In Bhagavat Geeta (Chapter 9 Verse 7), it is said that the Jeevas are created at the start of Kalpa, and this cycle keeps on repeating for-ever. This implies that the Mukti or Moksha is not a permanent state but a temporary state which lasts for a Kalpa. I think Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati of Arya samaj holds this view point.
Is there any explanation, regarding this, found in Vedas or other scriptures?
You are right about the statement from Gita. But its implication is different. You are talking about the following verse:
sarva-bhūtāni kaunteya prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām
kalpa-kṣaye punas tāni kalpādau visṛjāmy aham [BG - 9.7]Meaning
O son of Kuntī, at the end of the kalpa, all the beings and material nature (prakruti) enter into Me, and at the beginning of another kalpa, by My potency, I create them again.
Here the word bhutani means all the jivas or beings. So the word creation (visṛjāmy) also applies to the beings, not the souls. Whatever beings exist here are the combination of two primary components, prakruti (material part) and purusha (the soul part):
yāvat sañjāyate kiñcit sattvaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamam
kṣetra-kṣetrajña-saṁyogāt tad viddhi bharatarṣabha [BG - 13.27]Meaning
O chief of the Bhāratas, know that whatever you see in existence, both the moving and the nonmoving, is only a combination of the field of activities (material nature or prakruti) and the knower of the field (the soul or the purusha.
The purusha part or the soul is unborn and eternal (BG 2.20), but the material part like the body is perishable (antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ [BG 2.18]). So at the time of annihilation, the material part (prakriti) enters into God as stated in the verse you mentioned (BG 9.7). And then at the beginning subduing the prakruti, upon which the jivas are dependent, God creates the worlds again and again:
prakṛtiṁ svām avaṣṭabhya visṛjāmi punaḥ punaḥ
bhūta-grāmam imaṁ kṛtsnam avaśaṁ prakṛter vaśāt [BG - 9.8]Meaning
Subduing the prakruti under my control, I create again and again. All these beings are under the obligation of prakruti or material nature.
Hence, at the beginning the material parts (galaxies, planets, five fundamental parts, etc.) are created again, but not the purusha part. Just that after getting the other fundamental part, i.e. prakruti, the jivas are created again. That is, they get new material body and form.
Now regarding moksha/mukti, let me explain it with an example. Jivas are unlimited in number and at the time of creation their states are resumed just like a test match is resumed the following day. One who is out, doesn't come to bat the next day. Only those who are not out come to play and their score resumes from yesterday. Similarly, once a jiva has attained the state of liberation, he doesn't necessarily returns back. Only those who had not attained the state of mukti in the previous kalpa, resume their state.
There are different types of mukti and there are different schools of thought on this also. But the most common thing of mukti is mayanivriti (liberation from maya). Once, one gets beyond maya, it can't cover him again just like darkness can never cover light. Otherwise there would be no point in trying to get liberation if it would take over the jiva again. So once a jivatma is liberated he doesn't return here again by default:
anāvṛttiḥ śabdād anāvṛttiḥ śabdāt [Br. Su 4.422]
- There is no return after liberation as per the Vedas ([Chg. Up. - 4.15.6], [Brh. Up - 6.2.15]), there is no return.
So also says Gita for the jivas who have attained God:
avyakto ’kṣara ity uktas tam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim
yaṁ prāpya na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [BG - 8.21]Meaning
That supreme state which is said as unmanifested and imperishable, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns – that is My supreme abode.
So mukti from maya is a permanent imperishable state. But taking birth or not is dependent upon the jiva. So some liberated jivas who are no more under the influence of maya even come down to practice and taste the sweet nectar of devotion as lila (pastime). Even Shankaracahrya, who preached jiva completely merges into Brahman losing his form, wrote this in his commentary on Nrishima Tapani Upanishad 2.4:
muktāpi lilayā vigraham kritvā tvām bhajante
- Even the liberated souls in the pastimes taking forms worship you.
