Yoga: Path of Gyana Yoga - Ayurveda Encyclopedia

Gyana yoga as described under “ The meaning of Gyana yoga” is the style of yoga that is devoted to attaining the path to salvation and ultimate deliverance through acquiring wisdom and knowledge about the divine consciousness.

The path to Gyana Yoga is the most abstract and indeed most difficult of all yogic styles because it is more about experience and less about explanation. Still some ancient texts go about explaining four basic factors required and considered mandatory for following the pathway of salvation through the process of Gyana yoga. These are called Sadhana Chatushtalaya. These are briefly described here.

Gyana yoga recognizes the importance of a guru or a guide who can lead the pupil on the pathway to ultimate salvation. There is a certain methodology that has to be strictly followed. The path is certainly not easy and the methodology given is certainly not exhaustive as the ancient scriptures are full of various different pathways.

Viveka:It is the development of divine wisdom of discrimination between the right and wrong in everything one does. It is about developing a super human ability to recognize all that is evil and degenerating to the human consciousness. Viveka is defined as supreme wisdom about all that is good and helpful to strengthening of human soul.

Vairagya:It is the ultimate state of awareness of ephemeral nature of the world and not is entangled in the web of distractions presented in everywhere to attract the senses. It is a state of complete detachment from the world where by the person is not diverted by his senses towards anything that can be considered restriction to his pathway to salvation. Vairagya however, is not a state of complete withdrawal from all worldly responsibilities. It is a state of detachment from worldly desires when a person continues to perform his or her duties but is at the same time not overtly attracted to all material distractions present everywhere.

Shad Sampat: It consists of development of six vital faculties. These are considered very important because their presence and intense development is absolutely mandatory for meditation and ultimately salvation.

Sama: It refers to cessation of all human desires.
Dama: It refers to conscious and lucid control of senses.
Uparati: It is a state of satisfaction experienced after practicing all the practices mentioned above that is, Viveka, Vairagya, Sama and Dama.
Titiksha: It is a state of attaining perfect capacity for endurance to all that is considered humanly impossible to tolerate.
Shraddha: This is a state of intense faith in the word of the guru or the guide to the path to salvation. This is however, not blind faith but it is developed with logic, reasoning and complete truthful analysis. This kind of faith is completely unshakeable and permanent.
Samadhana: This is a state of complete inward direction of all senses towards Brahman and self, which means complete devotion to knowledge. This can be attained only through constant practice of all of the above.

Mumukshutva: This is a stage of intense desire for salvation and deliverance from the cycle of birth and death. This state is easily achieved after practicing all the above. The person in state neither has any likes nor dislikes. He is obviously free of all evils. In addition he is also free from all worldly desires and is completely one with the divine entity.

The direct realization is bound to happen in due course of time if the yogi continues to practice all of the above. Gyana yoga realizes the importance of a guru or guide who can direct the pupil on the path to salvation. The pupil continues to meditate and indulge in the practice of:

Sravana that is listening to the guru and learning from his knowledge of scriptures.
Manana: This is the process of thinking and developing the process to get direction towards God consciousness.
Nididhyasana: This is a stage where a person is naturally attracted to the process of deep meditation constantly.
Atma Sakshatakara: This is the stage of divine realization through a process of inward direction of senses. Here the person realizes his own self and understands that it emerges from the divine consciousness only. Here he completely feels one with the almighty and unites with the divine consciousness on a wholesome level.

The ultimate achievement of Gyana yogis is that they realize that they are free from all types of interruptions in their communications with God. They realize that the universe is not ephemeral. It is a constant that has stayed forever and shall stay forever without their being present or not. They realize that the cycle of birth and death is a wish of God that all humans are subject to as a part of their destiny, not desire. The ultimate desire is to break free from this constant. They realize that they have to free themselves from the six obstructions that are like tidal waves which come and go and leave a person ironically wishing for more. These are the cycles of birth and death, hunger and thirst and happiness and sorrow. These are permanent fixtures in life and will continue to grow if tried to be quenched. The fact is to realize their incessant nature and not be too disturbed with them.

Yoga

Gyana yoga

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