The Three Paths: Karma, Jnâna and Bhakti
Skandha XI. Chap. 20
Uddhava said: —
“Karma is to be performed and Karma is not to be performed — both are Thy injunctions in the Vedas. The Vedas speak of merits and demerits in connection with Karma. They speak of Varna and Âsrama, of differences in time, space, age and objects, of Svarga and Naraka.
“The sense of right and wrong is not innate but it is acquired from the scriptures, and the same scriptures undermine all ideas of difference. All this is confounding to me.”
Shri Krishna replied: —
“I have spoken of three paths leading to the attainment of Moksha by men — Jnâna, Karma and Bhakti Yogas. There is no other means what so ever of attaining Moksha. Jnâna Yoga is for those that are disgusted with the performance of Karma and so give it up.
“Karma Yoga is for those that are not disgusted with the performance of Karma but are attached to it.
“He who perchance becomes fond of what is said or spoken of Me, but has no aversion for Karma nor has any undue attachment to it is fit for Bhakti Yoga.
“Perform Karma so long as you do not feel disgust for it or as long as you are not drawn by love for me. True to your duties, perform Yajnas but without any selfish desires. Do not perform prohibited Karma. Then you shall cross the limits of both Svarga and Naraka.
“By the performance of one’s own duties, the purified man may acquire pure wisdom (Jnâna) and Bhakti.
“The dwellers of Svarga wish for the human body and so the dwellers of Naraka. For that body is a means to the attainment of of Jnâna and Bhakti both, not so the Svarga body or Naraka body.
“The far-sighted man does not wish for Svarga or Naraka. He does not even wish for human existence. For connection with the body causes selfish distractions.
“The sage knows the body as leading to desired for ends. But he realises at the same time its transitory character. He therefore loses no time in striving for Moksha before the approach of death. Even so the bird loses all attachment for its nest and flies away free and happy before the man who strikes at the tree succeeds in felling it.
“The human body which is the primal source of all attainments is a well built boat, so hard to secure and so cheap when once attained. The Guru is at the helm of this boat, and I am the favorable wind that drives it. The man that does not cross the ocean of births with such a boat is a killer of self.
“Jnâna: — When a man feels disgust for karma and becomes dispassionate and when his senses are controlled, he should practise concentration of mind.
“When in the act of concentration, the mind suddenly goes astray and becomes unsettled, you should bring it back under the control of self, with unremitting efforts, after allowing it to go in its wandering course a little.
“Never neglect however to check the course of the mind with your Prânas and senses all controlled. With the help of Sâtvic Buddhi bring the mind under the control of self.
“This control of the mind is the highest yoga. The horseman slackens the reins at first but never lets go the reins. Reflect on the creative manifestation of all objects and then the contrary process of their dissolution, according to the Sânkhya method. Do this till the mind attains calm.
“By cultivating a sense of disgust, by the growth of dispassion, by constant pondering over the teachings of the Guru, the mind gives up its delusion.
“By practising Yâma and other ways of Yoga, by discrimination of self and by worshipping Me, the mind is able to think of the Supreme.
“If by loss of mental balance, the Yogi does some improper act he should burn up the impurity by Yoga alone, but not by any other means (not by expiatory rites. Śridhara)
“Adherence to the particular path of one’s own following is the right thing. People have been taught to distinguish between right and wrong, not because the acts are not all impure by their very nature but because the distinction is necessary to regulate the acts themselves with a view to cause a final abandonment of all attachments to them”. (It may be said that according to the scriptures, Nitya Karma (acts ordained to be daily performed) and Naimittika Karma (acts ordained to be occasionally performed) purify the mind. Hence they are right (guna). The killing of animals and such other acts make the mind impure. Hence they are wrong (dosha). Expiatory acts (Prâyaschitta) are required to be performed in order to remove the consequences of wrong acts. Therefore Prâyaschitta is a right thing (guna). How can impurities be destroyed by means of Yoga then and not by means of Prâyaschitta: therefore it is said that what is called Guna (right) and Dosha (wrong) by injunctions and prohibitions, is only a regulation of acts. The purport is this. The impurities of a man are not the outcome of his own inclinations. Man is impure through his natural tendencies. It is not possible for him all on a sudden to have disinclination for all actions. Therefore “Do this,” “Do not do this,” these injunctions and prohibitions only put a restriction upon the inclinations of a man and by this means, they lead to disinclination. The Yogis have no inclinations. The rules of Prâyaschitta are therefore not meant for them. Śridhara.)
Bhakti: — “He who has reverential faith in all that is said about Me, and who feels disgust for all actions, who knows that desires are identical with misery, but is yet in-capable of renouncing them, such a man should worship Me, with sincere devotion and firm faith. Though gratifying his desires, he should not have any attachment for them, knowing that they lead to misery in the end. Those that constantly worship Me according to Bhakti yoga as already expounded by Me, have all the desires of their heart destroyed as I myself dwell in their heart. The bondage is broken asunder, doubts all cease to exist, the accumulated actions fade away, when I, the Âtmâ of all, am seen. My Bhakta speedily attains every thing that is attained by other means, Svarga, Moksha or even My own abode, if he has any desire for any of these. But My Bhaktas who are solely devoted to Me do not desire any thing even if it be offered by Me, not even final liberation. They are beyond the limits of Guna and Dosha.”