If jivas were limited, then at the beginning of each kalpa, everything would have to startover again and every jiva would have to play the same role. But because jivatmas are infinite in number, kalpa after kalpa the process continues resuming from where it ended before. Each time the material part (prakruti) is manifested, but the jivas resume from whatever progress and work they had done before.
Yes Moksha is permanent. As Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita:
na tad bhāsayate sūryo
na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante
tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [BG - 15.6]That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world.
Moksha is a permanent state because sruti says so. Brahma Sutras 4.4.22 says (Swami Vireswarananda translator, available here - http://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brahma-sutras/d/doc62753.html):
(There is) no return (for those released souls); on account of scriptural declaration (to that effect).
In his commentary to this verse, Sankara references 2 Upanishads - the Chandogya Upanishad 8.6.6:
Going up by that way, one reaches immortality.
and Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 6.2.15:
They no more return to this world.
Now, what is meant by the 'soul' and the 'state of the soul' after moksha, depends upon whether you are a follower of the advaita, the vishishadvaita, or dvaita school - which is a different question.
Yes, Moksha is permanent state and is realization of "Aham Brahmasmi- I am Brahman". But it is very difficult to attain and usually takes several births. It is explained by Sanat Kumaras in Mahabharat Shanti Parva
The Yogin who is desirous of final Emancipation suppresses by Yoga-knowledge the seven, and continues to dwell in the world of life, freed from attachments; and taking those seven for certain means of grief, he casts them off and attains afterwards to that state which is Indestructible and Infinite.
Some say that is the region of Mahadeva; some say of Vishnu; some say of Brahma; some say of Sesha; some, of Nara; some say of the effulgent Chit; and some say of the All-pervading Brahman. When universal destruction comes, those persons who have succeeded in completely consuming by Knowledge their gross and subtle and karana bodies, always enter into Brahman. All their Senses also which have action for their essence and which are not identical with Brahman, merge into the same. When the time of universal destruction comes, those Jivas who have attained to the position of Devas and who have an unexhausted remnant of the fruits of acts to enjoy or endure, revert to those stages of life in the subsequent Kalpa which had been theirs in the previous one. This is due to the similarity of every successive Kalpa to every previous one. Those again whose acts, at the time of universal destruction, have been exhausted by enjoyment or endurance in respect of their fruits, falling down from heaven, take birth among men, in the subsequent Kalpa, for without Knowledge one cannot destroy one's acts in even a hundred Kalpas. All superior Beings again, endued with similar powers and similar forms, revert to their respective destinies at a new creation after a universal destruction, ascending and descending precisely in the same manner as during the creation that is dissolved. As regards, again, the person who is conversant with Brahman, as long as he continues to enjoy and endure the unexhausted remnant of his acts of previous Kalpas, it is said that all creatures and the two stainless sciences live in his body. When his Chitta becomes cleansed by Yoga, and when he practises Samyama, this perceptible universe appears to him as only his own fivefold senses. Enquiring with a cleansed mind, Jiva attains to a high and stainless end. Thence he attains to a spot which knows no deterioration, and thence attains to eternal Brahman that is so difficult of acquisition
As explained in Bhagwat Geeta, Moksha is very rare among people but is permanent in nature eventually
Bg 7.3 — Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.
BG 8.21 — That which is describe as unmanifest(Brahman) and infallible, that which is known as the supreme destination, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns – that is My supreme abode.
With attaining the right knowledge, birth-rebirth cycle brakes and ignorance(अविद्या) & illusion(माया) can no more hold.
Within kalpa, birth-rebirth is due to ignorance & maya, similarly creation & dissolution of the whole is also due to ignorance & maya.
In another word both cycles 1. Cycles of birth-rebirth cycles within kapla, 2. Cycle of kalpa-kalpa are due to illusion & ignorance.
Refer Mandukya Upanishad (with Gaudapada Karika):
Verse 2-32:
न निरोधो न चोत्पत्तिर्न बद्धो न च साधकः ।
न मुमुक्षुर्न वै मुक्त इत्येषा परमार्थता ॥ ३२॥32 There is neither dissolution nor creation, none in bondage and none practicing disciplines. There is none seeking Liberation and none liberated. This is the absolute truth.
