The first step for any seeker of absolute truth is to realize that He is not this body He is soul "I am Brahman." ~ aham brahmasmi. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10) and "The Self (the Soul) is Brahman." ~ayam atma brahma. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.5) . But that understanding is not sufficient to transcend the perplexities of this material world. If I am soul and am not meant to be engaged in matter what should be my activity because I can’t remain without any activity because the definition of Brahman (In this context Brahman refers to soul) is Sat (eternal Existence) –Chit (Consciousness)-Aanada (bliss) ["Brahman is Reality, Knowledge, and Infinity." (Taittiriya Upanishad 2.1.3), "Brahman is Consciousness." Sanskrit: prajnanam brahma. (Aitareya Upanishad 3.1.3), "Brahman is bliss (ananda)." (Taittiriya Upanishad 3.6.1)] .
Now some philosopher may say why should soul need activity if he aloof himself from material activity then He can easily experience bliss because bliss is soul’s nature. Yes it is true by renouncing material activity and mediation on self we can realise the sat- eternal and chit-conscious aspect of Brahman but no bliss, we can get peace but not bliss because we are Vijnamaya not Anandamaya [This is the embodied soul of the former. Verily, different from this, which consists of the essence of the intellect (Brahman), but within it, is another self, which consists of bliss (paraBrahaman Krishna).~ Taittiriya Upanishad 2.5.2]. As it is also described in Vedanta sutra 1.1.12 says: Ananda-mayo 'bhyAsAt ~ The supreme Lord is Anandamaya. Just imagine a situation where in a particular day at your workplace you have been frustrated, agitated in dealing with your colleagues and after coming back home you kept yourself lock into a room in expectation of some relief of mental disturbance. you will find some temporary peace, relief but after sometime you will become bore of living alone because there is not interaction with others therefore there is no bliss or ananda because ananda is experienced in contact with a second object other than us. Just like sugar candy is full of sugar but can it taste itself? NO. A second person who tastes the sugar candy He can only experience the sweetness of it.
Similarly when one realizes that He is soul ( Aham Brahmashmi) he has spiritual activity else he will not get bliss and what is that activity ? Krishna says that in Gita verse 18.54
brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāńkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiḿ labhate parām
Translation
One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.
So attaining Brahman platform is not enough we have to remain in the platform of Brahman and that can only through performing devotional service unto Krishna [Bhagavad Gita 14.27 — And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness.] who is Uttamah Purusha mentioned in Vedas [Chandogya Upanishad 8.12.3: tavad esha samprasado 'smac charirat samutthaya param jyoti-rupam sampadya svena rupenabhinishpadyate sa uttamah purushah.] and Krishna confirms that gita where he first says that there are two classes of Purusha [ Bhagavad Gita 15.16: There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every living entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every living entity is called infallible.] and then he said there is One Purusha who is known as uttamah Purusha and different from these two Purusha which he described in earlier verse [Bhagavad Gita 15.17: Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Supreme Soul, the imperishable Lord Himself, who has entered the three worlds and is maintaining them. ] and then he finally breaks the secret by declaring that He is that Uttama Purusha which all the Upanishads talks about [ Bhagavad Gita 15.18: Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person.]
So in this way when a soul attains Brahman stage He need to engage himself in the transcendental service of Purusottoma Krishna else he will not remain as jivan mukta . He will again fall down in this material world in search of jarananda or material happiness as mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.32:
ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah
Translation
"O lotus-eyed Lord, those who think they are liberated in this life but do not render devotional service to You must be of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet."
So called mukti of impersonalists (mayavadis~ who thinks absolute truth is ultimately impersonal) are not at all permanent mukti, it is just an escape from not doing activity. Real mukti is to attain devotional service unto Lord Krishna/Vishnu in Vaikuntha.
Comments
Yes. I find living hours away from devotees and financial obligations that keep me here I find struggling. I see pictures of devotees and I see who I want to be. It truly isnt enough just to know. Imagine living in a world where everyobe tells you you are wrong. Thats my world.