kaivalya

Kaivalya is a Sanskrit term (kaivalya, कैवल्य) typically translated as solitude, isolation, or absolute independence. In Hindu philosophy it commonly refers to the final state of liberation, often described as the complete isolation or pure consciousness of the self (purusha) from the material nature (prakriti).

In the Samkhya and Yoga traditions, kaivalya denotes the ultimate goal: a state in which purusha exists in pure awareness free from the distortions of mental activity (vrittis) and the causal ties of prakriti. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, kaivalya is the culminating realization after disciplined practice that results in liberation from worldly afflictions and the discernment of the true self.

In Vedanta, the term is sometimes used to describe liberation as well, though different schools may articulate it in terms of moksha and realization of Brahman. Some interpretations equate kaivalya with the complete identification of the self with pure, universal consciousness, beyond ignorance and duality.

The Kaivalya Upanishad is a minor Upanishad named for the concept. It is one of the many Upanishads associated with the broader Vedantic tradition and is cited in discussions of non-duality and the nature of Brahman and Atman, often emphasizing the unity of individual and absolute reality.

As a name, Kaivalya is used in contemporary India as a given name for males and, less commonly, for females. It appears in various cultural and spiritual organizations, publications, and institutions that draw on yoga, Vedanta, or philosophical discourse.