29 What are the different forms of yoga – Gita 8.28

Thank you very much for joining today. We continue our discussion on the Bhagavad Gita, and here we move toward a critical concept in the Gita—the interrelation between various forms of yoga. So we will speak today based on 8.28. Our topic will be: What are the different forms of yoga, and do they all lead to the same goal? This is the last verse of the 8th chapter.

Here, Krishna is speaking. The 8th chapter is called by different names, including Akshar Brahma Yoga, which means retaining the supreme. Krishna has talked about various ways in which one can practice so that one can attain life’s perfection. Here, he talks about a hierarchy and says that there are various practices to be done, such as the study of the Vedic scriptures, the performance of austerity, and the giving of charity. Whatever is the result of such virtuous or pious activities, one will attain something even more. Knowing all those results, a yogi will also attain something higher—the supreme destination.

Here, Krishna is saying that there is a hierarchy. Yoga, generically used as connection with spiritual reality, will take one to a higher destination than the performance of pious activities. So we could translate this generically as: spirituality takes us higher than religiosity. Vedeshu, Yageshu, Tappahasu, Caiva, and Dhaneshu—these refer to religiosity. I will discuss the difference between the two in more detail later. Religiosity does not take us as high up as spirituality. Yoga, broadly speaking, is connecting with spiritual reality, so spirituality.

Now let’s look at what we’ll be discussing—two main questions: What are the different forms of yoga, and do they all lead to the same goal? Many of you may have heard the statement, “All paths lead to the same goal.” We discussed this earlier in 4.11 when we talked about religious diversity and tolerance. You may remember the metaphor of climbing up a mountain and saying, “There’s only one path up the mountain.” That is narrow-mindedness. But saying, “All paths take you up the mountain,” is empty-mindedness. Some paths may take you away from the mountain, some may take you into a valley, and some may take you around the mountain. So we talked about how we have to see whether a path is actually taking us up the mountain. There can be different paths going up the mountain.

That discussion was in terms of different religions. Today, we will talk more in terms of different forms of yoga. The term yoga comes specifically from the Indian tradition. Although it appears first in Vedic literature, it is often associated with Buddhism. Buddhism drew it from India, but it originally came from the Indian tradition. However, the underlying conceptions of yoga, as we will discuss today, are non-sectarian. None of the forms of yoga are the property of any particular religion.

Now let’s look at this. There are four major forms of yoga. The word yoga itself means connection, which refers to different ways of connecting with the ultimate reality. There is karma yoga, which involves the action connection. The action connection means one acts in a way that connects one with the supreme reality. Then there is jnana yoga. Jnana literally means knowledge. Here, one connects with the ultimate reality primarily through intellect. We’ll understand more in future slides about what each of these yogas means. We explored some aspects earlier also. Then there is dhyana yoga, which refers to meditation connection. The primary focus here is the activity of meditation. Finally, there is bhakti yoga, which is the devotion connection.

Let’s look at these forms of yoga in more detail. Yoga, if it means connection, then in each form of yoga, there is a primary tool used for establishing that connection. In karma yoga, the tool used is the body. That means one acts with the body to connect with the ultimate reality. In jnana yoga, the primary tool is the intelligence. One acquires knowledge and processes it to change one’s perception of reality. Dhyana yoga primarily involves the mind. The sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita focuses on the mind—how to process it, manage it, purify it, and pacify it. In bhakti yoga, the focus is on the heart—how to redirect the heart, change what is present in the heart, and direct the heart’s love toward the supreme.

I used the term “primary tool.” This does not mean that in karma yoga, one does not use the intelligence, mind, or heart. Every form of yoga engages our entire being—it is not segregated. For example, it is not that a jnana yogi ignores their body entirely. However, the focus and primary means of engagement vary, and this distinction is described in the table. That’s how the focus of each yoga is slightly different.

Now let’s go into each of these yogas in more depth. If we consider karma yoga, it means karma is action and yoga is connection—the connection established through action. If this is the material world and that is the spiritual world, then in karma yoga, one acts with detachment. The action has two characteristics: doing one’s duty and doing it with detachment. The idea is that one acts, but the action does not entangle one in the material world. On the other hand, because one has detachment, one starts progressing toward the spiritual world.

