What is the difference between salvation and liberation?

[Shri Lakshman asked: Pada Namaskarams Swami, In a forum one person was mentioning that by salvation re-birth cannot be avoided but by liberation it can be. So what is the difference between salvation and liberation? Please enlighten me. At the lotus feet of Swami, Lakshman]

Swami replied: O Learned and Devoted Servants of God! Salvation is a synonym of liberation. Both mean attaining freedom from bondage or slavery. Salvation conveys the same meaning as liberation, but it is a term that is specifically used in spiritual knowledge. Similarly, love and devotion mean the same, but the word devotion is specifically used in spiritual knowledge. It is the same old wine in a new bottle. Love for God is specifically denoted by the word devotion just like liberation from the world is denoted by salvation. These specific terms are indicative of the sacred context in which they are used. Love for one’s worldly bonds is denoted by the word love, while the love for God is denoted by devotion. The secondary scripture says that our love for worldly bonds (prema or prīti), when diverted to God is called devotion (bhakti).

nātha yonisahasreṣu yeṣu yeṣu vrajāmyaham

teṣu teṣvacyutā bhaktiracyutāstu sadā tvayi

 

yā prītir avivekānāṃ viṣayeṣvanapāyinī

tvām anusmarataḥ sā me hṛdayānmāpasarpatu

—Viṣṇu Purāṇam.

The same can also be expressed in the following verse:

yā naḥ prītir virūpākṣa, viṣayeṣvanapāyinī।

bhaktirityucyate saiva, tvayi cet puruṣottame॥

—Shri Datta Swami

 

Salvation or liberation from worldly bonds never cancels rebirth. Even God, who is fully liberated from every bond takes birth again and again in this world. Does the soul who has attained salvation or liberation become greater than God Himself to escape from rebirth? The absence of rebirth only means the absence of the fascination for worldly bonds after being reborn in this world. It also does not mean the absence of worldly bonds in a physical sense. Sage Nārada asked God Brahmā to name somebody in the world, who is a real celibate (brahmacārī). God Brahmā replied that Krishna alone was the real celibate in the world. Sage Nārada was shocked because Krishna had married 16,108 wives and produced 10 sons and 1 daughter through each wife! Sage Nārada used to think that a real celibate must be a bachelor (unmarried). As per Nārada, a married person could not be a bachelor and hence, he could not be a celibate either. So, Nārada was expecting God Brahmā to name some unmarried person as the real celibate. But, in the real sense, an unmarried person need not be a celibate, while even a married person can be a celibate. So, what is the actual meaning of the word brahmacārī, which is commonly understood to mean a celibate? Brahmacārī, actually means he who knows the entire knowledge about God (Brahmaṇi carati iti). The verb ‘carati’ can mean ‘going’ and also ‘knowing’ (Gatyārthānāṃ dhātūnāṃ jñārthkatvāt). God Brahmā clarified this point to Sage Nārada. All this was also explained by Krishna in the Gītā (Prajahāti yadā kāmān, sarvān pārtha manogatān etc.).

Liberation is a general word. Salvation too has the same meaning, but is a term used especially in spiritual knowledge, in the context of a soul being liberated from worldly bonds and it is a state attained by the full grace of God. Such a blessed soul, upon salvation, is reborn again and again along with God in this world. He accompanies God to help God in His programme of propagating spiritual knowledge, theoretical devotion and practical devotion.

Generally, people pray to God asking Him to bless them with the boon of escaping the cycle of rebirth in this world. The actual sense of such a prayer is to avoid being reborn as a person who is deeply fascinated by worldly bonds, as a result of which, the person cannot make any spiritual progress. Avoiding human rebirth altogether is a misunderstanding. Being free of worldly bonds means being free of the mental fascination or attachment for worldly relations and items. It does not even mean the physical absence of relationships or worldly items.

A sage sitting in the forest, might appear to be physically free of worldly bonds. But if he is mentally attracted to worldly bonds, he is a bonded soul (Mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate—Gītā). On the other hand, King Janaka, who led a family life like Krishna, was also a liberated soul (Karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhim…—Gītā). The Gītā says that the most intellectual scholar finds action in inaction and inaction in action (Karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyet…). You must find the worldly action in the sage sitting in the forest, as a result of his worldly bonds and the absence of worldly action in kings like Janaka and Krishna. Worldly bonds are not external, but internal. Śaṅkara says that even a married worldly devotee can be a real celibate (Bhogaratovā, yasya Brahmaṇi ramate cittam…). The Gītā says that even a worldly devotee can remain detached from the world like a lotus that remains untouched and unwetted by the surrounding water (Padma patramivāmbhasā). Death is not salvation and birth is not bondage. Salvation means mental liberation from worldly bonds and not physical liberation from worldly bonds. Bondage means mental fascination to worldly bonds and not physical association with worldly bonds.

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| Shri Datta Swami | What is the difference between salvation and liberation? | Vishnu puraanam Naarada Brahmachaari Brahmani charati iti gatyarthaanaam dhaatuunaam jnarthkatvaat Gita Prajahaati yadaa kaamaan sarvaam paartha manogataan Mithyaachaarah sa uchyate Karmanyakarma yah pashyet Shankara Bhogaratovaa yasya Brahmani ramate chittam padma patramivaambhasaa