Jivanmukta ==
 
== Qualities of a Jivanmukta ==
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In this verse Arjuna asks in order to know what the characteristic attributes of a man of steady Knowledge (sthitaprajna) are. In this adhyaya, the characteristics of a sthitaprajna, whether he arrived at this state through the course of Knowledge (Jnana-yoga nishta) by renunciation of all karmas, or through the course of Karma (Karma yoga) are described. These are characteristic attributes are the means to attain that state, since they are to be attained by effort.<ref name=":1" />  
 
In this verse Arjuna asks in order to know what the characteristic attributes of a man of steady Knowledge (sthitaprajna) are. In this adhyaya, the characteristics of a sthitaprajna, whether he arrived at this state through the course of Knowledge (Jnana-yoga nishta) by renunciation of all karmas, or through the course of Karma (Karma yoga) are described. These are characteristic attributes are the means to attain that state, since they are to be attained by effort.<ref name=":1" />  
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*कामान्त्यजति -
 
*'''आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः ।''' '''Content in Self''': A man, satisfied in the Self alone by himself, completely casts off all the desires of the mind. When a man completely abandons all the various desires  that enter the heart and is satisfied with the True Innermost Self (Pratyagatman) in himself, without longing for external possessions, averse to everything else because of his acquisition of the immortal nectar, -i.e., his realisation of the Supreme Truth, - then he is said to be one in whom the knowledge arising from the discrimination of the Self and the not-Self has been steadied. (Bhag. Gita. 2.55)
 
*'''आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः ।''' '''Content in Self''': A man, satisfied in the Self alone by himself, completely casts off all the desires of the mind. When a man completely abandons all the various desires  that enter the heart and is satisfied with the True Innermost Self (Pratyagatman) in himself, without longing for external possessions, averse to everything else because of his acquisition of the immortal nectar, -i.e., his realisation of the Supreme Truth, - then he is said to be one in whom the knowledge arising from the discrimination of the Self and the not-Self has been steadied. (Bhag. Gita. 2.55)
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*अनुद्विग्नमनाः
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*विगतस्पृहः
 
*'''वीतरागभयक्रोधः । Free from Emotions''': He whose heart is not distressed in calamities, from whom all longing for pleasures has departed, who is free from attachment, fear and anger, he is called a muni, a man of steady knowledge. He is without attachment anywhere, and neither rejoices nor hates. (Bhag. Gita. 2.56, 57)
 
*'''वीतरागभयक्रोधः । Free from Emotions''': He whose heart is not distressed in calamities, from whom all longing for pleasures has departed, who is free from attachment, fear and anger, he is called a muni, a man of steady knowledge. He is without attachment anywhere, and neither rejoices nor hates. (Bhag. Gita. 2.56, 57)
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*सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहः
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*शुभाशुभम् नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टिः
 
*'''इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः संहरते । Withdrawal from External Objects''': He who completely withdraws the senses from sense-objects, as the tortoise (withdraws) its limbs from all sides, his knowledge is steady. Withdrawal of the senses is due to disinterest in external objects (developed due to austerity) thereby even the subtle sense of taste, inclination (Rasa) or subtle attachment vanishes in the case of one who experiences Brahman.  He who seeks prajna should seek to rein and control the sense-organs for they agitate the mind (Bhag. Gita. 2.58 - 61).<ref name=":1" />
 
*'''इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः संहरते । Withdrawal from External Objects''': He who completely withdraws the senses from sense-objects, as the tortoise (withdraws) its limbs from all sides, his knowledge is steady. Withdrawal of the senses is due to disinterest in external objects (developed due to austerity) thereby even the subtle sense of taste, inclination (Rasa) or subtle attachment vanishes in the case of one who experiences Brahman.  He who seeks prajna should seek to rein and control the sense-organs for they agitate the mind (Bhag. Gita. 2.58 - 61).<ref name=":1" />
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*विषय-विनिवर्तनम्
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*
    
The self-controlled man, whose mind can be subdued at will, free from forces of attraction and repulsion; mastered by the Self, attains prasadam, serenity, or self-poise. <blockquote>रागद्वेषविमुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् । आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ॥ २-६४॥ (Bhag. Gita. 2.64) </blockquote>In this serenity, all miseries pertaining to the body and the mind vanish, the misery of samsara (mundane existence) ends. That man of renunciation, who, entirely abandoning all desires, goes through life content with the bare necessities of life, for the mere bodily existence, who is not proud of his knowledge,-such a man of steady knowledge, that man verily knows Brahman.<ref name=":1" />
 
The self-controlled man, whose mind can be subdued at will, free from forces of attraction and repulsion; mastered by the Self, attains prasadam, serenity, or self-poise. <blockquote>रागद्वेषविमुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् । आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ॥ २-६४॥ (Bhag. Gita. 2.64) </blockquote>In this serenity, all miseries pertaining to the body and the mind vanish, the misery of samsara (mundane existence) ends. That man of renunciation, who, entirely abandoning all desires, goes through life content with the bare necessities of life, for the mere bodily existence, who is not proud of his knowledge,-such a man of steady knowledge, that man verily knows Brahman.<ref name=":1" />
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Further he states, a Jivanmukta, ब्रह्मैवाहमस्मीत्यपरोक्षज्ञानेन निखिलकर्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्तः स्यात् । By immediate knowledge that Atman is Brahman alone, one becomes free from bondage of all karmas.   
 
