PRAYER BEFORE DEATH FOR SPIRITUAL SEEKER OF LIBERATION

Hari 🕉!!

As per Sastras, every Human Being should pursue a goal combination of balance between Spirituality(Vidya) & Mundane Worldly Duties(Avidya) and attain liberation( मुक्ति) from the cycle of birth and death. Pursuing *only* material wealth & worldly duties or *only* spiritual knowledge – lead to *blind darkness* or *even greater darkness,* respectively.

In Vedanta, there are different types of liberation. Imagine trying to open a locked door. If you know exactly how to open the lock, you can open it instantly. This is like Jivan Mukti (liberation while living). But if you don’t fully unlock it in this life Krama Mukti acts as a kind of “ *spiritual backup plan* ”.    

वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम्।ओं क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर ॥ईशोपनिषद्- १७ ॥

Transliteration : vāyuranilamamṛtamathedaṃ bhasmāntaṃ śarīram |

oṃ | krato smara kṛtaṃ smara krato smara kṛtaṃ smara || 17 || is the prayer prescribed to be recited at the time of death during the process of Krama Mukthi (क्रममुक्ति)for merging (Layam-लयम) of the vysti prana (व्यषठी प्राणा) with samasti prana- समष्ठी ( *Infinite Intelligence-Pure Consciousness* )

The prayer prepares the Spiritual seeker’s Aatma(soul) to leave the physical body by knowing / understanding & accepting that the material body would turn into ashes and that the inner life force (or Aatma) merges into the immortal, all-pervading cosmic CONSCIOUSNESS. And while accepting, the embodiment also humbly appeals the Infinite Intelligence to remember the conduct, sacrifices, virtues expressed during the lifetime. It is a soothing reminder that while the physical bodies are temporary, the spiritual actions are eternal.

" *Krama Mukti"(क्रममुक्ति)* is a path to gradual liberation in stages at the time of death for Spiritual seekers, who do not realize God in their life time. The mantra 17 guides through the following;

1. Beginning with saguna upasana ( सगुणः उपासना), in the lifetime, the seeker’s prana) is consciously withdrawn and directed up through the sushumna nadi (the central subtle nerve channel-शुशुमना नाडी) and exits through the crown of the head, when the mortal body (bhasmantam- भस्मान्तम्) turns to ashes,

2. The subtle body (linga sharira- लिंग शरीरः) and life force (vayu-वायुः) of the Spiritual Seeker travels along the Devayana- देवयानः (the bright "Path of the Gods"), passing through various realms of light until it reaches to merge into eternal energy, the highest celestial plane, Brahmaloka(ब्रह्मलोक)

3. In Brahmaloka, the soul is free from worldly suffering. Guided by the creator deity (Hiranyagarbha), the soul gains the ultimate knowledge (Vidya) of Nirguna Brahman, attaining further transcendental knowledge and merging directly into the Supreme Brahman (God)

4. Moksha (liberation),When the entire universe undergoes cosmic dissolution (Pralaya-प्रलयः), the soul attains the ultimate state of Moksha (liberation), the final emancipation and does not return to the cycle of birth and death.

Thus by kram mukthi, the vyashti prana achieves layam in samashti prana.

Some of the other forms of liberation are; 

 *Sadyo Mukti ( साध्य मुक्तिः):* Immediate liberation. This occurs the moment one realizes “I am Brahman” (Aham Brahmasmi-अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि). There is no travel or delay, and the soul does not go anywhere after death because it is already omnipresent.

 *Jivan Mukti( जीवन मुक्तिः):* Liberation while living. The seeker continues to inhabit the body while experiencing the absolute freedom of Self-realization.

 *Videha Mukti(विदेह मुक्तिः):* Liberation upon the death of the physical body. This typically describes the Jivan Mukta shedding their physical form and merging completely with the absolute.

We may analogize the aforesaid concept with a travel journey . When one seeks to reach the destination, in this case -moksha, the practice of this mantra puts him or her on a spiritual track (the path of light). The track first takes the seeker to a safe and divine place (Brahmaloka), from where the seeker completes the journey and attains eternal peace.

Wish you all the best for Jeevana Mukthi & Videha Mukthi at its time.

Jai Hind! Jai Sanathana Dharma!👏👍😊🫡🙏