Jnana -yoga , Karma-yoga & Bhakti - yoga.

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Hare Krishna, Pranam to all Vaishnavas, The following explanation is based on, the sacred hymn Narayaneeyam which is the condensation of Bhagavata puranam duly approved by Bhagavan Sri Krishna . The author of the great masterpiece, Narayaneeyam was Melpathur Narayana Bhattatiri, a Namboodiri Brahmin of Kerala born 442 years ago in AD 1560 . He fell a victim to a severe attack of paralysis and suffered unbearable pain . He wrote the famous hymn "Narayaneeyam" describing the Avatars of Vishnu starting with "fish", i.e. Matsya Avatar . During the hundred days at the temple of Guruvayoor he summarized the entire Bhagavata Purana in 1034 verses at the rate of one Dasaka (canto) consisting generally of ten verses

everyday . Each Dasaka ended with a prayer to the Lord of Guruvayoor to cure him of his illness . On the hundredth day he had a vision of the Lord in the form of Venugopala . The 100th canto composed on that day gives a graphic description of this form of the Lord from the head to the foot. On that day he became completely cured of his disease . Thereafter, he lived a hale and healthy life writing many Sanskrit works on grammar and devotional hymns . He lived till the ripe old age of 106 . Narayaneeyam says about Jnana-karma-bhakti yogas : In this world , there are (3) separate paths for god-realization . They are Jnana-yoga , Karma-yoga and Bhakti-yoga. Jnana-yoga Those who have totally renounced worldly activities (required for sense gratification) , try with the help of Upanishads and Rationalization to attain Brahman . They encounter great difficulty in their endeavors lasting several births . Sage Vysa discourages people from adopting such severe austerities merely to attain Jnana-yoga. The Upanishads says about the blissful position that can be achieved by Brahma-jnana. However the said position is unclear form all sides and therefore the heart can’t easily reach there. Karma-yoga Those who are involved in worldly activities can do Karma-yoga by renouncing the desire to enjoy the fruits of their actions. However, the proper application of this process is not easy. Bhakti-yoga Great Rishis confirm that , Bhakti-yoga is the best path to attain Moksha, because it is easily available to everyone. Those people who don’t have either deep attachment or detachment to worldly activities but have faith in Krishna , can easily follow Bhakti-yoga . While rejoicing in hearing the stories of Krishna , one practices bhakti-yoga with great pleasure . Those who chant the names of Krishna to enjoy the blissful ocean ; those who worship Krishna’s deity ; those who describes the glories of Krishna to other devotees ;and those who wander in the sweet memory of Krishna, all of them are fortunate as they will realize all their wishes . Bhakti in Krishna begins sweetly in a person due to his interest in Bhagavan’s special qualities. When this interest grows a little , bhakti destroys all miseries. When it reaches the final state, bhakti gives pure knowledge and realization of Krishna. Conclusion : No wonder, this "Path of Bhakti" has been considered superior to the other two paths of "Karma" and "Jnana" as it caters to the nature of a great majority of men effortlessly .

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!!! SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev --------------------------- Nitish Arya <nitish.arya Re: Srimad-Bhagavatam, 8.6.12 || Hare Rama Krishna ||Dear bharat, Isn't it "all jnana" that you are using to distinguish between three paths of karma, jnana and bhakti yogas? In that case, aren't you more of a jnana yogi, otherwise please distinguish among the three paths using your deep devotion towards krishna. Why do you say that people (jnana yogis etc) don't know the destination of their path i.e. Lord Krishna, if they are indeed jnana yogis and know Lord krishna as the essence of all yoga? What jnana about krishna does a bhakti yogi has that a jnana yogi doesn't have? What bhakti for krishna does a bhakti yogi has that a jnana yogi doesn't have? One last question, how does a remote tribesman do yoga without ever knowing name of krishna? Don't you think, it will be more apt for us to let sri krishna do what is required for the tribesman to know him than us using our petty jnana

