Lord Kumara asked Lord Siva to explain about Jeevan mukti and Videha mukti. Before heading to the reply of Lord Siva, we will see what the terms are referred to.

Jeevan mukti stands for the liberation during the lifetime whereas Videha mukti refers to the Liberation after the death. Why life is required for anyone who is liberated? The liberated ones like Sri Adi Sankara and Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa lived for some time even after their liberation to lead the mankind in the path of liberation. The seers like Sri Adi Sankara are called Jeevan muktas.

Lord Siva replies to the query about the nature of Jeevan mukti and Videha mukti in the fourth chapter of Tejo bind upanishad.

He alone is Jeevan mukta who realises that he is superior to three bodies or dehas. The three dehas or sareeras are Sthula, Suksma and Karana. Sthula sareera is gross body otherwise known as Annamaya Kosha. Suksma sareera is subtle body also known as Pranamaya kosha. Karana sareera is the causal body or Anandamaya Kosha. Deha, sareera and kosha are Sanskrit equivalents for body.  Jeevan mukta is not confined to the bodies.

He is the absolute consciousness. He is one who realises Aham Brahma Asmi. He is fixed himself in the Atman and knows he is beyond Atman. His mind is clear. He is enjoying the everlasting bliss. He is devoid of any contact, care and existence.

He knows that he is neither the body nor the senses nor the ego nor the lust nor the anger.

“Not Mine are the worldly things, spiritual marks and symbols. Not mine are the eyes, mind, ear, nose, tongue, hands. Not mine is waking, dream, dreamless sleep. Not mine is Turya”. One who realises like this is Jeevan Mukta.

For the question of who I am and what belongs to me, the Jeevan mukta rules out everything like this. “Not mine is the space. Not mine is all that yonder. Not mine are substances. Not mine is destiny. Not mine are sins. Not mine are religious merits. Not mine are ablution and austerities. Not mine are money, material, men and status. Not mine is Atman. Not mine are Gods. Not mine is liberation. Not mine is passion. Not mine is concentration. Not mine is the pleasure. Not mine is grief. Not mine are emotions. Not mine are blood and flesh. Not mine is wisdom. Aham Brahma Asmi. I am the absolute consciousness. I am the indivisible one essence.” One who is realising like this is Jeevan mukta.

He alone is Videha mukta who has become the Supreme Being and whose Atman is enjoying everlasting peace and perpetual bliss.

One who finds his Atman in everything and everything in his Atman is Vedha mukta. One who realises the nature of Atman is Videha mukta. Atman has no beginning, no decay and no end. Atman is immortal. Atman is absolute bliss, peaceful, pure and lovely. It has no bondage. Aham Brahma Asmi. I am absolute consciousness only.

The difference in knowledge does not affect Atman. The difference in time and place does not affect Atman.

One who is devoid of name and form, who is beyond the state of Turya, who is Atman andaccomplished in Atma yoga and who is devoid of bodily remembrance is videha mukta.

One who is enjoying the perpetual bliss of Brahman, who is enjoying the nector of Brahman and who has the radiance of Brahman is vedeha mukta.

One who is devoid of multitude of Atmans, who is devoid of duality of Atman and Paramatman, devoid of liberation and bondage and devoid of joy and like, is the vedeha mukta.

Atman who is devoid of gross body, subtle body and casual body and who is not affected by the object seen or sound heard is videha mukta.

See the Atman with your inner eyes, make yourself satisfied and content with your own Atman, satisfy your Atman and become a videha mukta.