Bhagavad Gita is the Hindu expression for the Song of Spirit. The Gita was a set of instructions that were passed down from Lord Krishna to Arjuna that set out to inform them on how man could spiritually connect with his God ("The Hidden Truths In The Bhagavad Gita"). This was during a time of consistent war between family factions. At that period Arjuna became troubled and really overwhelmed by the decision of administering justice by killing some of who were his friends and family. He, therefore, sought the advice of Krishna. Krishna with the intentions to guide gave a response in the form of the Gita. The Gita is composed in the style of poetry or any other song that is written down. The Bhagavad Gita is seen as an independent piece with its own independent meaningful intention aimed at directing men to God. However, it is also one of the constituents great Hindu Mahabharata which carries the Sanskrit poem. The Bhagavad Gita constitutes 18 chapters which are positioned from the 23rd to the 40th chapter of the Mahabharata. These chapters total up to 700 verses (Violatti, and Violatti) and ("Bhagavadgita | Definition, Contents, " Significance"). It is thought that the text was written in a period where there was a wave of transformation in India and it drove at promoting serenity and incorporating spirituality to man's everyday life.
The Gita has 3 important paths of Yoga which will form the basis of our discussion in this paper.
Thesis Statement
The Gita as stated above comprises of three paths of Yoga with different. These paths are Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Jnana Yoga. Each of these paths has its own meaning and is intended at achieving a certain aspect of spirituality and enhancing its growth. Our aim at studying the three paths of Bhagavad Gita is in order to see how they compliment each other and by being incorporated to each other to complete each other. Furthermore, we intend to discern how the paths of Yoga compete with each other. It is from this discussion that we really can determine whether the paths complete each other or other compete with each other and eventually look at how strong these paths are when enjoined together.
The Paths of Yoga
As established earlier is that there are three paths of Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita which intends to lead an individual to a different aspect of spirituality. In this section, we intend to look deeply into these paths one by one and established their significance in the Bhagavad Gita.
Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga focuses on doing or acting on things without focusing on the end results or the rewards that come with the actions ("The Bhagavad Gita: 3 Paths Of Yoga"). Most times when we focus on the fruit, our ego gets the best of us and we do the work with all sorts of selfish intentions brewed. If anything would hinder the reward, then we would not be as effective as we are in accomplishing the real output. With Karma Yoga being incorporated into daily life, one is able to be more effective. This is because the rewards that come with the actions are offered to God and one is able to selfless focus on the work they are doing. When one focuses less on the rewards, they accomplish more because nothing would really distract them or hinder them front achieving the required output even if the reward was eliminated in the end. The Karma Yoga is believed to the most difficult path to focus on since the normal nature of man is always focus on the fruit of the work. Furthermore, the Gita has a verse that implies that attachment to rewards and materiality leads to longing and lusts, the longing then leads to anger if we do not get the reward that we wanted or if it delays. The anger then leads to a delusion which would make the man lose their memory. The memory loss ruins one understanding of everything which in the long run perishes the man. Gradually from the attachment of material things leads to the perishing of a man's soul and pulls them further away from God.
Jnana Yoga
Jnana Yoga is the path of knowledge. This path aims at separating what is real from what is not. It further drives at discerning what lives eternally and what eventually ends. These two aspects are important to the way of living ("The Bhagavad Gita: 3 Paths Of Yoga"). It is from the path of Jnana Yoga that one understands the big difference between the body and the soul. It further tries to explain that life and death are not real but are a manifestation of our own thinking. Moreover what we try to discern as our own self is a manifestation of our own thinking and not our reality. By practicing Jnana Yoga one is able to translate their knowledge into practical wisdom. We first learn and gain knowledge about life and spirituality and giving thought about knowledge wisdom is built in which we apply the knowledge to our daily life. Jnana Yoga goes further to entail meditation which intends at achieving self-realization by understanding what one needs to believe and what beliefs pulls one closer to the teachings of Krishna. The path of Jnana Yoga is important for those who aim to serve a higher purpose in the spiritual service to their God. The path of Jnana Yoga can only be practiced by one who has mastered the path of Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga since one can only achieve self-realization by practicing selflessness and devotion to God.
Bhakti Yoga
The path of the Bhakti Yoga is one that focuses on devotion ("The Bhagavad Gita: 3 Paths Of Yoga"). God is portrayed as love and love portrayed as God, therefore, explaining his divine ways and selfless intentions for man. The path calls for a constant link with God praying to him, worshipping him and being in constant thoughts of him. By doing so, man meditates more on the ways of God and rows closer to him. He, therefore, channels the power of his Deity and forms a special connection with God. By growing closer to God, man's soul is purified and the bad karma that once inhabited his soul is extinguished for through devotion the soul of the man is strengthened.
How the Three Paths Complete Each Other
The three paths individually focus on working without thinking of rewards in service to God, gaining knowledge in order to self-actualize an individual spiritually and lastly devoting oneself to walking with God. Each of these aspects is unique and can only be achieved practicing a specific path. For one who intends to grow spiritually and complete their spirituality, they have no option but to complement the three paths of Yoga together. Therefore studying it closely and deeply, the paths as given by Krishna in the Gita all were driven at achieving something great and were intended at growing man's different characteristics. Therefore these paths could not at any time compete but rather complete each other just as the uniqueness in each of Krishna's people completes the world.
Conclusion
The paths of Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita were truly intended at guiding not only Arjuna but also other men to closeness with their God as a way of redemption and spiritual growth.
Works Cited
"Bhagavadgita | Definition, Contents, " Significance". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2018,
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bhagavadgita. Accessed 4 Nov 2018.
"The Bhagavad Gita: 3 Paths Of Yoga". Moving Inward, 2018,
https://khushyoga.com/2010/12/30/the-bhagavad-gita-3-paths-of-yoga/. Accessed 4 Nov 2018.
"The Hidden Truths In The Bhagavad Gita". Yogananda-Srf.Org, 2018, http://www.yogananda-
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Violatti, Cristian, and Cristian Violatti. "Bhagavad Gita". Ancient History Encyclopedia, 2018,
https://www.ancient.eu/Bhagavad_Gita/. Accessed 4 Nov 2018.
