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Twelve is considered to be a sublime number by the mathematicians. 
In 

mathematics, a sublime number is a positive integer which has a 
perfect 

number of positive divisors (including itself), and whose positive 

divisors add up to another perfect number. 12 for example is sublime 

number, because it has a perfect number of positive divisors (6): 1, 
2, 

3, 4, 6, and 12, and the sum of these is again perfect number: 28.
There are only two known sublime numbers, 12 and 

608655567023837898967037173424316962265783077335188597052832486051279
16

91264. Just two sublime numbers among the countless and infinite 
groups 

of integers.Mind boggling isn't it! 
All the names of Vishnu in the thousand are by themselves extra 

ordinary. When Vishnu Himself is far far beyond the ken of even 
Brahma 

the progenitor his names cannot but be supraliminal to us mere 
sentient 

beings. If we were to ask Parasara Bhattar which of the thousand is 
the 

very best name, he would say all and countless more in his patented 

style. 
It comes as no surprise that corresponding to the mathematical 

sublimity of the number, the twelth name Muktaanaam paramaa gatih is 

sublime. It forced the peerless Bhattar to extend himself when he 
set 

about elucidating the esoteric meanings hidden in that name,in his 

magnum opus Bhagavad guna darpana. In "Vishnu Sahasranama with 
Bashya 

of  Sri Parasara Bhattar, English translation by Prof. A. Srinivasa 

Raghavan " published in 1983 by Visishtadvaita Pracharani Sabha  

fourteen pages, 118 to 131, the maximum among thousand, were needed 
to 

explain the import of Muktaanaam paramaa gatih. 

A sublime explanation on a sublime name of a sublime number by a 

sublime preceptor in a sublime language translated to a decidedly 
non 

sublime tounge:



12. The next name says that He, who is thus the Supreme Seshi; 
(Master) 

of all, is the highest goal.
Muktaanaam paramaa gatih:? He who is the Supreme goal for all the 

Released Souls (Muktas).

They are called the Released Souls who once for all and completely 
are 

free from the enshrouding coverings which are
the results of the bondage of the Primordial Matter, nescience, 
latent 

impressions of actions and their fruitions.

Here are some passages from the scriptures :?

"(The upasaka) casts off his merits and sins (Punya and papa)."

"Ever as a horse shakes its hair (to get rid of the dust) he casts 
off 

his sins."

"Shaking off the merits and sins".

"Then the learned upasaka becomes freed from name and

form" 


"When he realises God, he is released from all bonds."

"The knot binding the heart is cut."

"They cross this Maya (i.e.Samsara)-(Gita).


SriNarayanaiya (Mahabharata) teaches :?"Those, who are bereft of the 

seventeen qualities and actions, give up the
fifteen 'Kalas' (or lores.) and become Released Souls. This is 

certain."

Note : Seventeen qualities?Five Elements, five Gnanendriyas, five 

Karmendriyas, mind and time. The sixteen parts (Kalas) are mentioned 
in 

the Prasnopanishad.

It has been established in the Scriptures that those, who have been 

freed from all the shackles of Samsara attain equality 
with Paramatma, the Supreme Soul, in regard to the essential nature 

which is full of unlimited knowledge and Bliss, in regard
to the eight qualities beginning with ''being devoid of all sins" 
and 

ending with "unfailing will" and also in regard to the
enjoyment of Beatitude.

"Witnessing the desired objects through his celestial eye and mind, 
he 

is happy."


"Becoming devoid of all sins. he attains utmost equality with the 

Lord."      
"They attain a state of equality with me (like Myself in regard to 
the 

possession of auspicious qualities)."

"Badarayana affirms that there is no contradiction between the two 

statements that the Mukta's essential nature is
knowledge only and that they are endowed with many qualities.This is 

because of earlier statements according to which the pure soul is 

bereft of all blemishes, and full of auspicious qualities."  

It is further established that the Released Souls attain a 
similarity 

with Paramatma even in regard to their bodies which
are composed of unmixed and supreme Sattva-guna. (Suddha-Sattva).

"He becomes one, (he becomes twofold)."

"He eats,plays and enjoys." 

"He enjoys whatever he desires, assumes whatever form he wants and 

follows (The Lord)."

"The fragrance of Brahman enters into him"


"The taste of Brahman enters Into him."

"The celestial damsels adorn him  with the decorations of the 
Brahman 

Itself."

"Badarayana holds the view that the Released Souls are
in two forms (i.e. with a body or without a body as they like).
It is like the Soma Sacrifice, 'Dvadasaaha' by name, which is to be 

done for twelve days and which is of two kinds (either with one 
master 

or many masters) or (either for prosperity or for 
progeny.)             

            
Here the word 'muktaanaam' used in the plural number
shows clearly that the Released souls are many and are
different from one another. So do the Scriptures declare. 

"All become free by the grace of the Paramapurusha."

"The worshippers of Paramapurusha become great and 
attain the Transcendent world of Bliss (Paramapada)."

