Mukti (Devanagari: मुक्ति) is a term used in the Indian religious traditions to denote spiritual liberation. It is broadly synonymous with the concepts of moksha in Hindu thought and nirvana in Buddhist and Jain traditions, signifying release from the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara) and the bondage of worldly existence.
Within these traditions, mukti is generally understood as the highest spiritual goal, representing freedom from ignorance, attachment, and the karmic conditions that bind the individual self. The path leading to mukti varies across schools and texts, encompassing approaches such as knowledge (jnana), devotion (bhakti), disciplined action (karma), and meditative practice (yoga).
Two broad categories are commonly identified in Hindu philosophical literature. Jivan mukti refers to liberation attained while still embodied, in which the seeker continues to live in the world but is regarded as inwardly free from bondage. Para mukti, sometimes called videha mukti, denotes the ultimate liberation realised after the dissolution of the body, in which the liberated being is no longer subject to rebirth.
The term mukti is also encountered as a personal name and appears in the titles of various works, organisations, and cultural references across South Asia.
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on Mukti.