Activity is natural for us. It is very difficult to sit inactive for too long. In the third chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna compares inaction and action in verses 4, 5, and 6.

Krishna states that it is impossible to be inactive. Activity is natural to us, which is why connecting with transcendence through action (karma yoga) is relatively easier for most people. This is one of its positive aspects. While this overview of the yogas is very summarized, we focus specifically on how they connect with transcendence and compare with each other, leaving out other features for simplicity.

However, karma yoga has its limitations. While one is detached from the material world, the destination remains unclear. A karma yogi understands the need to escape the entanglement of worldly temptations but might not have a clear understanding of where to go afterward. For instance, someone leaving their home after a quarrel may respond, “Anywhere but here,” if asked where they are heading. Similarly, a karma yogi’s focus is often more on escaping entanglement than on moving toward a defined spiritual reality. The idea is that this material world is agitating, and beyond it lies a pacifying reality—but the specifics of that reality remain vague.

In contrast, jnana yoga focuses on intellectual analysis to deconstruct the material world. This process involves understanding that the seemingly attractive aspects of the world are ultimately illusory. For example, a beautifully presented cake may tempt us. But if the cake is deconstructed into its ingredients—baking soda, flour, sugar, etc.—it loses its appeal. Similarly, the analysis of attractive forms, such as people or objects, reveals that they are merely combinations of basic elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether). By intellectually disintegrating these forms into their components, the allure of the material world diminishes.

This intellectual deconstruction provides stimulation and satisfaction to those inclined toward reasoning. It feels empowering to see beyond what others perceive and uncover the underlying reality. This process is encapsulated in the term Neti-Neti (not this, not that), where a jnana yogi discards the temporary and focuses on seeking the eternal. However, this pursuit comes with its own challenges.

One limitation of jnana yoga is the tendency to deconstruct everything—even spiritual concepts. For example, while Krishna is described in scriptures as having an eternal, blissful, cognizant form (satchitananda vigraha), a jnana yogi might reduce this description to a temporary manifestation of the formless Brahman. This continual deconstruction often leads to an impersonal conception of reality, where forms, personalities, and relationships are dismissed as temporary and illusory. While the intellect is a powerful tool, it has its limits—it cannot fully comprehend what lies beyond intellectual perception.

Now, moving to dhyana yoga, this practice involves training and tranquilizing the mind to stop its movement toward material enjoyment. In the 6th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, which extensively discusses dhyana yoga, the mind is emphasized more than in any other section of the text. Dhyana yoga, commonly associated with yoga in popular culture today, begins with physical postures but extends much further. The postures are only a preparatory step, designed to calm the body and mind, paving the way for deeper meditation.

But as we sit in yogic postures, eventually one has to turn inward and meditate. And the purpose of meditation, now I earlier talked about how all yogas involve all the activity, all our entire being. So even in Jnana Yoga, there is some study of scripture, so intelligence is used, but the primary focus is not on intellectual deconstruction; it is just on directing the mind in meditation.

So there are two things over here. First is training the mind. That means the mind goes here, there—bring it back, wherever it goes, bring it back, bring it back, bring it back. That’s the first step, training the mind that way. And then there is tranquilizing the mind. Nowadays, people use tranquilizers to calm themselves down. Antidepressants are used if somebody has too little energy, and if somebody feels like they do nothing, then they take antidepressants. But if somebody’s mind is too active, running here and there, they take tranquilizers.

Now, these tranquilizers that are recommended or prescribed sometimes are basically physical substances that we take in. They alter the brain chemistry and try to decrease the activity of the thought activity within us. This can also be done through the practice of yoga, where one slowly regulates the mind and then detaches it from whatever allures it toward pleasure. So tranquility means one feels just very peaceful. Why? Because the mind has been trained to stop its running here and there. In fact, the definition of perfection of yoga in the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, which talks about Dhyana Yoga, is “Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodhaha.” So Chitta Vritti, the movement of our consciousness, goes here, there, everywhere. Nirodhaha, stop that movement. That’s the purpose of this process of Dhyana Yoga.

