A few days ago, I came across a blog by the revered Shri Shri Anandamurti entitled, “There is No Value in Remembering God in Old Age.” Having recently turned seventy-two in August and starting my spiritual journey later in life due to the demands of a career, family, and other worldly duties, I found myself alarmed. Despite devoting only a few minutes a day to spiritual practice, most of my time is spent engaged in my current priorities—writing blogs, novels, stories, and poems—after what I consider a reasonably successful career as a water resources engineer, weathering life’s challenges along the way.
As I read through the blog, one key emphasis stood out: the reduction of Avidyamaya—the force of ignorance that binds individuals to the material world through ego, attachment, and desires. According to Anandamurti, this ignorance should be dispelled through Sadhana—a practice involving meditation, self-discipline, and devotion to a higher purpose. He explained that Sadhana evolves from early physical and mental discipline to deeper practices that cultivate intuition, or inner knowledge, revealing truths beyond the physical senses. Most notably, the blog discouraged postponing spiritual practice until old age, stressing that rigid habits and mental inflexibility make it harder to detach from worldly attachments and embrace spiritual goals later in life. The blog also highlighted the importance of balancing spiritual growth with worldly duties, suggesting that such harmony helps mitigate the pull of Avidyamaya.
While these teachings were fascinating, they also left me with questions. My own, perhaps poorly informed, intellect wondered: If Sadhana is the only path to spiritual discipline, what becomes of the four practices enunciated by Yogiraj Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita—Karma Yoga (the path of selfless action), Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion), and Dhyana Yoga (the path of meditation and discipline)? According to the Gita, spiritual realization can be attained through any of these approaches, each suited to different temperaments.
This apparent contradiction left me confused. How can we reconcile the emphasis on Sadhana with Krishna’s teachings, which offer multiple paths to spiritual realization? In this blog, we will delve deeper into this issue, returning to the original wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita to explore how remaining engaged in the world while pursuing spirituality can be achieved through any of the four approaches, depending on one’s personal disposition.
The Four Paths of Salvation in the Bhagavad Gita
Karma Yoga (The Path of Selfless Action)
Verse 3.19 (Chapter 3, Verse 19)
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर।
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः।।
Transliteration: Tasmād asaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samācara,
Asakto hyācaran karma param āpnoti pūruṣaḥ.
Translation: Therefore, always perform your duty efficiently and without attachment, for by working without attachment, one attains the Supreme.
Karma Yoga emphasizes action performed without selfish motives. It encourages us to fulfil our duties while remaining detached from the outcome. By dedicating the fruits of our actions to a higher cause, we transcend ego and advance towards liberation. Thus, if I keep performing my duties without being attached to the outcome, I too can eventually reach the goal of liberation. It might be argued that without being attached to an objective, it is not possible to be fully engaged in a Karma. But if the Karma is led by righteous cause (Dharma) and the effort is complete with course corrections, where necessary, and yet there is no attachment to the outcome—the mind is bestowed with a feeling of indescribable tranquillity. For example, when an old person is sick and is provided care with full application of mind, the outcome can be anything—the efforts to save him or her might or might not succeed but there is a spiritual calm regardless of whether s/he dies or survives. In the first case, there is the joy of defeating death yet again, and in the second case, there is the satisfaction of trying one’s best in the face of an inevitable.
Being part of a consultancy team, in many years of my career, it was more disappointing to lose a project to a competitor. However, gradually, when I started learning from the losses and successively improving, I developed a kind of detachment from the outcome of winning or losing a project, as long as our team had put their best foot forward.
In life too, sometimes the relationships among individuals can place an emotional strain. Yet if our focus is on problem-solving and harmony, the mind is at better peace. But it is a gradual learning and comes with maturity. The maturity to shun ego and personal biases and adopt objectivity. The feeling of tranquillity so achieved is akin to a mini version of eternal peace.
To my mind, if we can train our mind to be free from attachment, ego, and anguish regardless of the outcome of any action carried out with full involvement, our mind while living in this world is already experiencing the bliss of eternal peace. This becomes a precondition to carry out actions in service of the Supreme according to one’s ability. I don’t know the after-world but while in this world, it should be our aim to live, enjoy and die in peace.
Jnana Yoga (The Path of Knowledge)
Verse 4.39 (Chapter 4, Verse 39)
श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः।
ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति।।
Transliteration: Śraddhāvān labhate jñānaṁ tatparaḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ,
Jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śāntim acireṇādhigacchati.
Translation: The one who is full of faith, who is devoted and has mastery over the senses, attains knowledge. Having attained knowledge, one quickly attains supreme peace.