to resolve that problem? I wouldn't have wished to bother you with my questions, if you had replied to my previous mail solely through your souls' devotion towards krishna rather than using the same instrument of jnana that you think is inferior in some way. In any case, whatever path one follows, we all are kshetragyas (souls) experiencing all of karma, bhakti and jnana simultaneously. So, my last mail remains unanswered, and anybody on this list who has got the devotion to please krishna in his heart of hearts will be able to answer to that last mail, balancing logic and devotion. Lastly, my mail doesn't mean to hurt the feelings of any of the members of the list .regards,nitish ------ On 12/5/05, Bharat Vyas <bharatvyas > wrote: Hare Krsna Nitish Prabhu Please allow me say something on how to differentiate between Bhakti, Karma and Jnana Yoga. Karma, Jnana and Pranayam Yogas are processes which will help a jiva to come to pure devotion of Lord Krsna namely Bhakti Yoga

but after many births and death. Without Bhakti all the other processes are not possible cause if you are not devoted to Krsna than there is no meaning to Yoga (Yoga means union with God) . There are lots of jnanis, Karmis andYogis who claim to be on the path of Yoga, however they dont know the destination of their path which is none other than Lord Krsna. Other Yoga processes will lead one to Brahman realization (Jnana Yoga) and Parmatma Realization (Kriya Pranayam Yoga) but ones path is not complete without Bhagwan Realization which is possible only by Bhakti Yoga process of Devotional service. Hope this helps. In Your Service Bharat------ On 12/4/05, Nitish Arya <nitish.arya > wrote: Hi

rajesh, How do you differentiate between bhakti yoga, karma yoga, jnana yoga if all of them are taken in the singular, highest, sense of complete yoga-union with God? If it is posssible to do that, then the respective yoga-union with God is still not complete and then one strives for complete surrender. Thus, it is all the same for the achievers of complete yoga-union with Krishna and different only for those who have not achieved it yet. regards,nitish ------ On 12/4/05, Rajesh Narayan <bhajkrishnanaam > wrote: "Only by the practice of bhakti-yoga can one achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and see Him face to face (premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva

hrdayesu vilokayanti) . One cannot see the Lord by other means, such as karma , jnana or yoga . Under the direction of the spiritual master, one must cultivate bhakti-yoga (sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam) . Then, even within the material world, although the Lord is not visible, a devotee can see Him. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah) and in Srimad-Bhagavatam (bhaktyaham ekaya grahyah) . Thus by devotional service one can achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He is not visible or understandable by materialistic persons." (Srimad-Bhagavatam , 8.6.12, Purport) *********************************************************************** Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: ÅšrÄ«mad BhÄgavatam 8.6.12 yathÄgnim edhasy amrÌ£tamÌ ca gosÌ£u bhuvy annam ambÅ«dyamane ca vrÌ£ttim yogair manusÌ£yÄ adhiyanti hi tvÄmÌ gunÌ£esÌ£u buddhyÄ kavayo vadanti SYNONYMS yathÄ â€” as; agnim — fire; edhasi — in wood; amrÌ£tam — milk, which is like nectar; ca — and; gosÌ£u — from cows; bhuvi — on the ground; annam — food grains; ambu — water; udyamane — in enterprise; ca — also; vrÌ£ttim — livelihood; yogaihÌ£ — by practice of bhakti- yoga; manusÌ£yÄhÌ£ — human beings; adhiyanti — achieve; hi — indeed; tvÄm — You; gunÌ£esÌ£u — in the material modes of nature; buddhyÄ â€” by intelligence; kavayahÌ£ — great personalities; vadanti — say. TRANSLATION As one can derive fire from wood, milk from the milk bag of the cow, food grains and water from the land, and prosperity in one's livelihood from industrial enterprises, so, by the practice of bhakti- yoga, even within this material world, one can achieve Your favor or intelligently approach You. Those who are pious all affirm this. PURPORT Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is nirgunÌ£a, not to be found within this material world, the entire material world is pervaded by Him, as stated in Bhagavad- gÄ«tÄ ( mayÄ tatam idamÌ sarvam). The material world is nothing but an expansion of the Lord's material energy, and the entire cosmic manifestation rests upon Him ( mat-

sthÄni sarva- bhÅ«tÄni). Nonetheless, the Supreme Lord cannot be found here (na cÄhamÌ tesÌ£v avasthitahÌ£). A devotee, however, can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the practice of bhakti-yoga. One ordinarily does not begin to practice bhakti-yoga unless he has practiced it in previous births. Moreover, one can begin bhakti-yoga only by the mercy of the spiritual master and KrÌ£sÌ£nÌ£a. Guru- krÌ£sÌ£nÌ£a-prasÄde pÄya bhakti- latÄ-bÄ«ja. The seed of devotional service is obtainable by the mercy of guru, the spiritual master, and KrÌ£sÌ£nÌ£a, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Only by the practice of bhakti- yoga can one achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and see Him face to face (premÄñjana-cchurita- bhakti-vilocanena santahÌ£ sadaiva hrÌ£dayesÌ£u vilokayanti [bs. 5.38]). One cannot see the

