Key Points

  • The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root yuj — to yoke or unite. Yoga therefore means union with the Supreme. Every genuine yoga system has this as its ultimate aim
  • There are many rungs on the yoga ladder. Karma-yoga (the yoga of action) purifies the heart. Jnana-yoga (the yoga of knowledge) clarifies the intellect. Ashtanga-yoga (the eightfold path of mystic meditation) disciplines the mind and senses. Bhakti-yoga (the yoga of devotion) connects the soul directly to Krishna
  • Each lower rung is a preparation for a higher one. A person cannot jump to the roof without climbing the stairs. But one who is given an elevator — the mercy of the spiritual master and the process of bhakti — may reach the top directly
  • Bhakti-yoga is declared by Krishna Himself to be the highest yoga (Bg. 6.47). It is not merely sentimental feeling — it is the most complete, most direct, and most natural process for the soul, because love for God is the soul’s original and eternal nature
  • Think of it like a ladder leaning against a building. The building is the Supreme. The ladder has many rungs. All sincere climbers are going in the right direction — but the one who has reached the top is the best

Sanskrit Terms

  • Yoga — union; from yuj, “to yoke or unite”; specifically, union with the Supreme Consciousness
  • Karma-yoga — the yoga of prescribed action; acting for God without attachment to results; purification of the heart through selfless duty
  • Jnana-yoga — the yoga of transcendental knowledge; philosophical inquiry into the nature of the self and the Absolute
  • Ashtanga-yoga — the eightfold yoga system of Patanjali; includes yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi
  • Bhakti-yoga — the yoga of loving devotion; direct engagement of all the senses in the service of Krishna
  • Yogi — one who practices yoga; one striving for union with the Divine
  • Samadhi — the culminating state of deep meditation; full absorption; in bhakti, this means full absorption in Krishna

Scriptural References

  • Bhagavad-gita 6.47 — “And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me — he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.”
  • Bhagavad-gita 6.46 — “A yogi is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist, and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogi.”
  • Bhagavad-gita 3.3 — Krishna explains the two paths — jnana and karma — for two types of men; both lead eventually toward the same goal
  • Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.6 — “The supreme occupation for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord.”

References

Practical Takeaway

Do not be discouraged if you feel you are on a lower rung. Every sincere step upward is honored by Krishna. But do not be satisfied with a lower rung either — aspire always for bhakti. Chanting Hare Krishna, even imperfectly, brings you to the top of the ladder faster than any other discipline.