After Liberation - The Beginning of Real Activity
A common misunderstanding among various philosophical schools is that liberation (mukti) entails the cessation of all activity or the extinction of the self into a void. Śrīla Prabhupāda vigorously refutes this, teaching that because the soul is eternal and active by nature, it can never be inactive. "After liberation" simply means the end of material contamination and the commencement of real, spiritual engagement.
The Myth of Inactivity
Śrīla Prabhupāda argues that the Buddhist and Māyāvādī philosophies, which propose that activity stops after liberation, are incorrect. He explains that if the soul is eternal, its activity must also be eternal. The cessation of material suffering does not imply the cessation of existence. Rather, it is the transition from temporary, fruitive work to eternal, blissful service. To think that liberation results in "zero" is described by Śrīla Prabhupāda as a dangerous theory.
- After liberation it is not that everything is void or activity is stopped. No. Actually activity begins after liberation.
- The Buddha philosophy and the Mayavada philosophy say that after liberation, activity stops. But this Vaisnava philosophy says no. After liberation real activity begins.
- Transcending the material nature, then he becomes zero? No. That is the real nature. Now, the philosophy which preaches that "After our liberation, after nirvana of this material existence, there is zero," oh, that is very dangerous theory.
- The impersonalist theory that after liberation one becomes inactive and need not hear anything does not prove that a liberated person is actually inactive. A living soul can't be inactive. He is active either in the conditioned state or in liberated state.
Bhakti Continues
Devotional service (bhakti) is not merely a means to an end; it is both the means and the end. Śrīla Prabhupāda cites the Vedānta-sūtra to confirm that bhakti continues after liberation. Unlike the jñānī who may give up his process after achieving knowledge, the devotee’s service to the Lord is their constitutional position and is never stopped. Actual liberation is simply getting free from misconceptions of life to serve God perfectly.
- The Vedanta-sutra confirms this: aprayanat tatrapi hi drstam. This means that after liberation the process of devotional service continues.
- After liberation the process of bhakti, or transcendental service, continues.
- His (a living entity's) constitutional position is to serve (God). After liberation, this service is never stopped. Actual liberation is getting free from misconceptions of life.
- This (when one becomes free from material contamination. In that state of life he can understand the Supreme Lord) is the statement of Srimad-Bhagavatam also. Also after liberation the process of bhakti or transcendental service continues.
Personal Association vs. Merging
After attaining liberation from material bondage, the soul faces a choice. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that while the "atomic soul" may decide to remain as a spark in the brahma-jyotir (impersonal effulgence), the intelligent soul enters the spiritual planets. The Māyāvādī theory of becoming "one lump sum" or homogeneous spirit is rejected by Kṛṣṇa. True liberation involves sālokya (living on the same planet) and sāmīpya (associating personally) with the Lord.
- After liberation from material contamination, the atomic soul may prefer to remain as a spiritual spark in the effulgent rays of the Supreme Personaslity of Godhead, but the intelligent souls enter into the spiritual planets to associate with the Personality of Godhead.
- The Mayavadi theory is that after liberation everyone becomes one, one lump sum... What is called? Homogeneous spirit. No. Then Krsna is false. The Mayavadi theory accepted, that we become one lump sum.
- Brahman bliss is enjoyed by living entities after liberation from material bondage. But Parabrahman, the Personality of Godhead, enjoys eternally a bliss of His own potency, which is called the hladini potency.
- Salokya means that after material liberation one is promoted to the planet where the Supreme Personality of Godhead resides, samipya means remaining an associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Highest Perfection
The ultimate goal is not just liberation, but returning home, back to Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that if one takes shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa after liberation, they develop their dormant ecstatic love (prema). This is the highest perfection of life. While materialists are frightened by the idea of retaining personality after liberation due to their painful material experiences, the devotee knows that transcendental service is the reservoir of all pleasure.
- If one is properly regulated he makes further progress, after liberation, to engage in the service of Radha and Krsna. This is the success of life: to stop the process of repeated birth and death and go back home, back to Godhead - mam eti.
- The Hare Krsna mantra gives liberation and at the same time offers shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna. If one takes shelter at the lotus feet of Krsna after liberation, he develops his dormant ecstatic love for Krsna. That is the highest perfection of life.
- Because they (materialistic men) are too materially absorbed, the conception of retaining the personality after liberation from matter frightens them.
- We may shudder to think, "Oh, after liberation will I still be a servant?" This is because we have experience that being a servant in the material world is not very enjoyable, but transcendental service is not like this.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that liberation is the threshold, not the final destination. For the devotee, "after liberation" means the commencement of eternal, blissful activities in the association of the Supreme Lord. By chanting the Holy Names and engaging in service here and now, one prepares for that glorious existence where service never ends and happiness never fades.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category After Liberation. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.