Two key words that form the substratum of the Hindu ethos are Moksha (मोक्ष) and Mukti (मुक्ति) — and this is because the very edifice of the Hinduism is built upon them.
While the western theology and philosophy gets bogged down answering questions on the meaning/purpose of existence, the Hindus have been endowed with a well-defined purpose/objectives of life, ably enumerated in what is called Purusharth chatustay, or ‘the four key purposes’ in life. Out of these four purposes/objectives, the last one, called “moksha” (मोक्ष) is the ultimate, the summum bonum of human existence. Unfortunately, the vedic literature gives no precise definition or explanation of the word, giving Hindu swamis and pundits a free hand to define the word in a way that suits their own convenience and interests. I have, therefore, deliberately picked the word ‘moksha’ as an example to show why the Principle of Parsimony is necessary while interpreting vedic and post-vedic literature.
Etymologically, the two words mukti (मुक्ति) and moksha (मोक्ष) have a common evolutionary history: both mukti (मुक्ति) and moksha (मोक्ष) are said to have evolved from the same root verb मुच् (muc), meaning “to get rid of” or “to let loose or to free”, or “to release from”. In short, the two words denote “freedom”. But the similarity ends there. Their connotation, usage, evolution and orientation differ widely.
Let us take up the word mukti (मुक्ति) first. As explained above, the word stems from the root verb मुच् (muc), meaning “to get rid of” or “to get freedom from”.
The earliest glaring example of the word mukti (मुक्ति) and its usage denoting “freedom from” or “riddance” is found in a popular Rigveda mantra 7.59.12 frequently chanted in Hindu households. It says:
त्र्य॑म्बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् ।
उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान्मृ॒त्योर्मु॑क्षीय॒ मामृता॑त् ॥
O Shiva, we adore thee, O giver of health and strength. Tied I am to death, as a cucumber is to a plant (by means of pedicel/fruit stalk). Free me from death and lead me to immortality.
A close study of the word’s usage suggests that the word mukti has mostly been used in the Hindu scriptures in a negative or derogatorily sense so as to belittle the abominable situation that one wants to escape from. In the Rigveda mantra above a devotee prays to Lord Shiva to help him escape death to which he is fatally tied.
In Bhagwadagita chapter 2 shlok 51 a Sanskrit term जन्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्ता: has been used which would translate “to be free from the bondage of birth”.
कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिण: |
जन्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्ता: पदं गच्छन्त्यनामयम् ||
(The wise ones renounce the fruits of their Karma in order to free themselves
from the bondage of birth so as to attain the state of no-suffering.)
In Shrimadbhagwada 2.10.6 the word mukti has again been used to denote escape from an embroglio of loathsome ignorance. Translating the mantra is quite tricky because the Sanskrit word Nirodh (निरोध) has more than one meaning. However, the closest English word in the present context would be cessation of all mental distractions.
निरोधोऽस्यानुशयनमात्मन: सह शक्तिभि: । मुक्तिर्हित्वान्यथारूपं स्वरूपेण व्यवस्थिति: ॥ ६ ॥
(Nirodh or cessation of all mental distractions leads Self and all its faculties to its final resting place – the absolute Self. Mukti is the escape of the soul (jiva) from the embroglio of loathsome ignorance to its ultimate Self.)
Now let us come to the word “moksha” (मोक्ष). The word per se, surprisingly, has not been defined any of the vedic or vedantic literature.
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