Jnana Yoga focuses on the pursuit of wisdom and self-inquiry. Through knowledge of the self and understanding the true nature of reality, one can overcome ignorance, leading to enlightenment and ultimate liberation. Our scriptures, particularly the Upanishads, explore the question of eternal truth. The Isha Upanishad explores the concept of the all-pervading Self and encourages a balance between worldly duties and spiritual knowledge. The Kena Upanishad inquires into the nature of the ultimate reality and the limitations of the senses in comprehending the divine. The Katha Upanishad presents a treatise of knowledge through the dialogue between Nachiketa and Yama, the god of death, on life, death, and immortality. The Mundaka Upanishad focuses on the difference between higher (spiritual) and lower (worldly) knowledge, and the Mandukya Upanishad explains the nature of consciousness and the states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. The idea is to dispel ignorance and present a menu of choices to each individual to explore his or her own path. Honestly, I confess that I haven’t had the courage to delve deeper into this profound philosophy except for the knowledge that becomes available from secondary sources like articles and blogs exploring spirituality. But this certainly tells us that the knowledge that we acquire for fulfilling our worldly duties to earn and feed our families, including engineering, science, or mathematics, is incomplete to understand the mysteries of the universe, particularly to understand the self. If I were to adopt Jnana yoga as my path to salvation, I would be at the lowest pedestal of knowledge. So I decided to keep learning wherever I can and keep adopting the spiritual discipline as a way of life without rigidly following any of the teachings from it.
Bhakti Yoga (The Path of Devotion)
Verse 9.32 (Chapter 9, Verse 32)
मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्यु: पापयोनय:।
स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम्।।
Transliteration: Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ,
Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te’pi yānti parāṁ gatim.
Translation: O son of Pritha, those who take refuge in Me, though they be of sinful birth—women, Vaishyas (merchants), and Shudras (laborers)—even they attain the supreme goal.
Bhakti Yoga emphasizes devotion to a personal deity or the Divine. Through love, surrender, and faith, one’s mind becomes purified, leading to union with the Divine. This path requires a sincere emotional connection rather than intellectual understanding or ritualistic performance.
In my younger days, I would visit the Shiva temple in the midst of Brahmasarovar in Kurukshetra. Following the priest’s advice, I would sit, write ‘Sri Rama’ in red Chandan on belpatra, and offer it to the Lord. This practice, born partly from devotion and partly from my desire to improve in my studies, helped enhance my concentration and understanding. It significantly boosted my academic performance. This experience illustrates how devotion, combined with hard work and detachment from outcomes, can yield powerful results.
In later life, I wasn’t always able to maintain the same resolve, and at times I struggled, suffered, and learned through my mistakes. However, my faith in the Supreme helped me navigate difficult times—moments that might have broken others under similar circumstances. Such is the spiritual power of selfless devotion to the Supreme.
Dhyana Yoga (The Path of Meditation)
शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः।
नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम्।।
Transliteration: Śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiram āsanam ātmanaḥ,
Nātyucchritaṁ nātinīcaṁ cailājina-kuśottaram.
Translation: In a clean place, establish a firm seat for oneself, neither too high nor too low, made of cloth, deer skin, and kusa grass, one over the other.
Verse 6.12
तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः।
उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये।।
Transliteration: Tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kṛtvā yata-cittendriya-kriyaḥ,
Upaviśyāsane yuñjyād yogam ātma-viśuddhaye.
Translation: There, having focused the mind and controlling the senses and activities, seated on that seat, one should practice yoga for the purification of the self.
These verses describe the preparation for meditation and the process of focusing the mind to attain spiritual purity.
According to available literature, Dhyana Yoga focuses on meditation and controlling the mind to attain inner peace and self-realization. Through sustained practice of meditation, one transcends the limitations of the physical world and merges with the infinite consciousness. But what is consciousness? Consciousness of your own self or consciousness of the Supreme? It is said that attaining the Supreme following this path entails an elaborate seven-step process:
Waking Consciousness
In the ordinary waking state, we are identified with the material world and the body-mind complex. This initial state is dominated by desires, attachments, and ego-driven actions, leading to suffering and ignorance.
Dream State
In the dream state, we experience the world of the subconscious mind, slightly detached from physical reality but still bound by mental impressions.
To attain this state, Dhyana Yoga or Meditation, as outlined in the Gita , helps calm the mind, allowing the practitioner to rise above both waking and dream states. Meditation (dhyana) facilitates the detachment from fleeting thoughts, leading to transcendence of the subconscious. This practice gradually shifts the practitioner from the subtle bondage of the dream state to a higher realization of self beyond mind and body.
