A query involving _Surrender Unto Me_

[Guest guest]

I sent this query to Bhurijan Prabhu who due to physical difficulty in using

computers referred it to Adipurusa Prabhu who teaches under his guidance in

Vrindavana. Here's Adipurusa Prabhu's reply.

 

 

> > (1) So why is jnaana-yoga a step higher than karma yoga, if j~naana-

> > yoga is impersonal while karma-yoga is devotional?

 

Please remember that, although the culmination of all the yogas is bhakti,

not everybody may see it as his goal. Again, a devotee, whose goal is pure

bhakti, may be going in his inner development through a lower rung of yoga,

akin to karma-yoga, WITHIN the school of bhakti. In this case, karma-yoga of

a devotee is higher in ultimate sense than jnana-yoga of a non-devotee, even

though his personal level of realization may not be as high (practically, he

may not be as detached and knowledgable).

 

In other words, one can go through the yoga-ladder within the school of

bhakti or without, and from there comes all the confusion in terms.

 

Some definitions are about x-yoga within bhakti, some are about x-yoga

without bhakti.

 

I believe this answers also your other questions.

 

> > (5) What, then, is the relationship and the exact definitions of

> > buddhi-yoga and niShkaama-karma-yoga? If niShkaama-karma-yoga is action

> > combined with j~naana, then why is buddhi-yoga defined as

> > niShkaama-karma-yoga + j~naana when niShkaama-karma-yoga already has

> > j~naana in it? Is this not redundant?

 

Let's recap:

 

sakama-karma-yoga = work + renunciation of some fruits, attachment to work

 

niskama-karma-yoga = work + renunciation of ALL the fruits + attachment to

work + dawning of realized knowledge

 

jnana-yoga = detachment, no attch to any specific work, therefore work may

are may not be there, + realized knowledge/awareness of the spiritual

reality, which gradually congeals into a meditation at the next stage

 

dhyana-yoga = detachment, knowledge, meditation (work may or may not be

there depending on the school)

 

bhakti-yoga: detachment, knowledge, meditation, love, work for Krsna

 

Term "buddhi-yoga" points to the fact that the practitioner is highly

conscious of all his actions, or rather their motives and aims. Thus this

term can cover a wide range of rungs on the yoga-ladder, but is especially

relevant for those nearing niskama-karma-yoga and jnana-yoga rungs, because

that's the element they need to master now (awareness).

 

Hope this helps,

 

Your servant apd

(Text PAMHO:7053671) ------

 

------- End of Forwarded Message ------