Three Paths in Vedic Tradition: karma, jnana and bhakti

In the Vedas there are three processes for elevating one to the platform of spiritual consciousness. These processes are called karma, jnana and bhakti. Karma deals mainly ith the field of ritualistic performances, and jnana deals ith the field of speculative processes. In contrast, bhakti is distinct from both in that it is pure unalloyed love for the !upreme "ord ith out any tinge of fruitive inclination or mental speculation. #ne ho has taken to bhakti, the devotional service of the "ord, need have nothing to do ith karma or jnana. Pure devotional service by definition is ithout any tinge of karma or jnana. There are many sinful reactions involved in karma$kanda activities% and in jnana$kanda, the path of philosophical development, the number of such sinful activities is less. &o ever, in devotional service to the "ord, the path of bhakti, there is practically no chance of incurring sinful reactions. 'actually, the !upreme Personality of (odhead is the original source of all self$ reali)ation. *onse+uently, the goal of all auspicious activities $ karma, jnana, yogaand bhakti $ is the !upreme Personality of (odhead. (enerally, people are orking to get some desired result for sense gratification. ,veryone is orking to get some money, and money is used to satisfy the senses. This is called karma. -ut, out of many millions of such karmis, or fruitive orkers, one may become a jnani, or a man in kno ledge. .hen a man becomes frustrated by orking hard and tasting all the results of karma, and hen he is still not satisfied, then he comes to the platform of kno ledge. Kno ledge is characteri)ed by in+uiry $ /.ho am I0 .hy am I frustrated0 .hy am I confused0 .hat is my real position0/ That is the platform of kno ledge. #ut of many thousands of such persons ho have attained to this platform of kno ledge, one ho has actually understood hat is the position of the living entities is called liberated, brahma$bhuta. 1nd out of many thousands of such liberated persons, hardly one can understand ho is Krishna. Pure devotional activities are of one variety only. 1nd ho these devotional activities can be coordinated ith our daily, active life has been e2plained in -hagavad$gita. *oordinating such devotional activities ith our daily activities is technically kno n as karma$yoga. The same devotional activities hen mi2ed ith the culture of kno ledge are technically called jnana$yoga. -ut hen such devotional activities transcend the limits of all such ork or mental kno ledge, this state of affairs is called pure transcendental devotion, or bhakti$yoga. Three paths are enunciated in the (ita: karma$yoga, jnana$yoga and bhakti$ yoga. Those ho are too addicted to fruitive activities are advised to perform actions hich ill bring them to bhakti. Those ho are addicted to the frustration of empiric philosophy are also advised to act in such a ay that they

ill reali)e bhakti. Karma$yoga is different from ordinary karma, and jnana$ yoga is different from ordinary jnana. 3ltimately, as stated by the "ord in the -hagavad$gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati: only through e2ecution of devotional service can one understand Krishna. It therefore follo s that the culmination of all yogas lies in bhakti$yoga, the rendering of devotional service unto Krishna. 1ctually, all of the yogas delineated in -hagavad$gita end on this note, for Krishna is the ultimate destination of all the yoga systems. from the beginning of karma$yoga to the end of bhakti$yoga is a long ay to self$reali)ation. Karma$yoga, ithout fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. .hen karma$yoga increases in kno ledge and renunciation, the stage is called jnana$yoga, or the yoga of kno ledge. .hen jnana$yoga increases in meditation on the !upersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on &im, it is called astanga$yoga. 1nd, hen one surpasses astanga$yoga and comes to orship the !upreme Personality of (odhead, Krishna, that is called bhakti$yoga, the culmination. 'actually, bhakti$yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analy)e bhakti$yoga minutely one has to understand the other processes. In the *haitanya$caritamrita it is stated: krishna$bhakti haya abhidheya$pradhana bhakti$mukha$niriksaka karma$yoga$jnana /4evotional service to Krishna is the chief function of the living entity. There are different methods for the liberation of the conditioned soul $ karma, jnana, yoga and bhakti $ but all are dependent on bhakti./ The system of bhakti$yoga makes one eligible to enter &ari$dhama, the system of jnana$yoga makes one eligible to enter the impersonal -rahmajyoti, and the system of karma$yoga obliges one to remain in 4evi$dhama and repeatedly be born and die, changing his material covering according to the standard of karma he performs. 'or those grossly engaged in identifying the body as the self, pious activity, or karma$yoga, is recommended. 'or those ho identify the mind ith the self, philosophical speculation, or jnana$yoga, is recommended. -ut devotees standing on the spiritual platform have no need of such material conceptions of adulterated devotion. -y karma$yoga e attempt to get out of the gross body, and by jnana$yoga e attempt to get out of the subtle body, but by bhakti$yoga e can directly transcend both the subtle body 5mind, intelligence and ego6 and the gross material body. 'or any idea, program, plan or device, there is first of all the contemplation of the plan, and that is called bija, or the seed. The methods, rules and regulations by hich one is perfectly trained in devotional service constitute the bhakti$lata$bija, or seed of devotional service. This bhakti$lata$bija is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. #ther seeds are called anyabhilasa$bija, karma$bija and jnana$bija. If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti$lata$bija from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates the seeds of karma$bija, jnana$bija, or political and social or

