Sahasranama position 975 of the 1,072 names

Moksha

मोक्ष

Mokṣa

What Moksha means

Moksha is name 975 in the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama, the 1,072-name devotional text to Maa Kali. Conferrer of liberation and spiritual freedom.

Also spelled

  • Moksa
  • Source transliteration: MOKSHA

Sanskrit names travel into English in several romanizations. This page keeps the common spelling, the IAST form, and the source transliteration together so the same name is discoverable under each spelling readers use.

Meaning and elaboration

Meaning: Conferrer of liberation and spiritual freedom.

Elaboration

The name Moksha means "liberation," "release," and true freedom. Applied to Mahakali, it points to her as the direct giver of spiritual emancipation.

The Ultimate Goal In Hindu thought, moksha is the highest aim of life: freedom from birth, death, and rebirth (saṃsāra), and realization of union with Absolute Reality. As Moksha, Kali is not only a path toward that state, but its source and giver.

Destruction of Ignorance She grants liberation by destroying ignorance (avidyā), attachment (rāga), aversion (dveṣa), and ego (ahaṃkāra), the bonds that tie the soul to material existence. Her fierce form is necessary for this radical freedom, because it cuts through deep illusion and reveals reality as it is.

Freedom from Dualities As Moksha, Kali leads the devotee beyond dual opposites (good and evil, pleasure and pain, light and darkness) into non-dual awareness, where the self (Ātman) is realized as one with the Absolute (Brahman). This realization is enduring peace, bliss, and true understanding.

The Liberating Grace Her grace (kṛpā) is a direct and potent means to moksha. For those who surrender with sincere devotion, she removes obstacles, purifies the mind, and opens the path to ultimate freedom, allowing the individual to transcend suffering and realize true divine nature.

Text and sources

The name list follows the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama as compiled for this project. The English meaning and elaboration are interpretive notes for devotional study, not a translation of a single critical edition.

Read the editorial method and source notes →

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