Moksha in Hindu thought is understood as the highest human goal, a state of spiritual liberation in which the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) comes to an end. It is described as freedom from suffering, ignorance, and karmic bondage, marked by the realization of one’s true nature as the Self (atman) and its unity or identity with the ultimate reality, Brahman. In this state, the individual is no longer bound by identification with body, mind, and ego, and no further reincarnation is required. Moksha is thus portrayed as supreme peace and unconditioned fulfillment, not as a sensory pleasure but as a profound spiritual completeness.

The tradition presents several principal paths (yogas or margas) by which this liberation may be approached, each suited to different temperaments yet capable of being integrated. Jñāna Yoga, the path of knowledge, emphasizes discriminative insight into the difference between the eternal Self and the changing body-mind complex, using scriptural study, contemplation, and self-inquiry to bring about direct realization. Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion, centers on loving surrender to a chosen form of the divine, expressed through prayer, worship, chanting, and offering all actions to that reality, with grace and devotion purifying the heart. Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action, teaches performing one’s duties in accordance with dharma, without attachment to results and without the egoistic sense of being the doer, thereby purifying the mind and loosening karmic bonds. Rāja Yoga, the meditative path, systematizes ethical discipline, posture, breath control, concentration, and meditation so that a stilled, clarified mind can directly apprehend the Self.

Across these paths, certain inner dispositions and practices are repeatedly emphasized as essential aids to liberation. Ethical living, truthfulness, non-violence, and self-restraint serve to purify the mind and refine character. Detachment from sense pleasures and worldly clinging, along with sustained contemplation and self-inquiry, weakens ignorance and attachment. Study of sacred texts under the guidance of a teacher, regular meditation, and steady devotion or selfless service gradually exhaust binding karma and prepare consciousness for the decisive insight into its own deepest nature. When ego, ignorance, and attachment are transcended in this way, moksha is spoken of as the natural state that shines forth, the culmination of the soul’s journey beyond samsara.