मुक्तः, प्रतिज्ञानात् ॥ २ ॥
muktaḥ, pratijñānāt || 2 ||
muktaḥ—Released; pratijñānāt—from the premise.
2. (The Self which manifests Its true nature attains) Liberation, (as is known), from the premise (made in the scriptures).
If Liberation is nothing new that is acquired by the Jiva, then what is its difference from bondage? The Jiva in the state of bondage was subject to the three states of wakefulness, dream, and deep sleep, and was experiencing happiness and misery, imagining itself to be finite. On being freed from all these misconceptions it realizes its true nature, which is Absolute Bliss. This removal of all misconceptions is what is known as Liberation. Between these two states, there is a world of difference. How is it known that in this state the Jiva is liberated? From the premise made in the scriptures—says the Sutra, “I will explain It to you further” (Chh 8.9.3; 8.10.4; 8.11.3)— here the Sruti proposes to expound that Self which is free from all imperfections, and it begins thus: “The being without the body is not touched by pleasure and pain” (Chh. 8. 12. 1) and concludes, “Thus does this serene being rising above its body and having reached the highest light, appear in its own true nature” (Chh. 8. 12. 3).