द्वेषो मोक्षश्च - Hatred and Moksha

(For want of a better word, I use moksha to indicate the highest goal that anyone wishes to achieve in life - liberation from the cyclic existence of birth and rebirth.)

सर्वेषां जनानां जीवनाधारभूताः धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाः इति चत्वारः पुरुषार्थाः। तेषु मोक्षश्च परमपुरुषार्थया सर्वैः अङ्गीक्रियते। कश्च सः मोक्षः? केन प्रकारेण वा प्राप्यते? इति प्रश्नानाम् उत्तरसमये शास्त्रकाराः मोक्षस्वरूपतत्प्राप्तिमार्गवर्णनद्वारा स्वमतस्थापनम् अकुर्वन्।
Every system of philosophy attempts to explain moksha and the methods to attain it in their own way. Moksha is universally accepted as the most important among the purusharthas that everyone strives for in one's life.

Bhakti plays a very important role in this path to moksha. Worshiping the Lord, meditating upon him, loving him, enjoying his qualities and immersing oneself in his stories are some of the ways in which people show their bhakti to the Lord.

In the 7th skandha of Srimad Bhagavatam, Yudhishthira perplexed by Sisupala attaining moksha asks how a person filled with so much of hatred towards Krishna could attain the highest state. Does this not promote an opposing standpoint to Shastras about पुण्य and पाप - we incur पाप by abusing the lord?

अहो अत्यद्‍भुतं ह्येतद् दुर्लभा एकान्तिनामपि ।
वासुदेवे परे तत्त्वे प्राप्तिश्चैद्यस्य विद्विषः ॥ ७।१।१५ ॥
द्वेषयुक्तेन चैद्यभूपतिना शिशुपालेन कथं योगिदुर्लभं वासुदेवसायुज्यं प्राप्यते इति विस्मितः युधिष्ठिरः।

Narada responds, "Krishna is bound by sentiments of abuse, praise, worship and scorn. In effect, Krishna is neither angry by abuse nor pleased by worship. In fact Sisupala was so consumed by the thoughts of Krishna that he attained moksha"

इदं शरीरं निन्दास्तुत्यादीनां विषयभूतमिति अविवेकिनामाशयः। लोके मनुष्याणां देहाभिमानिनाम्, अहं मम इति वैषम्यस्त्वात्,  'मम इयं निन्दा, अहम् अनेन निन्दितः', अतः हिंसाकारिषु हिंसाचरणम् साध्यम्। किन्तु, भगवतः कृष्णस्य तादृशाभिमानरहितत्वात् 'अहं निन्दितः अनेन' इति चिन्ता न उत्तिष्ठेत्।
In fact, Narada goes to the extent of saying -
यथा वैरानुबन्धेन मर्त्यः तन्मयतां इयात् ।
न तथा भक्तियोगेन इति मे निश्चिता मतिः ॥ २६ ॥
By bhakti one cannot achieve such intense absorption in thought of the Lord as one can through enmity toward Him. That is my firm belief.

Narada then lists various sentiments through which people have attained moksha or enjoyed the presence of Lord Krishna.

कामाद् द्वेषाद् भयात् स्नेहाद् यथा भक्त्येश्वरे मनः ।
आवेश्य तद् अघं हित्वा बहवः तद्‍गतिं गताः ॥ २९ ॥
गोप्यः कामाद् भयात् कंसो द्वेषात् चैद्यादयो नृपाः ।
सम्बन्धाद् वृष्णयः स्नेहाद् यूयं भक्त्या वयं विभो ॥ ३० ॥
Love - Gopis
Fear - Kamsa
Hatred - Sisupala
Association - Yadavas
Friendship - You all (Pandavas)
Bhakti - We (Sages like Narada)

Of course, we should not take this literally and start hating the lord. The key to this long winding approach is तन्मयत्वम् - complete absorption in the thought of Krishna.