Verse 3-15:
मृल्लोहविस्फुलिङ्गाद्यै सृष्टिर्या चोदिताऽन्यथा ।
उपायः सोऽवताराय नास्ति भेदः कथञ्चन ॥ १५॥15 The scriptural statements regarding the creation, using the examples of earth, iron and sparks, are for the purpose of clarifying the mind. Multiplicity does not really exist in any manner.
Verse 3-48:
न कश्चिज्जायते जीवः सम्भवोऽस्य न विद्यते । एतत्तदुत्तमं सत्यं यत्र किञ्चिन्न जायते ॥ ४८॥
48 No jiva ever comes into existence. There exists no cause that can produce it. The supreme truth is that nothing ever is born.
So, after attaining the Ultimate-Truth / Moksha, Illusion/Ignorance can't hold and hence both cycle can no longer exist.
Thus, (कैवल्य मुक्ति) Ultiate Moksha is permanent.
Yes moksha is the permanent state. One who has reached the abode of Lord never takes birth again. The recurring cycle of creation and destruction you are mentioning is about those souls who have not achieved moksha.
"That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode." - Chapter 8, Verse 21
No Moksha may NOT be permanent(!), but quite long. Moksha is neither achievable nor given; it just happens for All0.
Caution: My opinion on Moksha changed after I wrote answer for Does Shiva or Vishnu or Trikaladarshi Yogi know our Aagami Karma or our free will?. While thought experimenting, this notion blinked as a byproduct. For now, I am convinced but not so happy about!
Moksha means merging with the true nature of god and then not to have the further births & deaths. I agree with that, but only limited within 1 cycle of Brahma, Not beyond that. Re-defining "Moksha" from "never after" to "sometime after".
Only eternal things remain forever e.g. Nirguna Brahman. Something which comes into existence has to be non-existent again. If Moksha is received, it will be taken away too. Any volatile thing can remain forever by repeating itself in exactly same pattern.
Suppose if Brahma's cycle is of 10 billion(bn) years. Which constitutes day and night of 5 bn years each. Then the total duration of Moksha would be: 5 bn <= X bn <= 10 bn years for any receiver. In other words, after writing this answer if you and me attain Moksha, then exactly after 10 bn years, we will be again doing this same, because before 10 bn years, it was also exactly the same as now. This continues in both the directions.
This might be little outrageous, hence I would request you to go through below pre-requisites:
Imagine a randomly curved infinite line, whose every point is uniquely placed. Can you say that from the (so called) beginning of the line, how much time will it take to reach the point "We"? Well certainly, infinite. Which means one can never reach that point with whatever speed. In general if a line doesn't have a beginning, then whichever point you choose, traveler can never reach there.
Keeping this in mind, imagine this line to be the "time", all points on it as "events" and "We" as the present moment. If all events in time were unique then, we would never reach at the present moment. This is called "Infinite regression".
So here we have 2 truths:
If (1) is true (i.e. forever time), then as per "infinite regression", we can never reach the present moment. But we reached & are existing.
If (2) is true, then, the time cannot be forever/eternal; it must have a start point. But that's false. Even with or without MAyA, (what we call) 1 second will always tick, which makes time forever or incalculable1.
Both statements are true even though they contradict each other. Then how can they co-exist? The answer is:
If the things repeat itself in exactly same pattern, then it becomes "frequency" and within 1 cycle, any point can be reached even with slowest travel. For example, let's consider the limited chunk you see above as 1 cycle and keep repeating them as below. Then we can be assured that "We" (the present moment) will be reached for sure. It may take 10 billion years, but the point will be touched. Because you can be IN any of the cycles. All cycles are perfectly same. Below figure can be also represented by joining the front end & the back end to make a circular travel.