And the positive side of this is that actually, when the mind becomes tranquilized, one feels a lot of relief because the mind is the cause of the greatest suffering. There can be great sufferings in the world, but how the mind responds to those sufferings—how our mind reacts to those sufferings—often aggravates those sufferings much more. The pacification of the mind provides relief. Some of our sufferings are simply created by the mind’s agitation, and some of the sufferings might be there at the physical level, but they are aggravated by the mind’s agitation. Either way, by not creating or contemplating unnecessary objects that will agitate us, and even when there is something agitating, by not contemplating too much unnecessarily on it, one gets pacification, and that gives a lot of relief.

However, there is a flip side to this, and that is we may get caught in prioritizing peacefulness over purposefulness. Peacefulness means that we start stressing, “I just don’t want to be agitated.” What is my purpose? “I have no purpose except to not be agitated.” And this is not a very life-affirming purpose. To understand this, consider somebody who is sick and in constant pain. Maybe they have arthritis or something similar. If they move their arm slightly, it causes pain. If they move their other arm, it causes pain. So they may feel, “I just don’t want to move. If only I could stop moving, I’ll become peaceful.” It’s possible that if one stops moving, one will become peaceful. However, what after that? What after that means? Because we are in pain because of moving, and we stop moving, and the pain goes away. After that, what will we want to do? We want to move. We want to do something. We just don’t want to sit motionless forever.

The point here is not so much to—the problem here is a misdiagnosis. The problem is not so much motion, but it is the sickness—the disease in the body—because of which movement is causing pain. So if we cure the disease, then the pain will go away. Similarly, what applies to the motions of the body also applies to the motions of the mind. On the path of Dhyana Yoga, the yogis think that it is the movement of the mind that is causing pain, attachment, entanglement, and distress. So they think, “I just want to stop the movement of the mind.” And yes, that will provide some relief. But what after that? We have been given consciousness. It is an innate feature of the soul. The defining characteristic of the soul is consciousness, and we want this consciousness to do something, not just stay passive. What do we do with it?

So again here, the misdiagnosis is that the movement of the mind causes pain. It’s actually the material movement of the mind that causes pain. When the mind moves toward spiritual reality, the mind moves within spiritual reality, and the movement of the mind brings joy. If we hear about Krishna and think about Krishna, that brings joy.

However, within the path of Yoga, the Patanjali Yoga Sutras are more functional than metaphysical. That means they don’t talk much about who the Ishvara is. There is a limb in Dhyana Yoga called Ishvara Pranidhana. Ishvara Pranidhana means surrender to Ishvara. It mentions Ishvara Pranidhana, but the Yoga Sutras don’t describe who Ishvara is. Why is that? Because the Patanjali Yoga Sutras were spoken at a time when people already knew who the Ishvara was. Every book has its purpose. For example, if someone is given basic awareness of traffic and a book about road rules, it might tell them, “When the cop signals to you, you should stop.” But it might not explain how exactly the cop dresses, why they wear a particular color, or why they have a particular cap. The purpose of the manual is simply to tell how to follow road rules.

Similarly, in the Yoga Sutras, who the Ishvara is, is not described in detail—only mentioned. Because of this, there is no detailed understanding of that positive spiritual reality, and there is a lot of emphasis on calming the mind, which is seen as the ultimate purpose. That’s why in both Jnana Yoga and Dhyana Yoga, one may go toward an impersonal conception, but through different directions. In Jnana Yoga, one goes by deconstructing reality so that nothing is left. In Dhyana Yoga, one stops the activity of the mind so that there is nothing for the mind to perceive. In both cases, one arrives at an impersonal conception.

Understanding Different Yogas: Pathways for Different Natures

Are Different Yogas for Different People?

The answer is both yes and no.