Further he states, a Jivanmukta, ब्रह्मैवाहमस्मीत्यपरोक्षज्ञानेन निखिलकर्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्तः स्यात् । By immediate knowledge that Atman is Brahman alone, one becomes free from bondage of all karmas.   
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* '''निखिलकर्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्तः। Free from bondage of Karma''': Once the realization dawns that "I am Brahman," a jiva becomes free from Avidya; additionally he is also freed from anything that is born of that Avidya, namely ajnana. Every human being is born with and thus inherently has the ajnana of believing the body itself as Atman. The first thing born of ajnana is kartrtva, doer-ship, and when there is a doer-ship, there is also enjoyer-ship. As a karta, the doer, must also take the consequences of his karma, thus he is the karma-phala-bhokta, the reaper of the results of action. The one who sows, reaps. These results are different types of punya and papa. The Jivanmukta is free from Avidya, and therefore, from doer-ship and enjoyer-ship. He is no longer attached to any action (Karmabandha) he has done. Karmas are many, accumulated from the past janmas and there is no freedom from karma or action itself, what we can freed ourselves is the Karmabandha, freedom from Kartrtva or doer-ship. Atman has no kartrtvam, therefore anyone who has realized this becomes free from Kartrtvam.
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* '''निखिलकर्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्तः। Free from bondage of [[Karma (कर्म)|Karma]]''': Once the realization dawns that "I am Brahman," a jiva becomes free from Avidya; additionally he is also freed from anything that is born of that Avidya, namely ajnana. Every human being is born with and thus inherently has the ajnana of believing the body itself as Atman. The first thing born of ajnana is kartrtva, doer-ship, and when there is a doer-ship, there is also enjoyer-ship. As a karta, the doer, must also take the consequences of his karma, thus he is the karma-phala-bhokta, the reaper of the results of action. The one who sows, reaps. These results are different types of punya and papa. The Jivanmukta is free from Avidya, and therefore, from doer-ship and enjoyer-ship. He is no longer attached to any action (Karmabandha) he has done. Karmas are many, accumulated from the past janmas and there is no freedom from karma or action itself, what we can freed ourselves is the Karmabandha, freedom from Kartrtva or doer-ship. Atman has no kartrtvam, therefore anyone who has realized this becomes free from Kartrtvam.
    
== What happens to Jivanmukta's Karma? ==
 
== What happens to Jivanmukta's Karma? ==
A Jivanmukta is liberated from kartrtvam or doer-ship. That being so, the sanchita-karma is gone, because all that was accumulated since his birth is falsified. All the sanchita karma is gone when the realization, I am brahman occurs.   
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A Jivanmukta is liberated from kartrtvam or doer-ship. That being so, सञ्चितं कर्म ब्रह्मैवाहमिति निश्चयात्मकज्ञानेन नश्यति । Sanchita karma is destroyed by the firm knowledge, ‘I am Brahman’ alone.<ref name=":2">https://shlokam.org/texts/tattvabodha-verses/</ref> The Sanchita karma is the accumulated karma standing in the account of the Jiva, all the unmanifest karma from previous lives, and also, the karma done in this life before one gains this knowledge. And it is destroyed by this definite knowledge, ''nischayatmakajnana - I am Brahman''. This is because Brahman is akartr, which performs no karma. The body-person who was responsible for all the karma, stands falsified once the knowledge of self dawns.<ref name=":02" />  
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Will there be new karma-phalas because as long as he lives he has to perform some karma? There cannot be, because this person, being a Jnani, doesn’t think, I am the doer, even though he may be doing actions. Therefore new results of karma cannot come to him. But according to law of karma, any action should have a phala; some phala is generated as punya or papa, but it is not enjoyed by the Jivanmukta mainly because there is no Bhoktrtvam, as there is no Kartrtvam. If he does not enjoy the fruits of his actions, who does so?
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Will there be new karma-phalas because as long as he lives he has to perform some karma? There cannot be, because this person, being a Jnani, doesn’t think, I am the doer, even though he may be doing actions. Therefore new results of karma cannot come to him. But according to law of karma, any action should have a phala; some phala is generated as punya or papa, but it is not enjoyed by the Jivanmukta mainly because there is no Bhoktrtvam, as there is no Kartrtvam. If he does not enjoy the fruits of his actions, who does so?<ref name=":02" />
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If the jnani performed some good karma, like teaching, which is considered to be a punya-karma, to whom will that punya go? Whoever worships that jnani, to that person it will go. And if there is any papa-karma, like inadvertently stepping on an insect, which according to the law of karma is himsa and creates papa, it will not touch him. He has no punya or papa; therefore where will that papa go? There is always somebody who is going to say something against that jnani, and that person will get the papa. And because of prarabdhakarma, the jnani continues to have the body, because of Ishvara-srishti.<ref name=":02" />
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The body continues to exist, the mind remains, the senses continue, the whole sharira the karyakarana-sanghata, continues to exist. Why? This complex was given to the Jiva to exhaust the prarabdha-karma, and therefore it will continue to appear, live—like the pot (as in the pot and clay analogy). Otherwise if the Jiva realizes, I am sacchidananda-atman, and then disappears, like the snake (in the rope and snake adhyasa analogy), there will be no Jivanmukta. The prarabdha-karma is exhausted by experiencing it, प्रारब्धकर्मणां भोगादेव क्षय इति । and when that is over, there is no rebirth for him. Agami karma also does not affect the Jnani, because नलिनीदलगतजलवत् ज्ञानिनां सम्बन्धो नास्ति । the wise man is not affected by it-as a lotus leaf is not affected by the water on it. The karma done after knowledge, called Agami, does not belong to him, because he is not a karta anymore.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":2" />
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== Jivanmuktas ==
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Suta Maharshi -
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Prahlada Ajagara Samvada -
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Janaka Maharaju -
    
== References ==
 
== References ==
 
[[Category:Advaita Vedanta]]
 
[[Category:Advaita Vedanta]]
 
[[Category:Vedanta]]
 
[[Category:Vedanta]]

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