Bhakti Karma and Gyaan Yoga

Pranipaat :~ 

Man has to live in this world. So the Geeta teaches 3 types of paths to Union with God, namely, 

- Karma Yoga : 

Path of selfless actions. 

- Bhakti Yoga : 

Path of selfless devotion. 

- Gyaan Yoga : 

- Path of self transcending knowledge. 

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In these 3 ways of Yoga, man choses what seems easy for him to attain the Almighty. 

KARMA YOGI 

BRAHMANY ADHYAYA KARMANI, SANGAM TYAKTWA KAROTI YAHA. LIPYATE NA SE PAPENA, PADMA PATRAM IVAMBHASA. . 

Krishna says : 

"One who performs his duty selflessly by surrendering to me, is NOT affected by sinful actions, like the untouched Lotus in Water. 

But for me, a Priest, Pundit, Acharya or any Spiritual Leader lives all the 3 Yogas. 

This spiritual man is trained to conduct puja officiate all ceremonies that exist from birth to death. Hence he performs puja rituals know as Karma Kand.  He utters the mantra offering the puja sarjaams or ingredients known as Prasaad including Abir, Kumkum, Sindur, Pungiphal, Akshat, Sharkaraa etc. This Yoga is connected to the hand,  mouth etc. When the priest does this act, he bears in mind the yajmaan and performs all on behalf of yajmaan. Hence he opens way of salvation for himself and for the yajmaan. So the Priest becomes a Karma Yogi, follower of Karma yoga. 

BHAKTI YOGI : 

YE TU DHARMA AMRITAM IDAM, 

YATHOBHAKTAM PARYUPASATE. 

SHRADDHADHANA MATA PARAMA, 

BHAKTAS TE ATIVA ME PRIYAHA. 

Krishna says : 

One who follows the never perishable path of devotion and who is fully engaged with faith making Me the Supreme, is very dear to me. 

So, when the priest chants the mantra with heart he gets devoted to the God like water absorbed in sponge. This Yoga is connected to heart.  When the yajmaan finds the priest lost in the name of God, he also imitates the priest. So here the priest becomes Bhakti Yogi, follower of selfless devotion.  

GYAAN YOGA 

UDDHARED ATMANATMANAM, 

NATMANAM AVASADAYET. 

ATMAIVA HI ATMANO BANDHUR, 

ATMAIVA RIPUR ATMANAHA. 

Krishna says : 

Man must elevate himself by his own mind, not degrade himself. When the mind is the best friend of the pure conditioned soul, it's his worst enemy too. 

So, here the priest uses his brain as this Yoga is connected to the brain. The priest has enough knowledge of what is good and bad, true and false, right or wrong. As he supports the truth, his mind washes away all negativity as jealously and issue like AHAM MAMETI, meaning THIS IS MINE. The priest targets the God and when he become a learned soul then only he can preach and share the transcending knowledge in katha, bhagwat etc. . 

So the Priest, Pundit, Acharya is among those who walks on the 3 paths because the public is a mixture of these 3 paths in God Realisation. 

Aum Durge Rakshinyai Namaha. .