Sādhya — The Goal to Be Accomplished
Sādhya (Sanskrit verbal adjective from sādh = to accomplish, to succeed; meaning 'that which is to be accomplished') is the philosophical counterpart to sādhana (the means or practice). In every systematic spiritual path, clarity about the sādhya — what exactly one is striving for — is prerequisite to meaningful sādhana. Without clarity on the sādhya, the sādhana lacks direction; without the sādhana, the sādhya remains unreached.
The Sādhya in Śrī Vaiṣṇava Theology: In Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta, the ultimate sādhya is mokṣa — specifically, the attainment of Śrī Vaikuṇṭham and the eternal, uninterrupted kaiṅkarya (loving service) to Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa and Śrī Mahālakṣmī. The Āzhvārs and Āchāryas are unanimous that this kaiṅkarya — not mere kaivalya (self-absorption) or sāyujya (undifferentiated merger) — is the true puruṣārtha of the jīva.
Sādhana and Sādhya: The classical Viśiṣṭādvaita schema enumerates three sādhana-upāyas: karma yoga, jñāna yoga, and bhakti yoga. Each is a sādhana whose sādhya is mokṣa. Prapatti in Teṅkalai understanding is distinct — not a sādhana in the effort-based sense but an act of surrender to the siddha-upāya (Bhagavān as the already-accomplished means). The sādhya remains constant across all paths: the blessed life of kaiṅkarya in Śrī Vaikuṇṭham.
Clarity of Sādhya as a Prerequisite: The Āchāryas teach that a confused understanding of the sādhya wastes spiritual effort. One who mistakes aisvarya (material prosperity), kaivalya (isolated self-experience), or svarga (celestial enjoyment) for the true sādhya has missed the mark. The corrected understanding — that Bhagavān's pleasure (Bhagavad-prīti) and the jīva's kaiṅkarya are inseparably the sādhya — is itself the fruit of the Āchārya's grace.