Karma Yoga vs Gyana Yoga – What Gita has to say
Yoga has always been an art of discovering the ‘true Nature’ of the self to unite with ‘divine Nature’. We all operate at different levels of individuality and hence the two mainstream that opens up here are Karma Yoga & Gyan Yoga . Karma yoga is the path of selfless action where every action we serve as an offering of the divine (God) . Where, Gyana yoga is the philosophical path of attaining self-realization experience through acquired Knowledge, practice, wisdom, and experience. As far as topic of Karma Yoga vs Gyana Yoga is our concern, we all get multitude of profuse theories & suggestions regarding which one of them is better. But what do our sacred timeless wisdom Bhagawad Gita has to say about it..? Lets begin the discussion with these verses ;
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3, Verse 1-2
Karma Yoga vs Gyana Yoga : The Inquiry by Arjuna
अर्जुन उवाच |
ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन |
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव || 1||
व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे |
तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् || 2||
Arjun said: O Janardan, if You consider knowledge superior to action, then why do You ask me to wage this terrible war? Your ambiguous advice bewilders my intellect. Please tell me decisively the one path by which I may attain the highest good.
This is the first two verses of chapter 3 of Bhagwada Gita. In the second chapter, Shri Krishna’s covered the entire essence of the Gita. So therefore, Arjuna asked Shri Krishna to reveal what was most appropriate for him at this point in time. As we see, with his mind bewildered, Arjuna asks Shri Krishna to provide the one technique that was most appropriate for Arjuna at this stage in his spiritual journey ; Karma Yoga or Gyan yoga !
Shri Krishna understood Arjuna’s situation and provided an answer in the next shloka..
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3, Verse 3
Karma Yoga vs Gyana Yoga : The responses by Sri Krishna
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधा निष्ठा पुरा प्रोक्ता मयानघ |
ज्ञानयोगेन साङ्ख्यानां कर्मयोगेन योगिनाम् || 3||
The Lord said: O sinless one, the two paths leading to enlightenment were previously explained by Me: the path of knowledge, for those inclined toward contemplation, and the path of work for those inclined toward action.
Krishna clearly explains here that the twofold path of self development prescribed for the world ; The path of Knowledge ( GyanYoga ) to the Meditative , and The path of Action ( KarmaYoga ) to the Active. It is added that this classification and careful prescription for the two different types of individuals has been in existence from the very beginning of creation ( पुरा प्रोक्ता ).
Krishna further adds,
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3, Verse 4
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते |
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति || 4||
One cannot achieve freedom from karmic reactions by merely abstaining from work, nor can one attain perfection of knowledge by mere physical renunciation.
Running away from life is not the way to reach the highest goal of attaining true self. Arjuna’s intention, you may remember, was to run way from the warfront, and, therefore, this misguided individual was to be reeducated with the divine song if Gita ( Geet ). Through action, to a purification of the inner instrument, applying which the seeker walks the path of knowledge to reach ultimately the spiritual destination of self development.
( Know more about this commentary : https://gitajourney.com/category/chapter-3-verse-3/ )
So the conclusion…
Karma Yoga vs Gyana Yoga : The Gita Conclusion
To consider the Path-of-Action ( Karma Yoga ) and the path-of-Knowledge ( Jnana Yoga/ Gyan Yoga ) as competitive is to understand neither of them. They, being complementary, are to be practiced SERIALYY one after the other. Selfless activity gives a chance to the mind to exhaust many of its existing mental impressions. Thus purified, the mind gains such a fight and ethereal poise that it can steadily soar into the subtlest realms of meditation, and finally come to gain the experience of the transcendental Absolute.
Read also : 7 Reasons Why You Should Read The Bhagavad Geeta Today ( https://thebrightdelights.com/7-reasons-why-you-should-read-the-bhagavad-geeta-today/ )