This satisfies both (1) & (2) to be true. The time is existing forever because of infinite cycles and the present moment would surely be reached because a cycle constitutes finite events. Which means:
In very beginning of Gita, it's revealed that there was never a time when the warriors didn't exist and never will be the time when they cease to exist3. That implies that all the warriors on Kurukshetra, were present before as well and will be present afterwards too. Does that mean Arjuna will never get Moksha? What about Drona, who got Moksha during the battle?
All will surely get Moksha at some point of time. But they will again be back in the exact same pattern. Arjuna has already got confused before and will be confused again. Krishna should again repeat the exact similar message and convince him to fight.
Means, upon Brahma's day, all the living entities come into being and upon night, all merge into it again (Moksha). And, this cycle repeats again and again4.
"Yes, the cycle will repeat again. But every time new MAyA (material world) will be created."
One Brahman should ideally generate one kind of MAyA. Even, if new MAyA is created every time then it makes all the events unique on the timeline. That results in "infinite regression", hence we can't be in present moment. But we are, because even if Brahman generates different MAyA, that has to be a finite number and should repeat again in a cycle infinitely.
"Fine. Material world can be same, but the souls/Jivas are different. Because Jivas are infinite, it will never exhaust. i.e. a body is taken by soul X last time, soul Y currently and soul Z next time."
That also doesn't make Moksha infinite.
"What about all the preachings Krishna gave in Gita, which appeared like TODO kind of advises."
The spiritual state of Krishna was altering between, a human, a friend, a teacher, god, and so on. Hence, whatever he talked with Arjuna should be taken in that context. While talking about Moksha5, he might have kept the scope limited to Brahma's day (or 100 years or something else). Explaining Arjuna about billion year theory in an era where people hardly go beyond thousands would have been not only an overkill, it would have confused Arjuna even more.
If Krishna really meant permanent Moksha with absolutely no repeatition, then probably above logical theory is missing something terribly. Hope someone will point it out.
"Even if I agree that, all my Karma are fixed and I will anyway get Moksha, only when I am destined to. Then I can just sit hands down and do absolutely nothing. What about that?"
Yes, one may opt for Karma SanyAs (not doing Karma itself), but it's not better than Karma Yoga (renouncing fruits of Karma)6.
But actually it's a moot discussion, because according to above theory, you are anyway going to do whatever is fixed. You may forget about this theory and get indulged in life as of nothing happened, or you may take it too seriously and do something else.
"Suppose that this theory is true. But what if the very first cycle takes too long to get finished?"
But if we discount above 2, then Yes, this can be a solid argument where Moksha becomes eternal indeed. Because state of Moksha will have to end only with the end of the first cycle, which is taking too long.
Is there any way by which, we can have the above assumption and its 2 counter contradictions co-exist? Well, can't say for sure.
However if all the events are fixed, then they become finite and due to which cycle "can happen", even though 1st one takes too long. From the perspective of Nirguna Brahman, it MAY not even matter if the cycle happens or not, because it's already in permanent state of Moksha!
The outcome of this theory is not mainly about "Brahma's Cycles", but it's about how we are at present moment, because all are predetermined events.
"Whatever we do now, is done already and would be done again; exactly in same pattern."
References:
0 BG 9.7 — O son of Kuntī, at the end of the millennium all material manifestations enter into My nature, and at the beginning of another millennium, by My potency, I create them again.
1 BG 10.30 — Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlāda, among subduers I am time, among beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuḍa.
2 BG 8.17 — By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together form the duration of Brahmā’s one day. And such also is the duration of his night.
3 BG 2.12 — Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
4 BG 8.18 — At the beginning of Brahmā’s day, all living entities become manifest from the unmanifest state, and thereafter, when the night falls, they are merged into the unmanifest again.
BG 8.19 — Again and again, when Brahmā’s day arrives, all living entities come into being, and with the arrival of Brahmā’s night they are helplessly annihilated.
5 BG 8.21 — That which is describe as unmanifest and infallible, that which is known as the supreme destination, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns – that is My supreme abode.
