Further to the three purusharthas—the guiding goals of human life as offered by Yogic philosophy—this is my humble attempt to explore the fourth: moksha. A word that carries centuries of weight, often wrapped in abstraction. And yet, like all deep truths, it calls not for mystification but for clarity. In essence, Moksha means liberation.
In the theosophical sense, it is freedom from the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. But in a more practical and grounded context—especially in relation to how we live, work, and make choices—it is freedom from ignorance. The kind of ignorance that makes us believe we are only the body, or only the mind. Moksha is the realisation that we are part of something far vaster—an infinite, eternal consciousness—of which this current form, with its triumphs and troubles, is only a fleeting wave.
It is also the state of pure bliss. A state where one is not merely escaping suffering, but entering into a deeper resonance with life itself. And this does not have to wait until death. In Yogic understanding, there is something called jivanmukti—liberation while still alive. The one who attains this is called a jivanmukta—a person who has reached inner peace, who remains sthita-pragya , unshaken by the storms of the world. Their centre holds, regardless of what moves around them.
A simple image often comes to mind. In the world of stock trading, seasoned investors remain calm as the index fluctuates wildly. Their face does not reveal the market’s mood. But newer entrants—those freshly initiated into the volatility—can be read like a chart. Their expressions rise and fall with every tick. The difference lies not in the event, but in the anchoring. And this is true for life itself. Moksha is that anchoring.
At its heart, Moksha is the freedom to exercise choice. Not just the spiritual freedom to renounce, but the practical freedom to act. The freedom to choose what one wants to do, when one wants to do it, and where one wants to be. At first glance, this may sound surprisingly material. But in the context of Business Yoga, it is one of the essential thresholds. Because only when one is free in these ways—financially, emotionally, mentally—can one begin to explore the more subtle, inward dimensions of existence. This outer freedom makes room for inner inquiry.
To be free is not to do nothing. It is to be able to choose deeply, to act meaningfully, to live intentionally. This freedom doesn’t separate you from life; it draws you deeper into it. Moksha is not about withdrawal. It is about arrival—into presence, into awareness, into joy. And this joy is not dependent on conditions. It is the kind that cannot be taken away by a falling market, a failed deal, or a passing storm.
We often think of liberation as the end of the road. But perhaps, in the most beautiful way, it is just the beginning.