Can soul ever return to samsara after getting moksha.

[ameyAtmA]

Also, regarding the Sun and Moon metaphors - yes they are found all over the Hindu scriptures.

Some shlokas use them for Ida-PingLA , and I think they are also used to represent mind(moon) and AtmA (Sun) perfectly.

However BG15.6 is clearly using them to demonstrate the enlightened state (light) versus ignorance (darkness) - as indicated in my first post. The enlightened state does not require illumination from a 3rd source of light such as Sun, Moon or Fire because in this state, in that dhAm (tad dhAm), the Being is Self-Illuminated/illuminating as there is complete absence of darkness i.e. ignorance - avidyA.

BhagavAn is implying that this place is Self-illuminating. There is no trace of darkness (avidyA) there. If there is no trace of avidyA , no desires, no specifically local-egoistic endeavours, no attempt to serve the ego, then there is no need to come back from that state.

[ameyAtmA]

Namaste,
Speaking of Sun and Moon, a great reference is the Uddhav Geeta - which happens to be a section of Shrimad BhAgvat purAN Canto 11 (Chap 5 onwards)
which is a conversation between Shri KRshNa and Uddhav, where KRshNa spills pearls of Truth.

KRshNa says Moon-Sun represent the pitruyana and devayana marga thru' the IdA-PingaLA , the left and right nADis (referenced in post above) , while sushumna goes thru' the centre to Bramharandra at the top of the skull.

[SuryaVedanta754]

Moksha means liberation. It means that the soul has attained a high state of spiritual development, in which the soul transcends all karmic limitations. At that time, the soul is no longer obligated to reincarnate.

There are states of spirituality that are higher than moksha or liberation. The highest state is that of siddhi, or God-realization. Most souls who attain liberation, continue on the spiritual path in order to attain God-Realization.

If a soul attains moksha, but does not attain God-Realization in that life, the soul will then reincarnate in order to attain the higher state.

this is a kind of summary from the writings of Sri Chinmoy. I believe I have read similar things in the writings of other great saints, but I do not recall exactly right now.

(In 2007, Sri Chinmoy was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Sri Chinmoy conducted meditations at the United Nations for about 30 years and at the US Congress for about 20 years.)

[Viraja]

Moksha means liberation. It means that the soul has attained a high state of spiritual development, in which the soul transcends all karmic limitations. At that time, the soul is no longer obligated to reincarnate.

There are states of spirituality that are higher than moksha or liberation. The highest state is that of siddhi, or God-realization. Most souls who attain liberation, continue on the spiritual path in order to attain God-Realization.

If a soul attains moksha, but does not attain God-Realization in that life, the soul will then reincarnate in order to attain the higher state.

this is a kind of summary from the writings of Sri Chinmoy. I believe I have read similar things in the writings of other great saints, but I do not recall exactly right now.

(In 2007, Sri Chinmoy was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Sri Chinmoy conducted meditations at the United Nations for about 30 years and at the US Congress for about 20 years.)

Namaste,

That was a splendid piece of information!

I have a related question.

Is the 'reality' different for one who attained mukthi via traditional bakthi yoga vs. other means to realize god such as Ashtanga Yoga, etc.?

Which is to ask, whether the capabilities are different between the 2? (One who realizes through bakthi yoga. vs. one who realizes through Ashtanga Yoga).

Thanks.

[SuryaVedanta754]

Paramahansa Yogananda said directly that he did so. Moksha, or liberation is a high state of evolution. But siddhi, God-realization is one step beyond. Once a soul achieves siddhi, they rarely return, or they return for just a lifetime or two, to get an even higher state of God-realization and also serve humanity.

that is taken from the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda, Sri Chinmoy, and perhaps several other Yogis...