Lord by other methods, such as karma, jñÄna or yoga. Under the direction of the spiritual master, one must cultivate bhakti- yoga (Å›ravanÌ£amÌ kÄ«rtanamÌ visÌ£nÌ£ohÌ£ smaranÌ£amÌ pÄda- sevanam [sB 7.5.23]). Then, even within this material world, although the Lord is not visible, a devotee can see Him. This is confirmed in Bhagavad- gÄ«tÄ ( bhaktyÄ mÄm abhijÄnÄti yÄvÄn yaÅ› cÄsmi tattvatahÌ£ [bg. 18.55]) and in ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam (bhaktyÄham ekayÄ grÄhyahÌ£). Thus by devotional service one can achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He is not visible or understandable to materialistic persons. In this verse, the cultivation of bhakti- yoga is compared to many material activities. By friction one can get fire from wood, by digging the earth one can get food grains and water, and by agitating the milk bag of the cow one can get nectarean milk. Milk is compared to nectar, which one can drink to become immortal. Of course, simply drinking milk will not make one immortal, but it can increase the duration of one's life. In modern civilization, men do not think milk to be important, and therefore they

do not live very long. Although in this age men can live up to one hundred years, their duration of life is reduced because they do not drink large quantities of milk. This is a sign of Kali- yuga. In Kali- yuga, instead of drinking milk, people prefer to slaughter an animal and eat its flesh. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His instructions of Bhagavad- gÄ«tÄ, advises go- raksÌ£ya, which means cow

protection. The cow should be protected, milk should be drawn from the cows, and this milk should be prepared in various ways. One should take ample milk, and thus one can prolong one's life, develop his brain, execute devotional service, and ultimately attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is essential to get food grains and water by digging the earth, it is also essential to give protection to the cows and take nectarean milk from their milk bags. The people of this age are inclined toward industrial enterprises for comfortable living, but they refuse to endeavor to execute devotional service, by which they can achieve the ultimate goal of

life by returning home, back to Godhead. Unfortunately, as it is said, na te viduhÌ£ svÄrtha- gatimÌ hi visÌ£nÌ£umÌ durÄÅ›ayÄ ye bahir- artha-mÄninahÌ£ [ SB 7.5.31]. People without spiritual education do not know that the ultimate goal of life is to go back home, back to Godhead. Forgetting this aim of life, they are working very hard in disappointment and frustration (moghÄÅ›Ä mogha-karmÄnÌ£o mogha jñÄnÄ vicetasahÌ£ [bg. 9.12]). The so-called vaiÅ›yas — the industrialists or businessmen — are involved in big, big industrial enterprises, but they are not interested in food grains and milk. However, as indicated here, by digging for water, even in the desert, we can produce food grains; when we produce food grains and vegetables, we can give protection to the cows; while giving protection to the cows, we can draw from them abundant quantities of milk; and by getting enough milk and combining it with food grains and vegetables, we can prepare hundreds of nectarean foods. We can happily eat this food and thus avoid industrial enterprises and joblessness. Agriculture and cow protection are the way to become sinless and thus be attracted to devotional service. Those who are sinful cannot be attracted by devotional service. As stated in Bhagavad- gÄ«tÄ ( 7.28): yesÌ£ÄmÌ tv anta-gatamÌ pÄpamÌ janÄnÄmÌ punÌ£ya-karmanÌ£Äm te dvandva- moha- nirmuktÄ bhajante mÄmÌ drÌ£dÌ£ha- vratÄhÌ£ "Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination." The majority of people in this age of Kali are sinful, short-living, unfortunate and disturbed ( mandÄhÌ£ sumanda-matayo manda-bhÄgyÄ hy upadrutÄhÌ£ [sB 1.1.10]). For them, Caitanya MahÄprabhu has advised: harer nÄma harer nÄma harer nÄmaiva kevalam kalau nÄsty eva nÄsty eva nÄsty eva gatir anyathÄ [ Adi 17.21] "In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the

only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." Please Chant... Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare And Be Happy!!!

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