Decoding the Four Paths to Liberation in Hindu Philosophy

Hey there, fellow seekers of wisdom! Ever wondered about the different paths to liberation in Hinduism? Well, buckle up because we're about to dive into the fantastic world of Karma gt yoga, Dhyan Yoga, Gyan Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga. These paths aren't just ancient concepts; they're like the cool guides to finding your inner zen. So, grab a cup of chai, get comfy, and let's explore these avenues to spiritual liberation in a language that's as chill as your favorite playlist.

 

Liberation isn't just a destination; it's the journey of the soul seeking union with the divine. Imagine it like reaching the summit of a mountain; the views might differ, but the peak remains the same.

 

Despite their diversity, these paths share a common objective: moksha, liberation from the cycle of birth and death. It's like having different roads on a map, all leading to the same destination. The beauty lies in the diversity of choices, allowing individuals to resonate with a path that aligns with their nature and inclinations.

 

So that sages devised 4 methods To reach the supreme goal.

 

The four paths are Karmayoga, Gyan Yoga, Dhyan Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga.

 

Karma Yoga: To attain liberation by doing selfless action and not considering oneself as the doer, and by doing work for God.

 

Gyana Yoga: To attain liberation by gaining knowledge.

 

Bhakti Yoga: To attain liberation by loving God.

 

Raja Yoga: To attain liberation by meditation and yoga (by yoga, I don’t mean modern-day yoga but the eightfold yoga system by Sage Patanjali).

 

Meaning of "Yog":

 

In Karma Yoga, Gyan Yoga etc, there is a word used—yog. This yoga does not mean the yoga we usually practice or the eightfold Yoga system of Patanjali. Here, by Yoga, we mean Union. Yoga means union with God, the union of the soul with God. So when I say Karmayog, I mean the union of the soul with God by the method of selfless action.

 

Karma Yoga:

 

So, everyone is working in this world, whether you are a student or a working person; everyone is working in this world. But while we are doing anything, we do it for ourselves. And that is the cause of our misery because while we work for ourselves, it gives rise to Ahamkar (egotism) and makes us prone to feeling happiness and distress. If our work goes well, and if we get benefits from it, we become happy. But if we lose our job or if we don't get good marks, we become sad. No one in his or her life wants sadness. But if no one wants sadness, then why does he enjoy  happiness? If you are enjoying happiness, then you have to also suffer in distress. That's the law. That's the law of nature. So Lord Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita proposes being neutral in every situation and that’s fundamental principle of Vedic philosophy. Being neutral in every situation, whether it's happiness or distress, will help you lead a very blissful life. There is a difference between happiness and bliss. Happiness is temporary and given to you by various sense objects of the materialistic world. Whereas bliss is Anand(no specific word in English but we can use ecstasy), which is the highest form of happiness. Ananda comes when you do work for God. So when we work for God, there is no greed because we have done our duty, and the rest we have left upon God as he wishes.  So even if I succeed in that task, I will not feel happy, and even if I fail in that task, I will not feel sad. It might seem a little irrelevant or difficult to do, but that's the truth. By practice, we can learn it. I myself have been practicing it for the past  1year and  I have started feeling happier, enjoying even the small moments of life. I feel always graceful in every moment of my life. even if I'm distressed Then also in that depress state is only for a few hours or one day. After that, I am again very happy. Now you may say that we are not getting happiness, then why to do it? Then I tell you that by remaining neutral. You get Anand or bliss. You don’t have any tensions.

 There is a very famous verse of the Geeta 2.47 which says that “do your work and don't care for the result”. But I feel that this verse is wrong because it is opposite to human nature. If you are a human and if you are doing work for yourself, you will surely care about the results. So actually, when I checked the translations, I came to know that the translation is wrong. So when I read the correct translation as given by Srila BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada in his book “Bhagavad Gita as it is”, I came to know that we have to do our work, but we have to do it for Krishna, not for ourselves. We should always do our work as a sacrifice. So now how do we attain liberation by this method? So when we do work for God, we are no longer subjected to the good or bad effects of the work because we did it for God, so now the result will go to God. If we are consuming the result for ourselves by considering ourselves as the doer, we will get entangled in the material world. But while we do work for God, we do not get attached to the work which we are doing.  so we are not bonded by the material world so we can easily get liberation.

 

Gyana Yoga:

 

This is the method in which we get liberation by gaining knowledge. By gaining spiritual knowledge. By gaining the knowledge of the difference between the soul and the body. By Finding out what is true and what is not by gaining the knowledge of Brahman and Atman(To know about Brahman and Atman see this blog). In this method, we just need to find out who we actually are. It begins with the question, “Who am I?” In this method, there are 3 stages of learning. The first stage is Shravanam, which means to hear the words from the guru or spiritual master. The second stage of learning is Manana, To contemplate on the topics taught by the Guru. To think about them, to have discussions about them. And the 3rd stage is Nidhiyasan. In this stage, you have to meditate on what your guru taught. And then you become perfect. Now, how do we gain liberation by this method? So in this method, we come to know who we actually are. When you come to know who you actually are, you will automatically become detached from the material objects and sensual objects. And you will always focus on Brahman. You will also no longer be subject to karmic reactions and will reach that state.

