Re: ARTICLE : Bhakti, jnana, and karma (was Re: ARTICLE : Idol Worship - Reply)

Posted By Kunal Singh (nnyxsi@swap31-236.ny.ubs.com)
02 Jun 1997 14:37:10 -0400

In article <ghenEAzCLw.82t@netcom.com> Nathan Parker <nparker@crl.com> writes:

.. stuff deleted ..

: "Soundarya Lahiri." Bhakti and Jnanam and Karma yogas all merge at the
: time of mukti and there is no disagreement. There is no dispute that
: the "grace of god" is the most fundamental ingredient to attain
: mukti. Total surrender to the almighty is essential for realization
: of the divine nature.

The processes of karma and jnana, though purifying, are not in and of
themselves able to grant one the ultimate goal, attainment of one's svarupa.
The processes of yoga are like a ladder. There are many steps on a

Please specify where you have read this nonsense about a ladder in
yoga, are you talking about the chakras, in that case you should note
that Vishnuloka is below Shivaloka. Which ladder are you bhakts
talking about ?

ladder, and ultimately one must change steps till he reaches the goal in
order to actually be progressive. In the begining one starts by taking to

Oh, must one ultimately do that ? Like changing gears in a car no doubt!

the process of karma yoga, where one offers the fruits of his activities
for a higher cause. By this process he eventually comes to the point of
cultivating divine knowledge. Through knowledge one naturally devolops
vairagya, or detachment. And through detachment one comes to the point of
meditating on the Supersoul in the heart. As one meditates on the

Interesting, through detachment one comes to become attached to
Krishna, how interesting. Which hat of yours did you pull that one
out of ?

paramatma in the heart, one is brought to the platform of bhakti, the
constitutional function of the living entity. It is that bhakti which
actually grants one the ultimate goal of eternal liberation in the
service of the Lord. No other process is able to bring one to that
ultimate position of understanding the Absolute Truth. This is confirmed
by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, where He says:

bhaktyaa maam abhijaanaati
yaavaan yas caasmi tattvatah

Only through bhakti, pure devotional love, can one actually understand
Lord Krishna in truth.

Yes, and the yoga chapter says that the Yogi is supreme, the samkhya
chapter says that the understanding of the Brahman is supreme, do you
want me to quote you those ?

If anyone believes that bhakts are people who have transcended the
"gyana chakra" after these people keep proposing ladder theories of
yoga where you have to change gears once in a while, I've got a bridge
I want to sell them!

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