"They attain a state of equality with Me in regard to the
possession of auspicious qualities like Myself."

"They attain me."

As it is stated here itself that''He is a witness (Saak-
shee? names 15 and 517) and that He is the object of attain-
ment by the Muktas (Released Souls), it is clear that there is 

difference between Bhagavan and Released Souls. So do the
Scriptures declare.

"When the upasaka sees the Lord as being pleased with
him and also realises His greatness, he becomes bereft of all 
sorrow."

"When he understands that the Atma (Individual Soul) 
(which is driven about) and He Paramatma, (who drives him)
are different."

"The Released Soul attains the Paramapurusha."

"The Released Soul enjoys all bliss along with the omni-
scient Brahman."                     

"He attains ths Lord of Supreme Effulgence."

"It is stated that Paramatma is attained by the Released
Soul." 

It is also clearly stated in Mokshadharma (Mahabharata):

"He is Lord Narayana and He must be known as the
Supreme Purusha and the Inner Soul of all beings. Just as
the lotus leaf is not tainted by water, He is not tainted by any 
dirt 

(i.e. blemish). He, who is the other, is known as Karmatma and is 
the 

victim of bondage and release. He becomes associated with all the 

seventeen (qualities).

Note:?The seventeen qualities are: Five Karmendriyas,
five gnanendriyas, five bhutas, mind and time.

>From all these, this theory is dispelled by the Sastras themselves, 

theory viz, that Brahman Itself, circumscribed by a real or unreal 

upadhi (i. e. a limiting adjunct) becomes a prey to the worldly 

miseries like the ether circumscribed in a vessel and that there is 

absolutely no difference in the State of Release between the Supreme 

Brahman and the released souls. Because of this absolute similarity 

between the Paramatma and the Jivatmas, statements like, "He who 
knows 

Brahman becomes Brahman Itself" which speak of non-difference 
between 

the two are reconciled with the other view that those two are 

different. This is in analogy with the statement "This is a cow" in 

regard to those which have broken horns or without horns. All the 
cows 

under the genus of cows are, called as such though there is an 
external 

difference- some
having broken horns and some not so.In the case of those who say 
that 

there is non-difference, statements which affirm
non-difference and which affirm similarity between Brahman and Jivas 
in 

the state of Release will contradict each other.

Aupaadhika-bheda-vaadins (I.e. those who hold the view
that non-difference is the truth and difference is caused by
limiting adjuncts) accept that there is an end to the entity of the 

Mukta or Released Souls. In that case the state of Release will 
cease 

to be an object to be desired or longed for; again it will be 
against 

the statements that declare the existence of difference in the state 
of 

Release. The supreme similarity (between the Paramatma and the 
Mukta) 

which we have delineated has been described as non-difference. So 

(Abheda) the non-difference delineated in the Upanishads refers only 
to 

the similarity of the qualities and not to the non-existence of the 

entity of Mukta as such.)

The Vishnupurana explains this as follows :                

"Tad-bhaava-bhaavam aapannah tadaa asau Paramaatmanaa 

Bhavati abhedee ..." 
tasya- pertaining to Paramatma; bhaavah? qualities like
knowledge, strength etc, teshaam bhaavah - their manifestation; 

i.e,similarity of qualities. In the interpretation given by others, 
the 

second word 'Bhaava' would be purposeless. "This Mukta (Released 
soul) 

attains a nature which is similar to that of Paramatma. Then he 
becomes 

non-different from Paramatma."

The prohibition of difference in the state of Release has
been indicated to be with reference to the adventitious conditions 
as 

gods and the like (by the same Vishnu Purana as follows)?
               

             

There is no longer the difference in the form of gods
and the like; that shroud (i. e. Karma, which has been concealing 
the 

similarity between the Jiva and the Paramatma) has been dispelled.




This word 'gati' (in the name "Muktaanaam paramaa
gatih") has at its end the suffix 'Ktin' in the sense of-the
passive. 'Gatih means attainment. A word in the Accu-
sative case (i.e. objective case) refers to an object which is most 

desired; and that is the goal of attainment. By this it is shown 
that 

the relationship between the Released Soul and Paramatma, the object 
of 

attainment, is that of servant and master

The Vedic Mantras say: 

"Having attained the Supreme Soul (Paramatma) full of bliss."
"(The Mukta) follows Him"
"By that path by which Paramatama moves, by the same
path the Mukta goes with Him. This is similar to a young cow
going after its calf or a calf following its mother-cow."

"Like the shadow of an object that goes with the object

wherever it goes,"

In the same manner (does the Mukta follow the
Paramatma).

It is from the Scriptures that we know about the existence
of JiVatma and Paramatma. The same scriptures reveal that
theJivatmais'sesha' or subordinate to Paramatma and that
tills subjection is natural to him like knowledge and other
qualities of his; and in the state of Release this attribute of
subjection is not negatived. On the other hand because of the
removal of obstruction, it becomes manifest.
He becomes endowed with the form natural to him
(which was concealed till now)" says (the Chandogya Upa
nishad).