• Yes, because people with different natures are naturally drawn to specific yogas:
  • Karma Yoga: Suited for activists who are action-oriented and want to contribute to the world without selfish motives.
  • Jnana Yoga: Appeals to the rational and analytical, those who enjoy deconstructing and understanding reality through intellectual inquiry.
  • Dhyana Yoga: Attracts those seeking peace of mind and inner stillness, often achieved through meditation and self-discipline.
  • Bhakti Yoga: Resonates with the emotionally inclined, who find joy in devotional practices like singing, prayer, and emotional surrender to the Divine.
• No, because regardless of one’s inclinations, the ultimate longing of the heart is to love and be loved. This deep yearning is fulfilled through Bhakti Yoga, which connects one directly with Krishna, the source of all love.

Why Bhakti Yoga is Universal

Although different yogas cater to varying temperaments, Bhakti Yoga is central because:

1. The Heart as the Basis of Being:
   • The head (intelligence) and the hands (action) naturally follow where the heart leads.
   • Bhakti Yoga satisfies the soul’s core longing for love and connection, making it the ultimate pathway for spiritual fulfillment.
2. Integration of All Yogas:
   • Bhakti Yoga includes aspects of other yogas:
     • Detachment (from Karma Yoga).
     • Deconstruction (from Jnana Yoga).
     • Meditation (from Dhyana Yoga, e.g., mantra meditation).
   • However, unlike other paths, Bhakti Yoga is not focused on these practices alone but uses them to deepen one’s devotion to Krishna.

A Yogic Hierarchy: From Karma to Bhakti

The progression through different yogic paths can be understood as a journey:

1. Karma (Action):
   • Most people engage in action with attachment to material desires (e.g., working hard to achieve personal goals).
2. Karma-Kanda:
   • Action is combined with religious rituals or regulations, but the aim is still material (e.g., worshipping deities for worldly benefits).
3. Karma Yoga:
   • Action becomes detached, performed without selfish attachment to the results.
4. Jnana Yoga:
   • Action is minimized, replaced by philosophical contemplation and detachment. The focus is on deconstructing the world to realize its impermanence and reach a state of inaction.
5. Dhyana Yoga:
   • Deep meditation and concentration on a specific object or principle bring peace and detachment.
6. Bhakti Yoga:
   • A synthesis of action and devotion.
   • While detachment and meditation are present, the focus is on offering all activities and emotions to Krishna, achieving connection and sublime joy.

A Balanced Approach to Spiritual Growth

• The spectrum of yoga paths ranges from action to inaction. Bhakti Yoga serves as the bridge and culmination of this spectrum.
• Through Bhakti Yoga:
  • One transcends material entanglement while remaining engaged in the world.
  • Devotional actions become a source of fulfillment, joy, and connection with Krishna.

Ultimately, regardless of one’s starting point—be it Karma, Jnana, or Dhyana—every path finds its highest culmination in Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of love and devotion.

See, when people talk about meditation, it might just be that the object I am meditating on is not important.
And that’s why, on the path of Dhyana Yoga, sometimes the yoga teachers say, take up any object for meditation. You can meditate on the flame of a candle, you can meditate on some natural scenery that you may have seen in the past, or sometimes some people might even use paradoxical objects for meditation—you meditate on the sound of silence.
Now, how does one do that? Sound and silence are two opposite things, but it just stimulates the mind—how can one do this?
So, the idea is that the object of meditation is not important.

In bhakti, the object is important. And then, with that object for connecting, we can use meditation as a tool, we can use deconstruction as a tool—whatever is required. So primarily, action and devotion are what characterize bhakti, though other features are also present. In this sense, there is also a hierarchy within the paths of yoga.

So now we’ll talk based on the Bhagavad Gita, where it says how different yogas ultimately culminate in bhakti. This could become a very textual analysis, and I will not go into the particular texts, but I have given references here.
So, your work, do it for me.

Krishna’s third chapter talks about karma yoga, but then he says: just offer the fruits of your work to me. Don’t just be detached from the fruits, but offer them to me. The same thing is in the 18th chapter—it also talks about the same idea: “Take me with your work.”
That is the two ways we talk about how karma yoga culminates in bhakti yoga.

