What are steps for following gyan yoga or gyan marga?

Question

Is there any difference between gyan yoga and gyan marga? please tell the steps for gyan marga.

whether remembering sanskrit shloka and references itself is also part of this, or reading scriptures translated in today's language will suffice?

Answer 1

Jnana Yoga or Janna Marga (wisdom or knowledge) is considered the most difficult of the four main paths of Yoga namely;

1.Jnana Yoga.

2.Karma Yoga.

3.Bhakti Yoga and

4.Raja Yoga.

Jnana Yoga requires great strength of will and a deep intellect. Jnana Yoga’s main focus is on self-inquiry, and in this context one must remember the famous phrase “WHO AM I” or “NAAN YAAR” coined by His Holiness Shri Ramana Maharshi.

Yoga International defines thus:

“In Jnana yoga, the mind is used to inquire into its own nature and to transcend the mind’s identification with its thoughts and ego. The fundamental goal of Jnana yoga is to become liberated from the illusionary world of maya (thoughts and perceptions) and to achieve union of the inner Self (Atman) with the oneness of all life (Brahman). This is achieved by steadfastly practicing the mental techniques of self-questioning, reflection and conscious illumination that are defined in the Four Pillars of Knowledge.”

The path of Jnana yoga was first encouraged and fully outlined by Adi Jagadguru Shankaracharya. He stated that a practitioner of Jnana yoga, or a jnani, needed both complete renunciation and a deep desire to be free from maya, or illusions.

Yogapedia says “It is said that once the student is ready, achieving the goal of Jnana yoga may take as little as a few days. The ideal three-step path of Jnana yoga is as follows:

1.The student is taught about Vedantic philosophy by a guru, or spiritual teacher, and they listen carefully.

2.The student reflects on these teachings and seeks to understandtheir subtleties.

3.The student meditates on Brahman as described in the Vedantic texts and, through this combination of knowledge and meditation, he/she experiences absolute Truth.”

Bhagavadgita identifies jnana yoga as one of the three main paths to liberation, the path of knowledge, the path of action and the path of devotion.

Practices that lead to knowledge (jnana)

According to the Bhagavadgita, jnana yoga consists of the following practices.

1. Developing correct awareness of the mind, the body and the Atman or Self.

2. Stabilizing the mind in the Self through self-discipline and self-absorption (atma-samyamyoga)

3. Acquiring true awareness of the world around and the SUPREME-Self beyond (knowledge of Sat (Truth) and Asat (Falsehood) through discernment (buddhi yoga).

4. Practicing various disciplines and other techniques as a means to self-purification, the predominance of sattva and suppression of rajas and tamas..

The True purpose and objectives

According to the Bhagavadgita, following are some of the developments that we experience when we practice jnana yoga.

1. Equanimity of the mind (sthithadhi) through control of the senses and desires and mental discipline.

2. Detachment (asangatva)

3. Impassion (virag)
4. Tyaga (sacrifice)
5. Renunciation (sanyasa)
6. Self-control (samyama).
7. Devotion (bhakthi).

Perfection in jnana yoga leads to devotion. Only a jnani, or the knower of the Self, can be a true devotee. People who do not possess true knowledge of the Self, cannot experience the devotion of the highest kind.

Some of the pioneers of contemporary or modern day Janna yogis are Shri Ramana Maharshi, Shri Aurobindo, Jidddu Krishnamurthy etc;