Vishnu dharma also states :



"Just as the radiance of a gem is not newly created
(but only made manifest) when the dirt on the gem is removed
by polishing, so too knowledge and other qualities of the soul 
become 

bereft of Karma. For knowledge and other such
qualities are indeed quite natural to him (and are always
there though latent at some times (i.e. in Samsara)."

"Oh! the Ruler of Men! Knowledge and non-attachment
riches and virtue all these fourqualities are eternally present in 
the 

Jivatma who is like Brahman Itself because of his 
similarity."          

             
The Brahma Sutra also confirms this; "When the Mukta
attains the Brahman, there is the manifestation of his essential 
nature 

which is his own. This is revealed by the use of the word 'svena' 
(his 

own) as an adjective qualifying the noun 'roopena' (his essential 

nature or form)"
Here an objection is raised: "He attains independence";

"He becomes a sovereign", After quoting these texts, the
independent status of a Mukta is established by the following Brahma 

Sutra; "For that very reason he has none as (his) lord." Against all 

this how can it be said that he exists for the benefit of another 
and 

how can the undesirable state of a dependent be predicated about 
him ?

Dunce! Don't become an object of ridicule. Here the
import of the word 'ananya-adhipatitvam' (he, being without
another master) is that He is under the control of Bhagavan
only, who is His own Master. The domination of other things
like distress and karma over the Mukta has been removed.
This does not mean that he is an 'anaatha' (i. e. one without a 
master 

to save him). If that were the case, the word'anadhipathi' (which 
means 

'without a master") would have been used,and not 'ananya-adhipatih 

(which means 'without another master'). In the case of a wife, being 

subiect to a greatlyloving husband is not loathsome to her; for we 
see 

that even kings and others are eagerly served and subserved by their 

sweet hearts and others when they do what is most pleasing to them. 

Again and again it has been indicated that it is the qualities that 

occupy a place of importance (and not any thing else). It has been 

established in the Brahma Sutras that the equality between the 

Paramatma and the Jivatma is only with reference to the enjoyment of 

Bliss and excludes the state of being the ruler on the one hand and 
the 

ruled on the other.

"The Jivatma is like the Paramatma Himself except with
reference to the activities regarding the Universe, viz. its
creation, destruction etc"                         

"There are clear indications to show that the equality of
the Jivatma and Paramatma is only in the enjoyment of
Supreme Bliss."
Here are the other texts in support of this view:-

Sri Vishnu Tattva:?1. "The Mukta   attains complete subjection to 

Paramapurusha. He gets rid of all bondage
and attains unparalleled freedom. He enjoys all Bliss along
with the Paramapurusha."

"With the Jivatma the state of being a property (that is
possessed) rests and the state of being the owner or possessor


rests with Paramatma. This is the relationship between the
two. Nothing else appeals to me."  
 
Sri Narayaniya (Mahabharata)

"At the end of the observance of our vow, we saw men
with highly auspicious qualities, white, bright like the moon and 

endowed with all lovely features. Their hands were
joined in prayer at all times, and they were meditating upon
the Brahman with their faces turned towards north east."

"With their hands joined in prayer thay are always happy
and are always repeating the word 'namah' (which means
salutations unto Thee)".

"They have Controlled the sense-organs, and remain
without food. They do not perspire and are always sweet-
smelling."

These and other such texts describe the residents of
Sveta-dvipa (the Holy White Island) and say that they are
endowed with divine features and the like, and they derive
great pleasure in being the Servants of the Lord and in doing 
unceasing 

service to Him. The same is said to be the state and occupation of 
the 

Muktas or Released Souls.

This is reiterated by the following text:

"The best among the Bharatas! Those men who are
released from here have the same characteristics as those who are 
the 

residents of Sveta-dvipa (The Holy White Island).

By the use of the word 'paramaa' (highest) as an adjective
qualifying 'gatih' (goal) (in the phrase 'paramaa gatih) it
should be understood that there are some for whom the goal is of a 

lower order. Such a goal, which goes by the name of
Kaivalya, is resorted to by those souls who are free from old age, 

death etc. (Sri Krishna says in the Gita)- ''They resort to me and 
make 

efforts to be devoid of old age and death,"

It is stated that such a place of theirs (Kaivalya by name)
is somewhere between samsara (material world) and Parama-
pada (Transcendental word)-

"That is the eternal world of those yogins who are satis-
fied with enjoyment of the Bliss of their own individual
soul."                      ;      .

Such is the Supreme Goal of the Muktas. "He is the
Highest means; He is the Supreme Goal."

"He who is the inner Soul of the universe and the highest
goal".

"(They attain) Me, the unsurpassed Goal."

"He reaches the end of the road (i.e. Paramatma)."
"There is nothing greater than the attainment of the(Supreme) Atman".
Texts like these can be easily got.  

This exposition on the sublime 12th name nearly covers the whole 
gamut 

of Visishtaadvaiata.

-Dr. S.Sundar Rajan, Trichy , 24-06-07.   






















      



 
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