 

Bhakti Yoga:

 

In this path, you love God. The bhakti, which people usually do, is just a general disturbance in society. They just do it because they were told by some astrologer that on Tuesday or any other day, go to that temple and do this and that. These are ritualistic processes. They may benefit you, but they are not going to take you beyond the cycle of birth and death. To go beyond that cycle, you need to love God. The path of bhakti is very secret. Most people are not able to come to this stage. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 7.3:

 

“Amongst thousands of persons, hardly one strives for perfection, and amongst those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.”

 

It is the path where you get blessed. It is very easy compared to the other paths. Here, you see God in every person. You do not serve a person, but in this path, you serve God in the form of that person. Everyone is God for you, every tree, every person, every bird. Every word spoken is the name of God for you. That is a very high stage. Also, if you continue on this path by the mercy of your guru and by determination, you will progress very fast. The most fascinating fact about Bhakti Yoga is that it includes all of the other yogas. It includes Karmayoga because you have to work for God and serve God. It includes Gyana Yoga as you have to gain knowledge about God. It involves Bhakti and it involves Raja Yoga as it includes meditation on the form of God. The highest and perfect bhakti is the bhakti in which you love God without asking for anything. What people do is selfish bhakti. It is a business and not love for God. We are going in front of God and saying, "Oh, you, please give me this and I will give you that." This is called business and not devotion. Devotion is that I am serving you and I just don’t need anything from you. I just need you and nothing else.

 

Bhakti is of 2 types, Nirakar Bhakti(devotion to formless God), and Sakar Bhakti(devotion to personal God). For example, if you are a Shiv bhakt, you can worship the formless Shiva who has no form. Or you can worship that Shiva in his beautiful form. That is the difference. Again, I see that we should not argue that this is greater or that is greater. Both are methods that will lead to one supreme goal. Just ways are different; the goal is the same.

Bhakti has 9 limbs which go as:

 

Shravana – “listening” to the ancient scriptures, especially potent if told by a saint or genuine bhakta.

Kirtana – “singing” devotional songs, usually practiced in a call-and-response group format.

Smarana – “remembering” the Divine by constantly meditating upon its name and form.

Padasevana – “service at the feet” of the Divine, which incorporates the practice of Karma Yoga (selfless service) with bhakti (devotion).

Archana – the “ritual worship” of the Divine through practices such as puja (deity worship).

Vandana – the “prostration” before the image of one’s chosen image or representation of the Divine.

Dasya – the “unquestioning” devotion of the Divine involving the cultivation of serving the will of God instead of one’s own ego.

Sakhya – the “friendship” and relationship established between the Divine and the devotee.

Atmanivedana – the “self-offering” and complete surrender of the self to the Divine.

Raja Yoga:

 

It is the method in which we realize ourselves through the process of meditation and yoga. By yoga, I did not mean modern-day yoga but I mean the 8-fold yoga system which consists of:

 

YAMA – Restraints, moral disciplines, or moral vows

NIYAMA – Positive duties or observances

ASANA – Posture

PRANAYAMA – Breathing Techniques

PRATYAHARA – Sense withdrawal

DHARANA – Focused Concentration

DHYANA – Meditative Absorption

SAMADHI – Bliss or Enlightenment

 

To dive directly into practicing asanas and pranayama, without following Yama and Niyama, will only provide health benefits and nothing more. The real meaning of yoga is to realize ourselves, and health is just a byproduct. However, today people often skip Yama and Niyama, jumping directly into Asanas and Pranayama, which won't benefit them beyond the physical level.

 

Which Path Is the Easiest?

 

According to scriptures, in this age of Kali, Bhakti Yoga is the easiest. In today’s fast-paced world, people lack time and patience, and their lives are short. Gyan Yoga is challenging due to time constraints in gaining extensive knowledge. Additionally, Karmayoga and Raj Yog both require significant time and effort, making them impractical. Hence, the most accessible method in this age is Bhakti Yog, which also encompasses other paths. Following Bhakti Yog doesn't mean excluding other paths; for instance, Shankaracharya, an expert in Advaita Vedanta, composed many devotional songs for Shiva and Krishna. I am myself a follower of Bhakti Yog, but I have a deep interest in Vedanta philosophy and Samkhya philosophy. So I read Upanishads and try to understand them and apply them.

 

In conclusion, fellow seekers of wisdom, our exploration into the diverse paths of liberation within Hinduism reveals a tapestry of spiritual avenues, each uniquely crafted to guide the soul towards the summit of oneness with the divine. From the selfless action of Karma Yoga to the introspective meditation of Dhyan Yoga, the wisdom pursuit of Gyan Yoga, and the devotion-filled path of Bhakti Yoga, every journey, though distinct, converges toward the same celestial peak.

 

Sanatan Dharma, recognizing the multitude of paths, provides a roadmap for individuals to align with their nature and inclinations. Whether you resonate with the hands-on approach of a doer, the contemplative ponderings of a thinker, the profound love of a devoted soul, or the serene meditation of a seeker, the choice is yours. As we close this chapter on the four paths to liberation in Hinduism, let's carry with us the wisdom that, ultimately, the goal is the same — liberation. May our diverse paths unite in the harmonious symphony of spiritual evolution. Until next time, keep exploring, keep seeking, and keep celebrating the incredible journey of the soul. Thank you for joining me on this enlightening adventure!