𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐭𝐚 - 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚, 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐭𝐢, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐠𝐚

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐭𝐚 - 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚, 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐭𝐢, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐠𝐚. These distinct paths must not be considered mutually exclusive: in fact, they cross very often and finally merge. Each person has special characteristics and a dominant feature: in one it is intellect, in another it is activity, and in a third, feelings. So it is possible for a person, at the outset, to feel attracted to one path or another. This is only the first phase in spiritual life. We possess all three of these faculties, and whilst we may agree that one or the other may be more prominent in a particular individual, really it is only a matter of degree. If we cultivate only a single one of these faculties and neglect the others, an adverse reaction will follow. Instead of completely purifying our nature, we would have 'simply displaced' the sense of 'I' in us. Acting in this way will certainly not set us on the path of Supreme Knowledge. The Gita has a different approach to bringing them all together.

यत्सांख्यैः प्राप्यते स्थानं तद्योगैरपि गम्यते।

एकं सांख्यं च योगं च यः पश्यति स पश्यति।।5.5।।

"That place which is reached by the Sankhyas or the Jnanis is reached by the Yogis (Karma Yogis). He sees, who sees knowledge and the performance of action (Karma Yoga) as one."

ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना।

अन्ये सांख्येन योगेन कर्मयोगेन चापरे।।13.25।।

"By meditation, certain people succeed in contemplating in themselves the universal Atman temple by the individual Atman. Others arrive at the same result by sankhya or karma yoga."

Hence the Gita urges us to realise a higher state of equilibrium of spiritual harmony: the synthesis of all the yogas. Its teaching is integral yoga, which enables man to become perfect. Here is a description of the perfect man, the sage of steady Illumination:

श्रुतिविप्रतिपन्ना ते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला।

समाधावचला बुद्धिस्तदा योगमवाप्स्यसि।।2.53।।

"At present, your intellect is bewildered by conflicting interpretations of the scriptures. When it can rest, steady and undistracted, in contemplation of the Atman, then you will reach union with the Atman."

This is the model which we must strive to imitate. By this, we will be practising simultaneously the yogas of Knowledge, Devotion, Work and Meditation. These methods, practised parallelly offer us the best and quickest way of purifying the ego, for the different paths all meet at the same point: they lead to one and the same Reality. In it, all differences are dissolved. - Swami Siddheswarananda Ji

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