philanthropic bija. &o ever, bhakti$lata$bija is different from these other bijas. -hakti$lata$bija can be received only through the mercy of the spiritual master. Therefore one has to satisfy the spiritual master to get bhakti$lata$bija 5yasya prasadad bhagavat$prasadah6. -hakti$lata$bija is the origin of devotional service. 3nless one satisfies the spiritual master, he gets the bija, or root cause, of karma, jnana and yoga ithout the benefit of devotional service. &o ever, one ho is faithful to his spiritual master gets the bhakti$lata$bija. This bhakti$lata$bija is received hen one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master. -y karma$misra$bhakti 5bhakti mi2ed ith fruitive inclination6 one is elevated to the celestial kingdom, by jnana$misra$bhakti 5bhakti mi2ed ith mental speculation6 one is able to merge in the -rahman effulgence, and by yoga$ misra$bhakti 5bhakti mi2ed ith the desire for mystic perfections6 one is able to reali)e the omnipotency of the !upreme Personality of (odhead. -ut pure bhakti does not depend on karma, jnana or yoga, for it simply consists of loving affairs. The liberation of the bhakta, therefore, hich is called not just mukti but vimukti, surpasses the five other kinds of liberation $ sayujya, sarupya, salokya, sarsti and samipya. 1 pure devotee al ays engages in pure service 5anukulyena krishnanu silanam bhaktir uttama6. Taking birth in the upper planetary system as a demigod is a chance to become a further purified devotee and go back home, back to (odhead. 3ltimately there is only one ay to attain the true liberation kno n as vimukti, and that is by satisfying the !upreme Personality of (odhead. jnana$karma$yoga$dharme nahe krishna vasa krishna$vasa$hetu eka $ prema$bhakti$rasa /-y follo ing the Paths of speculative philosophical kno ledge, fruitive activity or mystic yoga to control the senses, one cannot satisfy Krishna, the !upreme "ord. 3nalloyed devotional love for Krishna is the only cause for the "ord7s satisfaction./ Krishna is only interested in one7s devotion. 1s such &e is not attracted by karmis, jnanis or yogis. Therefore Krishna advises in the -hagavad$gita for everyone to take to bhakti and attain instant peace from the material orld: bhoktaram yajna tapasam sarva$loka mahesvaram suhridam sarva bhutanam jnatva mam shantim ricchati /1 person in full consciousness of 8e, kno ing 8e to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the !upreme "ord of all the planets and demigods, and the benefactor and ell$ isher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries./ .hy such a person attains peace from all miseries0 If one understands bhotaaram yajna tapasaam, that Krishna is the supreme enjoyer of everything,

then naturally one ill not try to enjoy the fruits of his ork. &ence one ill not attempt to be a karmi. If one understands sarva$loka maheshvaram, that the "ord is the supreme proprietor of everything, one ill not foolishly think he himself could become the supreme proprietor, 1bsolute Truth. &ence he ould never attempt to be a jnani. 1nd if one kno s suhridam sarva bhutaanaam, that the "ord is the supreme ell$ isher of all living entities, then naturally one ill not try to take the post of ell$ ishing friend by displaying some cheap siddhis to the ignorant. 1s such, one ill not attempt to become a yogi. Thus one ho kno s Krishna, as e2plained by Krishna &imself in the -hagavad$gita, ill surrender to Krishna in full devotion, bhakti, and give up all futile endeavours for karma, jnana, and yoga. 1uthor7s 9ame: 1uthor 3nkno n