Liberation according to Ramanuja

Bondage: Beginningless Karma is considered to be the cause of the bondage of the Jivas in Samsara. Because of this, the souls are caught up in a continuous cycle of births and deaths.

Moksa: Bhakti: According to Visistadvaita Vedanta,`bhakti' is the means or `upaya' to `moksa', as this is evident from numerous Sruti and Smrti texts. Bhakti is defined as unceasing meditation done with love on the Supreme Being (snehapurvam and anudyanam').

It is regarded as knowledge in the form of love for God (`pritirupa jnana'). It is generated by scrupulous observance of religious duties as laid down by scripture in accordance with one's `varna' and `asrama', along with spiritual knowledge. The performance of one's duties and rituals (`karma') will have to be observed œ, as explained in Gita, purely as divine service for the pleasure of God (`bhagavat priti') and not in expectation of any rewards thereof. This in brief is the Visistadvaita view of `sadhana' for Moksa.

Prapatti: Visistadvaita philosophy discusses besides Bhakti, `prapatti' or absolute self-surrender to God as an alternative means to `moksa'. Bhakti is a rigorous discipline, and for those, who are incapable of undertaking it, `prapatti' is advocated as an alternative easy path to `moksa', This doctrine is adopted on the strength of the teachings contained in the Vedas as well as the Itihasas, Puranas, and Pancaratra literature.

The Nature of Mukti: According to the Visistadvaita Vedanta, `moksa' is not merely freedom from bondage but it is also a positive state of existence for the Jiva in a supra©mundane realm (`parama©pada') without losing its individuality. This state of highest achievement is described as `paripurnaªbrahmanubhava', the full and perfect enjoyment of the bliss of Brahman. It is admitted that the individual soul in the state of `moksa' could assume a body out of its free will (`sankalpa') for the purpose of enjoying bliss or for movement.

”JIVA”: is of the nature of consciousness and possesses `dharmabhutajnana' as an inseparable attribute. It is real, eternal, and unborn. It is distinct from the body, sense organs, mind, and vital air. Though the individual self, as a mode of Brahman, is essentially of the same nature, it is actually distinct; for it is of monadic size and resides in a separate body. It is the agent, the enjoyer, the embodied Self, and the body. It is embodied Self with regard to its physical body. It is the body with regard to Isvara. It is not only sentient, but it is also of the essence of Ananda. Samsara is due to avidya which is of the nature of karma, accumulated by the jiva in its previous births. In this condition, jnana and ananda are obscured but fully manifest in the state of liberation. In spite of its monadic size, the jiva can contact the ends of space through its attributive knowledge.

Liberation according to Vallabhacarya

Bondage: According to Vallabha, the Jiva's association with `avidya', as well as his bondage and freedom, are brought about by the free will of Brahman for the purpose of sport.

Moksa: The moksa which consists in the absolute cessation of all misery and the experiencing of the bliss which was observed in the condition of Samsara, can be attained by two means, Bhakti (devotion) and Jnana (knowledge). Of these the former is superior, since it leads to the realization of the divine form of the Brahman as Krishna or Purusottama, in which the Anandamsa is at its best; while the latter is inferior, as it leads to the realization of the second or non©determinate form of brahman where the Anandamsa is of an inferior order. bhakti itself is of two degrees, `Maryadabhakti' and `Pustibhakti'. In the former, the devotee attains moksa by practice of means (`sadhana') on his own part, such as, the disciplines laid down in the Sastra, which produce an aversion to worldly things, or worship and prayer of Bhagavan. In the latter©and this is the higher kind of Bhakti the devotee, without having recourse to any Sadhanas, depends upon nothing but pure and simple love of Him; his goal is only the service of Hari; his highest pleasure is to become one of the associated of Hari and to sport with him in the celestial Vrndavana. This `pustibhakti' is the privilege of only him whom Bhagavan is pleased to favour; it begins with `prema' which removes a liking for anything but Hari, and passing through `asakti' which produces a positive aversion to objects not connected with Hari, culminates in `vyasana' or entire devotion to Hari.