Is Brahm Gyan and Moksha same?

Question

Brahm gyan, atma gyan and moksha are same? When do we get brahm gyan? Or does moksha means permanent staying in nirvikalpa avastha?

Answer 1

Brahmajnana is the same as atmajnana according to Advaita Vedanta and leads to moksha.

Brahmajnana

The Vedanta system of philosophy posits Brahman as the origin of the entire universe including the inanimate nature and the living beings. The universe evolves out of it, it is sustained in it and involves back to it. Its essential nature is 'sat-cit-ananda', existence-consciousness-bliss. It is uncaused and eternal. It is also the very essence of the human beings. Since the human beings do not know this Brahman that is in them or behind them, they are undergoing a lot of suffering caused by the vicious circle of birth-death-rebirth, technically called 'samsara'. Moksha or liberating oneself from the bondage of this samsara, is the ultimate goal of life. This moksha can only be achieved by brahmajnana.

Though the word 'jnana' means 'knowledge, 'brahmajnana' does not mean an intellectual understanding of Brahman. It is anubhuti or direct experience of Brahman, not only as the substratum of the entire creation, but also as the innermost core of oneself. Once this direct experience comes, there will no more be any identification with the body-mind complex which alone was responsible for samsara.

In order to get this experience, one has to cultivate sadhanacatustaya first. This is to be followed by approaching a competent spiritual preceptor from whom one has to listen (sravana) to the Vedantic truths, reflect (manana) upon them and meditate (nidhidhyasana) upon them. This will ultimately lead to brahmajnana or direct experience of Brahman - often equated with atman, the Self - and result in moksha.

A concise encylopaedia of Hinduism by Swami Harshananda

Brahmajnana is the same as atmajnana in Advaita Vedanta since Brahman is Atman according to this spiritual system. Brahmajnana is not the same as moksha but leads to moksha. Moksha means liberation from Samsara.

Sadhanacatustaya (fourfold discipline of Vedanta)

Works on Advaita Vedanta prescribe a mode of sadhana (spiritual discipline) which has two stages.

The first or the preliminary stage is called sadhanacatusthaya or the fourfold spiritual discipline. These disciplines are: Viveka (discrimination); vairagya (renunciation); samadistaka ( the group of six, starting with sama or quietude) and mumuksutva (desire for moksa or liberation).

A concise encylopaedia of Hinduism by Swami Harshananda

Answer 2

Maybe it will be a partial Answer, Brahma Gaayn, Atma Gaayn and Moksha are three distict things. Both Gaayn are neccessary or occur as one transits towards Moksha. (Also see Which Āstika schools mention the different types of Muktis? and What is "Moksha" in Hinduism?)

From the Gaayn-Sankuli Tantra:

ॐकारादक्षरात्‌ सर्वात्वेता विद्याश्चर्तुदश । मन्त्रपुजा तपो ध्यानं कर्माकर्म तथैव च॥ षड़ङ्ग वेदचत्वारि मीमांसा न्‍यायविस्तरः । धर्मशास्त्रपुराणादि एता विद्याश्चतुदर्दश ॥ तावद्विजा भवेतु सर्वा यावद्‌ ज्ञानं न जायते। ब्रह्माज्ञानं पदं ज्ञात्का सर्वविद्या स्थिरा भवेतु ॥

The birth of 14 Vidyas- Mantra, Puja, Tap, Dhyan, Karma, Akarma, 4 Vedas, VedaAngas, Mimansa, Naya, DhrmhaShstra and Puran. These 14 Take birth from 'OM'. Unless one has the knowledge of these 14, one cannot gain Brahmha Gyaan. As one Gains it, all Vidyas become stationary and firm.

Describing it in a different way, one can say Knowledge of "Everything is one" is Brahma Gyaan, after which there remains no Distinctions between this and that. (There is a entire Ullhasa in Nila-Saraswati tantra as well in Sarvollāsatantram describing that 'oneness'. One can say its largely 'Advait'). Brahma Gaayn is not expressable, I.e. one cannot make it Uchishta.

उच्छिष्टं सर्वश्स्त्राणि स्वविद्या मुखे मुखे। नोच्छिष्टं ब्रह्मणो ज्ञात्तमव्यक्तं चेतनामयम ॥

All Shastras have became Uchishta. All Vidyas move from one's mouth to others, But Brahma Gyaan is not Uchishta! It is cannot be Expressed and is Experienced.

From Sarvollāsatantram 53rd Ullhasa:

शिव-ज्ञानं विना जीवः शिवोऽभूच्च न चेत् क्वचित् । आत्मरब्रह्मोति संज्ञात्वा देवब्रह्मोति भावयेत् ॥

without knowledge of Jeeva how can one get knowledge of Shiva? Without Shiva how can one reach 'I am Shiva'? Unless the AtmaBrahma is understood, how can one know the DevBrahma? For Siva, the Atman is same as Brahman.