June Gītā: 13.25

dhyānenātmani paśhyanti kechid ātmānam ātmanā
anye sānkhyena yogena karma-yogena chāpare

Some try to perceive the Supreme Soul within their hearts through meditation, and others try to do so through the cultivation of knowledge, while still others strive to attain that realisation by the path of action.

Bhagavad Gītā 13.25

In the Gita, Lord Krishna sets out three different paths for us to achieve the goal of spiritual liberation.  This has always resonated with me because it’s an acknowledgement that we’re all different and are drawn to different spiritual paths depending on our nature and life experiences.

Here Krishna explains that some people may choose to follow the path of Bhakti or devotional yoga; others may choose the path of Jnana yoga or wisdom, focussing on bringing their mental fluctuations under control; and others may engage in the path of karma yoga or selfless service.  

In the next Sloka, Krishna goes on to say that even those who are unaware of these spiritual paths may hear about them from others and start their journey that way.

We can extend Krishna’s teachings further, as Ramakrishna did in his essay Many Paths to the Same Summit to mean that whatever path or religion we choose to follow, ultimately leads us to the same goal.  Therefore we should allow each person the freedom of their own faith and opinions, as we have ours.

– Lauren Munday