6 BG 5.2 — The Personality of Godhead replied: The renunciation of work (Karma SanyAs) and renunciation of fruits (Karma Yoga) are both good for liberation. But, of the two, renunciation of fruits is better than renunciation of work .
Good Work -> Good Fruit
Bad Karma -> Bad Fruit
According to Shrimad Bhagwat Geetahere Lord Krishna said that
For good deeds people go to heaven and have good fruits, they go to hell for their bad ones and after facing both good in heaven and bad in hell they again come to earth again by taking rebirth.
Then Lord said
To be free Oh Arjuna you have to leave the desire of fruits. Do Karma without willingness of fruit and worship me in parallel. Only surrender unto me can lead to the Moksha(Mukti or Freeing from rebirth).
Those who worship ghosts, reach ghosts, those who worship deity gets that deity but worshiping me only reach me. So you just worship me and perform your duties.
By doing so your Karma will be converted to "aaKarma". you will not have fruits, but those "Karma"s will be considered as I(GOD) have done.
So with no binding of fruits, such of you will get free from rebirth.
Lord Krishna said in this verse and here
But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again.
What is Moksha?
a state where a soul gets returned to "ParamDhama or Akshar Dham - a supreme abode" A permanent home of souls(body is considered as temporary home), where all souls resides. And again come to earth when their role is again in next World-Drama.
This state is never permanent. Because Lord Said:
Those who died, his next birth is absolutely happen, and the born one will absolutely die.
who is dead , birth is certain
So for maybe some time soul will get Moksha,which is different than death.
After death soul may go to heavan or hell but after moksha soul go to "Paramdhama".
Except Shiva Parmatma, every body takes birth. All the souls. Even Lord Vishnu also. Only Lord Shiva never takes birth because he is considered as "Ajanma" birthless (who has never born).
Moksha is a state where soul is inactive and is considered as Mukti (Free from Karmas).
But there is also Moksha in real life known as "Jeevan Mukti" (Living Moksha)
Lord Krishna said,
Be neutral in doing your Karma, rise above hates and loves, have neutrality for Good or Bad, Happiness and sorrow and just perform your duty with clean heart. Consider Elephant, Gentleman, Demon and dog as same souls(Neutral for all). And you will free from any effects of your performed activity.
Such devotee is considered highest
In another verse in Guruleelamruta Moksha is considered as Krupa "Blessings" of Guru Duttatreya(GOD who is considered as Combinations of all three Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh)
Dhyanmulam Gurur murty, Pooja mulam Guru padam,
Mantravakyam Gurur Vakyam, Mokshamulam Guruh Kripa ||
means the last one Moksha mulam Guruh Kripa, means Guru's Kripa is root towards Moksha. Only God's blessing can make you reach Moksha, but is temporary. Moska is not permanent.
Example
is of 24 Tirthankara's in Jainism who are said to take birth again after attaining the birth, and All these tirthankara's were Hindu Kshatriyas!!
And Lord Vishnu himself takes birth millennium after millennium.
Is Moksha permanent?
Mokṣa is not permanent. Souls attained Moksha are never again subject to the qualities of matter or to Karma. But if they or GOD choose, for some good karmas for the world, they may incarnate on earth. But after the kalpa, everything is reset. So after kalpa new Moksha attainment is required.
There are two classes of devotees: Jivakotis and Isvarakotis. Here, koti means type or like;
Jivakotis are ordinary men (like Jiva) and
Isvarakotis are Divine men (like Isvara).
For Jivakotis, Moksha is a permanent state.
For Isvarakotis, Moksha is not a permanent state. Because,
He is a person commissioned by God to do good to the world; though liberated in life, he is born again and again with full memory of his previous lives, till he finishes that duty of his, when he merges for all times in Brahman. ~ramakrishnavivekananda.info>GLOSSARY
Anything that has a beginning will have an end. Moksha is attained at some point in time. So it will have to end at some other point in time. Therefore Moksha is not permanent.
