All souls are on the path to liberation.
The human condition and the path are summarised below (Ishwar-ji's message as I understand it.)
1. This creation and our life is only an experience and impermanent. The Atma is the experiencer and permanent. God is the totality of consciousness and every Atma is a part as well as the whole of it.
2. This life is a many-layered experience the Atma undergoes through the trap of time-space-mind in an eternal cycle of intentions, acts and results - called Karma.
3. Liberation comes to the Atma when the Atma detaches the self from the mind and attaches to the Totality through love and devotion. This then completely alters every experience.
4. The Guru comes as another human being to guide us when our seeking reaches a critical point. Thereafter we are never lost.
5. Surrender to the Guru=Totality transforms all our actions from Karma to Dharma and fills this life with love, bliss, aesthetic joy and intuitive understanding. We witness and even enjoy all experiences thereafter as a passing game.
हरिः ॐ तत् सत्
Postscript: This is totally in alignment with my reading of the Srimad Bhagavadgita.
Dharma is performing all of one's actions as an offering to the Totality of existence. Karma is all our actions and thoughts with the I-mine-unto myself attitude.
Karma and Dharma are therefore totally predicated on our mindset and not the actual actions and roles.