Then we talk about how jnana yoga culminates in bhakti yoga. In the 18th chapter, Krishna will talk about how the jnana yogis progress and then:

“Brahma-bhuta prasannatma na shocati na kanksati sama sarveshu bhuteshu mad-bhaktim labhate param.”

So once one has reconstructed reality, then “na shocati na kanksati”—even if things come and go in our lives, we deconstruct them so there is no agitation because of them. No hankering, no lamenting. And for people also, there is no attraction or aversion toward them, “sama sarveshu bhuteshu.” And then, after such deconstruction has been done, Krishna says: “mad-bhaktim labhate param”—one will attain devotion to me. And by that devotion, one will attain me, Krishna says.
So it says, “bhaktya mam vijanati,” that one will attain me.

In the 7th chapter, it should be 7.19—7.16, 7.17—yeah, it is:

“Bahunam janmanaam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate.”

In 7.19, Krishna says, even those who are on the path of jnana, after many lifetimes of spiritual evolution, will come to the level of surrendering to me. So their jnana culminates in surrender. That is one way of considering how jnana yoga also leads to bhakti yoga.

Then, regarding dhyana yoga leading to bhakti yoga, Krishna talks about it several times. He describes the process of ashtanga yoga in the 6th chapter, and there, the progression goes up. He starts with 6.17 about regulating your eating and sleeping, and from there, he goes on to meditation, which culminates in 6.30:

“Yo mam pashyati sarvatra, sarvam cha mayi pashyati”

The topmost yogic vision is where one sees me in everything and everything in me. Such a person is never lost, Krishna says.

Of course, 6.47 is a well-known verse:

“Among all the yogis, the topmost yogi meditates on me.”

This is how the Gita talks about different yogas and how they culminate in bhakti.

Now, we’ll conclude with the progression given in this verse and integrate it with what we discussed today.
The first point is: better than materialism, which involves bhoga (worldly enjoyment), is material piety—that is karma khanda. Better than karma is karma khanda. It involves yajna, dana, tapa—we do those activities to gain some piety. But beyond material piety is spirituality.

Here, spirituality is used as a generic word, yoga. That means, instead of trying to do practices by which one can get better material enjoyment, look for some non-material connection—that is yoga.

Now, better than yoga (generic spirituality, which can generate spirituality) is personal spirituality. Personal spirituality is bhakti yoga. By bhakti yoga, one connects with Bhagawan, the all-attractive Supreme Person, and connecting with Him brings the deepest fulfillment to the heart.

So, I’ll summarize what I spoke about today:
I spoke about the topic of the different forms of yoga and whether they all lead to the same goal.

There are four types of yoga:

• Karma yoga involves acting in a dutiful, detached way. The advantage is that it is activity natural for us, so it’s easy. The disadvantage is that one is more focused on running away from the entangling world than considering what one is running toward—there isn’t much of a clear conception of the ultimate truth.
• Jnana yoga focuses on deconstructing reality so that it no longer appears alluring to us. The positive is that it involves a lot of intellectual stimulation and gratification. The negative is that one gets so caught in deconstructing that one doesn’t think there might be anything that survives deconstruction—leading to an impersonal conception of Krishna’s personality and form, as they are also attempted to be deconstructed.
• Dhyana yoga involves directing the mind so it is trained and tranquilized. The positive is that many people suffer because of the mind’s agitation, and pacifying the mind brings relief. The disadvantage is that one gets so caught in pacifying the mind that one doesn’t consider the ultimate object of consciousness.
• Bhakti yoga channels the power of emotions, our strongest force, so that we can move toward transcendence. The advantage is that it engages and channels our emotions, focusing on spiritual engagement rather than material disengagement, making it relatively easier. The disadvantage is that it can be mistaken by others for sentimentality or misapplied by oneself as sentimentality.

Finally, I talked about how different yogas don’t necessarily lead to the same goal. While they all lead one toward a higher goal, not all of them lead all the way to the same goal.