One of the longest of longtime commenters here, LB, reminded me the other day of the Sanskrit word mumukshutva<\/i>. It means intense desire for liberation. In Advaita Vedanta it’s considered to be one of the four necessary conditions for attaining Self-realization.<\/p>\n
For example, here’s Ganga Maa describing herself as a child in the introduction to Silent Presence<\/i> edited by David Godman:<\/p>\n \nFrom a very young age my natural inclination was only towards the truth and God-realisation.<\/p>\n Whenever anyone asked me what my goal in life was, I always replied, \u2018Atma sakshatkaram,\u2019 Self-realisation. I would innocently and with total fervour call out within to all the Masters I knew, \u2018I am ready! Are you all ready to give me sakshatkaram [realisation]?\u2019<\/p>\n There was a great sense of urgency to get realisation. Intensely and with deep longing I used to shed tears every day for sakshatkaram. Even at that early age nothing else in life interested me. Academic studies became secondary. Instead, I used to sit and recite mantras from the Upanishads and try to understand their meaning. Or I would fill the pages of my school notebooks with two of the mahavakyas: \u2018Tat Tvam Asi\u2019 [\u2018That you are\u2019] and \u2018Aham Brahmasmi\u2019 [\u2018I am Brahman\u2019]. Then I would contemplate on them and try to go deeper into their true meaning.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Hridaya Kshetram<\/a>Links<\/h2>\n
\nGanga Maa’s website.<\/p>\n