What Stops You from Achieving Moksha?

Short Answer

The only thing that stops you from achieving moksha is the ego—the mistaken belief that you are the body, mind, and personality. The ego is not a thing. It is a habit, a misperception, a false identification. The world does not stop you. Other people do not stop you. Circumstances do not stop you. The ego stops you. But even the ego is not a permanent obstacle. It is like a cloud covering the sun. The sun is always shining. The cloud does not destroy the sun. It only hides it. Remove the cloud through self-inquiry. The sun shines. The ego has no power of its own. It borrows its light from the Self. When you turn the light of awareness toward the ego, it disappears. What remains is the Self. That is moksha.

In one line: The only obstacle to moksha is the ego—the mistaken belief that you are a separate person. Nothing else stops you.

Key points:

• The only obstacle is the ego—not the world, not circumstances, not other people
• The ego is not a thing—it is a mistaken identification (thinking you are the body-mind)
• The ego has no independent existence—it borrows its light from the Self
• Misconceptions include: “I need more time,” “I am not ready,” “The world is the problem”
• Remove the ego through self-inquiry—ask “Who am I?” and trace the ‘I’ thought to its source
• Moksha is not something you achieve—it is what you already are when the ego is removed

For a complete understanding of the obstacle and its removal, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s How to Attain Moksha in Hinduism provides the practical path of self-inquiry, while her Awakening Through Vedanta offers the philosophical foundation.

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Part 1: The Only Real Obstacle—The Ego

The Ego Is the Entire Problem

The world is not the obstacle. Other people are not the obstacle. Circumstances are not the obstacle. The ego is the only obstacle.

What Is NOT the Obstacle	What IS the Obstacle
The world	The ego’s identification with the world
Thoughts	The ego’s claim “I am my thoughts”
The body	The ego’s belief “I am the body”
God	The ego’s sense of separation from God
Other people	The ego’s projection of good or bad onto them

“Moksha is not leaving the world. It is leaving the ego. Wherever the ego is, there is bondage. Where the ego is not, there is moksha—even in the midst of the world.”

The Ego Is a Mistaken Identification

The ego is not a thing. It is a habit—the habit of saying “I” and meaning the body-mind.

The Ego Believes	The Truth
“I am the body”	“The body appears in me”
“I am the mind”	“Thoughts arise and subside in me”
“I am born and will die”	“I was never born. I will never die.”
“I am separate”	“I am one without a second”
“I am incomplete”	“I am already whole”

“The ego is like a ghost. It seems real in the dark. When you turn the light of awareness toward it, it disappears. What remains is the Self. The ego was never there.”

For a deeper exploration of the ego as the only obstacle, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s How to Attain Moksha in Hinduism explains the nature of the ego and how to destroy it.

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Part 2: Why the Ego Seems Real

You Have Never Really Looked

The ego seems real only because you have never truly examined it. You have looked at thoughts, feelings, and the world. You have rarely turned attention toward the “I” itself.

What You Usually Look At	What You Must Look At
The content of thoughts (“I am angry”)	The “I” itself
Feelings, sensations, memories	The one who feels, senses, remembers
The world, other people, problems	The awareness in which all appears
“Why am I suffering?”	“Who is suffering?”

“Do not look at your thoughts. Do not look at your feelings. Look at the one who says ‘I.’ That is the ego. Look at it directly. It will vanish. This is not philosophy. It is the direct method.”

The Ego Borrows Its Light

The ego has no light of its own. It shines only because the Self shines through it.

The Sun	The Self
The Moon	The Ego
Moon borrows light from the sun	Ego borrows awareness from the Self
Moon disappears at dawn	Ego disappears when the Self is known

“The ego is like the moon. It has no light of its own. It shines only because the Self shines through it. Turn toward the Self. The ego fades. It does not die. It was never alive.”

For a complete guide to seeing through the ego, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Awakening Through Vedanta explains the distinction between the false ‘I’ and the true ‘I’.

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Part 3: Common Misconceptions That Delay

“I Need More Time”

The ego loves to delay. It says “I will practice tomorrow,” “I will seek moksha after retirement,” “I am not ready yet.”

Delay Tactic	Truth
“I am not ready”	You are ready now. The Self is already here.
“I will practice later”	Later may never come. Inquire now.
“I need to purify my mind first”	Self-inquiry purifies the mind. Do not wait.
“I need a guru”	The Self is the only true guru. Inquire.

“Do not postpone moksha. The ego wants to survive. It will create endless excuses. Recognize the excuses as the ego’s defense. Inquire now.”

“The World Is the Problem”

Many believe that if they could escape the world—the job, the family, the responsibilities—they could attain moksha.

