Oneness in Four Paths of Liberation (Bhakti, Karma, Jnana & Dhayana)

India borne religions (namely Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Hinduism) are  uniquely different from most of the world’s religions in “Philosophy of Re-birth”. Liberation from Re-birth is the ultimate goal of human being and to be free from sin, sorrow, hunger, thirst, desires volitions etc. and be one with Supreme Being.
 
Sri Krishna has elaborated four paths in Bhagavad Gita for achieving the goal of liberation viz. the path of unconditional devotion (Bhakti-yoga), the path of selfless action (Karma-yoga), the path of True Knowledge (Jnana-yoga) and the path of Meditation (Dhyana-yoga). Initially, the path of Bhakti is more suitable for the person of emotions; the path of Karma for the person of actions; the path of Jnana for the person of high intellect and the path of Dhayana for the focused person. All these four paths are inter-dependent and have goal i.e. Salvation or Liberation.
 
Bhakti is preceded by a deep understanding of the majesty, omnipotence and omniscience of the Independent entity, the Supreme Being (God). The practice of Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga is essential in practice of Bhakti Yoga. Spiritual wisdom and Vairagya are not possible without bhakti. Without spiritual wisdom, bhakti is blind and without bhakti spiritual wisdom is lame. One should have controls over habits and desires. In Bhakti, duties of life have to be done without desire or fruits of actions or attachment and for success in this one must have an understanding of oneself as the Atman and practice meditation on almighty which combines all the paths.

1. Karma Yoga & Bhakti Yoga – Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga, both Paths aims at surrender to the almighty. In path of Karma Yoga, discharge of one’s duties as an offering to almighty, and eliminating self-centeredness in so discharging it through practice of discrimination and devotion, will gradually make one rise above self-centeredness. By self-surrender to almighty, all karma (actions) becomes absolute happiness and life becomes celebrations. It has following four stages:
2. Ist stage: Work and worship – doing the karma with sattvic attributes and worshipping and loving the personal god.
3. IInd stage: Work as worship – Doing the karma whole day as worshipping the god.
4. IIIrd stage: Work is worship – Feel karma itself is god.
5. IVth stage: No duality – Oneness i.e. realising self and everybody is Brahman (almighty).

 
In the discipline of Navdha Bhakti, self-surrender is ultimate aim which needs absolute self-surrender and dedicating oneself to the almighty.

1. Jnana Yoga & Bhakti Yoga - When the aspirant gain understanding (lower knowledge) that he is the Atman and the body and his continuous communion with the Divine becomes perfect, and then arises the higher knowledge that he is merely servant of the God. This higher knowledge generates feeling-patterns that expresses into Prema Bhakti. When Jnana is spoken of as the cause of Mukti, it is inclusive of Bhakti and vice-versa. Madhva’s doctrine interlinked Bhakti and Jnana. He expressed that by devotion, knowledge is gained. That helps the growth of Bhakti further, resulting in enlightenment. Enlightenment gives very ripe devotion. From that one gets liberation and then one attains to the consummation of devotion, which is an end in itself, conferring absolute bliss.

 

1. Dhayana Yoga & Bhakti Yoga – In the discipline of Bhakti i.e. Navdha Bhakti, one of the limbs is silent & constant remembrance of almighty through Japa, meditation etc. to fix of one’s thoughts in god (Smarana).