Deep Sleep
Deep sleep is a state where the mind rests and ego is temporarily dissolved, though consciousness is not fully aware of the self. This requires the help of Jnana Yoga which enables awakening of inner deeper wisdom and discernment. The yogi realizes that this restful state is merely a reflection of the Atman (true self), untouched by material concerns. In this state, the wise remain awake or conscious in what appears to be darkness to the ordinary mind, indicating the transcendence of even deep sleep through enlightened awareness.
Transcendental Consciousness
In this stage the practioers gets direct experience of pure consciousness, often achieved through deep meditation or spiritual insight. One transcends the ego and begins to glimpse the ultimate reality. Bhakti Yoga: In the path of devotion, surrender to the Divine enables a direct connection with transcendental consciousness. Through love and devotion, the heart is purified, and one experiences unity with the Divine.
Cosmic Consciousness
In this state, the practitioner perceives the Divine in everything. The boundaries between the individual self and the universe dissolve, and the interconnectedness of all life becomes evident.
Apparent Merging of Paths
To my mind, this is a state, where the boundaries of the path of Yoga whether through Karm, Jnan, Bhakti or Dhyan seem to merge because in this stage the boundaries between self and God start disappearing. It doesn’t matter whether one’s path was longer or shorter, easy or difficult. All that seems to matter is that there is an ecastic feeling of nearness to the Supreme. Even imagining such a situation calms the mind so much. How blessed will one feel with a constant realisation like this!
God Consciousness
In this state, the conciousness of unification of one’s self with the Supreme enhances to a level that one gets eternal bliss of direct awareness of the Divine presence in all aspects of life. One sees the hand of the Divine in every event, person, and action. And to my understanding of Bhagwat Gita , this State is achievable through any of the four paths.
The Kundalini Confusion
While ‘Kundalini awakening’—the process of stimulating dormant energy at the base of the spine to rise through the chakras—is recognized in yogic traditions, it does not appear to be the only way to achieve liberation from the cycle of life and death, as some contemporary spiritual teachers claim. To my mind, it resembles more of spiritual marketing, prioritizing one path over others. Many “religious marketeers” present Kundalini awakening as a mystical, secretive, and singular path to enlightenment, overshadowing the holistic spiritual paths offered in the Bhagavad Gita .
With full reverence to those who are ahead in developing their consciousness compared to me (who hasn’t even reached stage 1), I submit that I acknowledge Kundalini Yoga as a profound and transformative practice. However, to claim it as the exclusive route to salvation misrepresents the teachings of the Gita , as I have discussed earlier.
Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 12.5:
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्।
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते।।
Transliteration: Kleśo’dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām,
Avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate.
Translation: Greater is the difficulty for those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest. For the goal of the unmanifest is hard to attain for embodied beings.
This verse emphasizes that focusing on the unmanifest (formless) aspect of God is difficult for those living in the material world, as it requires deep spiritual discipline. Since Kundalini Yoga seems to follow this path, ordinary people like me may feel apprehensive about it. The idea of progressing from one state to another raises concerns about the mind’s ability to reach the ultimate state.
While in this world, we can practice Karma with Bhakti and Bhakti with Karma, gradually becoming unattached to outcomes, shunning ego and anger, and progressing toward peaceful living and dying. Achieving oneness with the Supreme will happen in a future birth, beyond this life. So why should I or others like me worry so much about it now?
Uniqueness of Hinduism
Hinduism is perhaps the only religion that offers a variety of paths for attaining liberation and unity with the Supreme. As followers, we are duty-bound to respect this diversity. It is, in my view, the most democratic religion, allowing freedom of thought and personal choice. Let us celebrate this uniqueness and heed Lord Krishna’s words in Bhagavad Gita 18.63: “Reflect on this wisdom fully, and then do as you wish. Let us celebrate it and follow the direction of Lord Krishna, who saysin the end to Arjuna in Bhagwat Gita 18.63:
सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः श्रृणु मे परमं वचः।
इष्टोऽसि मे दृढमिति ततो वक्ष्यामि ते हितम्।।
Transliteration:
Sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ,
Iṣṭo ’si me dṛḍham iti tato vakṣyāmi te hitam.
Translation:
“Thus, I have explained to you this wisdom, which is more secret than all secrets. Reflect on it fully, and then do as you wish.”
The phrase “Yatha Ichha Tatha Kuru” means “Do as you wish,” reflecting Krishna’s granting of free will to Arjuna after giving him all the teachings. I through this urge those engaged in marketing their own Spiritual practices to go by the teachings of Yogeshwara Sr Krishna and keep the spirit the greatness of Hinduism.
Inspire Positivity 