Jivanmuktas

Tandavamurthy Swami wrote Kaivalya Navaneetha, which

shows us how to attain mukti. Kaivalya Navaneetha talks

about jivanmuktas and puts them in four diferent categories

—Brahmavid, Brahmavara, Brahmavarya and

Brahmavarishta, elaborated Malayaman in a discourse.

The Brahmavid never wavers from performance of his

duties. He performs his duties for the benefit of others,

seeking nothing for himself. He is like water on a lotus leaf,

with regard to worldly matters. Just as water rolls of a lotus

leaf, so is he unattached to the material world. He is not

given to extremes of emotion, and is always passive. He does not reveal the depth of his knowledge and is silent, giving people the idea that he is ignorant or incapable of speech. He is unsurprised by anything. Even if a dead man were to come alive, the Brahmavid will remain unperturbed. Even if he were to experience a momentary passion or emotion, it vanishes soon. All this is due to the inward bliss that he experiences, by virtue of being a realised soul.

The Brahmavara seeks food in order to keep alive. The

Brahmavarya eats what his disciples or others provide. The

Brahmavarishta does not go in search of food; nor does he

care for what is provided by others. He remains unaware of

the body. The Brahmavid may sometimes experience

feelings like misery, but the other three remain unaffected

and are in a state of samadhi. But this does not mean the

Brahmavid does not gain liberation. He has knowledge of

Brahman and therefore gains liberation.

Talking of karma, Kaivalya Navaneetha says that just as

cotton is burnt in fire, so is accumulated karma burnt by the

fire of gnana. Saint Tirumular said that karma is destroyed

by the grace of Lord Siva.