Jnana Yoga - Part 1

This is the third and final stage of Bhakti Yoga. After practising karma yoga and upasana yoga, our introspection becomes more serious. Man questions the very purpose of life and he starts asking himself whether he is really interested in dependence or independence. This urge is the first step to freedom or moksha.

Now he sets about to discover it. He reads from scriptures or meets people who have learnt them. He believes the truth revealed by the scriptures that security and happiness cannot be got from outside world. They also reveal, they are his very nature ! So he need not search for them outside. His very nature is independence. Due to ignorance, he has disowned his very nature, taking himself for granted !

Without making an enquiry into the basic nature, he has concluded that he miserably depends on external world for happiness. Hence he realises, now he needs knowledge ! So from a seeker of freedom ( mumukshu), he turns a seeker of knowledge ( jijnasu). Thus mumuksu realizes that his problem is Self-ignorance. He seeks Self-knowledge.

Means of any knowledge are called Pramanams.

Primary pramanam is direct perception.

Secondary pramanam is analysis of direct perception. But they are useful to study the world and not oneself. They are for the search of an object ( world) and not for the study of the subject (Self).

Only the scriptural teachings can help one realise his true nature. When I want to see my eyes, I look into a mirror. There is no other way ! Similarly I must use Vedanta ( end portion of the veda) as a verbal mirror to see my real nature. This is called Sastra-pramanam.

Now, in the next part, we will learn more about knowledge from a Guru.

Love,
Chithra.

Dear C

That was a short and crisp introduction to Jnana yoga. Looking forward to learning more about the Guru pramanams.

-Gayathri.

Dear Gayathri,
Thankyou ! I am so relieved that there is a feed back. The subject becoming more technical, more subtle, more abstract - it does worry me whether you will all be interested at all. But Gita is based on Atma & that comes as a corollary to Jnana yoga only !
I have compulsorily to write all these posts for clarity, once Gita starts !
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by gayathriar

Dear C

That was a short and crisp introduction to Jnana yoga. Looking forward to learning more about the Guru pramanams.

-Gayathri.

Dear Chithra

I liked this sentence -Eventhough security and happiness is our very nature we look it in the outside world. But it is very hard to accept it. so you are slowly introducing Gita to us. Looking forward to the next sessions. Thank you chithra.

Love
vidhi

Dear Vidhi,
So dutiful & so prompt, you are !
You struck on the right sentence, Vidhi !
My teacher says " Never say, you are happy. Always say, you are happiness!"
Thankyou for joining me as usual.
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by vidhi

Dear Chithra

I liked this sentence -Eventhough security and happiness is our very nature we look it in the outside world. But it is very hard to accept it. so you are slowly introducing Gita to us. Looking forward to the next sessions. Thank you chithra.

Love
vidhi

Dear Chitra,
You really seem to trust us a lot.....and slowly feeding us on more abstract material.....yes this wek#s post was a bit more than usual.....after all isn't is the start of Jnana yoga....we have to try to comprehend it better! well good write up.....and i am eagerly awaiting more on this topic!

Dear Sudha,
Thankyou - I was literally dreading & atleast 3 F B s !
If you have to go to Gita, these steps have to be gone through, Sudha ! You have to climb up the ladder step by step only !
But you are so encouraging & I thank you for that !
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by sudhavnarasimhan

Dear Chitra,
You really seem to trust us a lot.....and slowly feeding us on more abstract material.....yes this wek#s post was a bit more than usual.....after all isn't is the start of Jnana yoga....we have to try to comprehend it better! well good write up.....and i am eagerly awaiting more on this topic!

We keep thinking we are free, but actually we are bound!
It is only when one realizes that, that "from a seeker of freedom ( mumukshu), he turns a seeker of knowledge ( jijnasu)."
So true!

Dear Chithra m'am, do enlighten us with these pearls of wisdom and knowledge. Thanks for imparting such knowledge.
Hope to read much more..
best,
hasita

But I have to add, some of it does go above the head. That's where a guru comes in, I guess.

Dear Hasita,
Thankyou for joining us here.
In our shastras, most of the texts are in the form of questions and answers. This is to understand any doubt which arises as we learn the text.
The student has the liberty to ask any no: of queries to the teacher and get his point cleared.
Infact, only we make an intention to learn something very intensely & pray,it is saiid that God shows you a guru ! Self-learning is never advised in our shastras for fear of our misinterpretations !
Please continue with me, Hasita !
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by hasita

We keep thinking we are free, but actually we are bound!
It is only when one realizes that, that "from a seeker of freedom ( mumukshu), he turns a seeker of knowledge ( jijnasu)."
So true!

Dear Chithra m'am, do enlighten us with these pearls of wisdom and knowledge. Thanks for imparting such knowledge.
Hope to read much more..
best,
hasita