Moksha Through Union: Freedom as the Aim

In bhakti philosophy, union with the beloved (Krishna, the divine) is moksha—liberation from illusion and limitation. Mirabai taught that love isn't about possession; it's about both lovers becoming more fully themselves, more free. This inverts the common fear that intimacy traps us. From a moksha perspective, the right attraction actually liberates. It frees us from the prison of isolation, from the illusion of separation, from the small self's contracted concerns. When attraction is aimed at mutual liberation rather than mutual capture, everything changes. We celebrate our partner's growth even when it takes them away from us. We encourage their authenticity even when it challenges us. We see separation as temporary, the connection as eternal. This concept helps us evaluate whether our attractions are expanding us or constraining us, whether they serve liberation or bondage. Genuine attraction, in this view, is always liberation-oriented.