World-Escapism	Truth
“I need to renounce the world”	King Janaka was a married king—and liberated
“My family distracts me”	Your attachment distracts you, not your family
“I need to live in a cave”	The cave is in the mind, not on a mountain
“When I retire, I will practice”	Practice now, with the mind as it is

“The world is not the cage. The ego is. You can live in a palace and be free. You can live in a cave and be bound. The location does not matter. The mind matters.”

For a complete exploration of common misconceptions, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Find Inner Peace Now offers practical guidance for overcoming delaying tactics.

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Part 4: How to Remove the Obstacle

Self-Inquiry—The Direct Method

Self-inquiry is the direct path to removing the ego. Ask “Who am I?” not as a mantra, but as a living investigation.

Step	Action
1	Ask “Who am I?” Do not answer with words
2	Trace the feeling of ‘I’ back to its source
3	When thoughts arise, ask “To whom?”
4	The answer is “To me.” Ask “Who is this me?”
5	Return to the source of the ‘I’ feeling
6	When the ‘I’ dissolves, rest as the Self

“The thought ‘who am I?’ will destroy all other thoughts, and like the stick used for stirring the funeral pyre, it will itself be burned up in the end. Then there will be moksha.” — Ramana Maharshi

The Ego Cannot Survive Your Gaze

The ego is like a shadow. It disappears when you turn the light of awareness toward it.

Fighting the Ego	Seeing Through the Ego
“I will destroy my ego” (the ego fights itself)	“I will look at the ego directly”
Creates endless battle	Ends the battle in a moment of seeing
The ego grows stronger	The ego is seen as never real

“Do not fight the ego. You cannot fight a shadow. Turn the light of awareness toward it. It disappears. What remains is the Self.”

For a complete guide to self-inquiry as the removal of the ego, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s How to Attain Moksha in Hinduism provides step-by-step instructions.

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Part 5: What Remains When the Obstacle Is Removed

The Self Was Always There

You do not become the Self when the ego is removed. You simply stop pretending to be the ego.

Before	After
The cloud covers the sun	The cloud clears
The sun was always shining	The sun was always shining
You thought you were the cloud	You see you were always the sun

“You are already the Self. There is nothing to achieve. Only remove the wrong identification. That is all.” — Ramana Maharshi

Freedom from Suffering

When the ego is gone, suffering ends. Not because the world changes. Because the one who suffers is gone.

Before Moksha	After Moksha
“I am the body—I fear death”	“The body appears in me—I am never born”
“I am the mind—I am anxious”	“Thoughts arise in me—I am peace itself”
“I am separate—I am lonely”	“I am one without a second”
“I need things to be happy”	“I am happiness itself”

“Moksha is not the absence of pain. The body may still feel pain. Moksha is the absence of ‘I am suffering.'”

For a complete description of the state after the obstacle is removed, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Awakening Through Vedanta explains the characteristics of the jivanmukta.

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Part 6: Common Questions

Is the ego real?
No. The ego is a mistaken identification. It is like seeing a rope as a snake. The snake is not real. The rope is real. The ego is the snake. The Self is the rope.

Why does the ego seem so powerful?
Because you have never examined it. Anything unexamined seems powerful. Turn the light of inquiry toward it. You will see it has no substance.

What if I try self-inquiry and nothing happens?
The “nothing happening” is the ego’s defense. Do not look for fireworks. The quieting of the ego is subtle. Each inquiry weakens the ego. Persist.

Do I need to renounce the world to remove the ego?
No. King Janaka was a married king and fully liberated. Renunciation of the ego is necessary. Renunciation of external life is optional. The world is not the cage. The ego is.

How long does it take to remove the ego?
It can take a moment or many lifetimes. The variable is not time. It is the intensity of your desire for truth. If you want moksha as much as a drowning man wants air, you will attain it now.

What is the single most important practice?
Self-inquiry. Ask “Who am I?” throughout the day. Trace the feeling of ‘I’ back to its source. When the ‘I’ dissolves, rest as the Self. That is the removal of the obstacle. That is moksha.

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Summary

The only thing that stops you from achieving moksha is the ego—the mistaken belief that you are the body, mind, and personality. The world does not stop you. Other people do not stop you. Circumstances do not stop you. The ego stops you. But even the ego is not a permanent obstacle. It is like a cloud covering the sun. The sun is always shining. The cloud does not destroy the sun. It only hides it. Remove the cloud through self-inquiry. The sun shines. The ego has no power of its own. It borrows its light from the Self. When you turn the light of awareness toward the ego, it disappears. What remains is the Self. Not something new. Not something far away. What you have always been. Do not delay. Do not make excuses. Do not fight the ego—you cannot fight a shadow. Turn the light of inquiry toward it. Look at the ‘I.’ Ask “Who am I?” Trace it. When it dissolves, rest. That is removal of the obstacle. That is moksha. That is freedom.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.