Three Yogas

Hinduism
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The Three Yogas or Trimārga are three soteriological paths introduced in the Bhagavad Gita for the liberation of human spirit.^[1] They are:

Karma Yoga or the Path of Action (Karma-mārga)
Bhakti Yoga or the Path of Devotion (Bhakti-mārga) to Ishvar (God)
Jnana Yoga or the Path of Knowledge (Jñāna-mārga)

A "fourth yoga" is sometimes added:

Raja Yoga or the Path of Meditation (Rajas-mārga), making "Four Yogas", also known as the " Four paths to realization"

Discussion

Hindu philosophers of the medieval period have tried to explain the nature of these three paths and the relation between them.

Shankara tended to focus on jñāna-yoga exclusively, which he interpreted as the acquisition of knowledge or vidya. He considered karma-yoga to be inferior. The fact that he wrote some of the most famous hymns for personal gods such as Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Ganesha and Subrahmanya underlines his affinity to Bhakti-Yoga.^{[citation needed]}

The 12th-century philosopher Ramanuja considered the three yogas by interpreting his predecessor Yamunacharya. In Ramanujam's interpretation, Bhakti yoga appears to be the direct path to moksha, which is however available only to those whose inner faculties have already been trained by both Karma yoga and Jnana yoga.^[2]

A "fourth yoga" is sometimes added, Raja Yoga or "the Path of Meditation". This is the classical Yoga presented in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Patanjali's system came to be known as Raja Yoga (Royal Yoga) retro-actively, in about the 15th century, as the term Yoga had become popular for the general concept of a "religious path".

The systematic presentation of Hindu monotheism as divided into these four paths or "Yogas" is modern, advocated by Swami Vivekananda from the 1890s in his book Raja Yoga.^[3]^[4] They are presented as four paths to God suitable for four human temperaments, viz. the active, the emotional, the philosophical and the mystic.^[5]

References

^ Gavin D. Flood, An introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, 1996, ISBN 978-0-521-43878-0, page 96
^ Bunki Kimura, 'Ramanujas Theory of Three Yogas: The Way to Moksh' in: Shōun Hino (ed.) Three mountains and seven rivers: Prof. Musashi Tachikawa's felicitation volume, Motilal Banarsidass, 2004, ISBN 978-81-208-2468-3, 645-668
^ Jason Birch (2013), "Rajayoga: The Reincarnations of the King of All Yogas", International Journal of Hindu Studies, Volume 17, Issue 3, pages 401–444
^ Swami Vivekananda, Raja Yoga, ISBN 978-1500746940
^ Vivekananda, Swami. "The Ideal of Universal Religion". Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda - Volume 9 - Indian Newspaper Reports. Ramakrishna Mission. Retrieved 22 May 2022.

Yoga

Subtle body

Hinduism

Three Yogas	Karma yoga Bhakti yoga Jnana yoga and sometimes Rāja yoga
Philosophy	Bhagavad Gita Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Yoga Vasistha Yoga Yajnavalkya
Concepts	Eight limbs Yama Niyama Asana Lotus position Pranayama Pratyahara Dhāraṇā Dhyana Samadhi Kriyā Mantra Pranava Nada Surat Shabd Aghor Yoga Mudras Bandha Mahamudra Viparita Karani List Nyasa Kumbhaka Sama vritti Shatkarmas Neti Dhauti Nauli Basti Kapalabhati Bhastrika Trataka Tapas Sādhanā
Tantra	Yogi Yogini Siddhi Mahasiddha Shaiva Siddhanta Laya Yoga Kundalini Sexual Yoga
Hatha yoga	Amaraugha Prabodha Amritasiddhi Bahr al-Hayat Hathabhyasapaddhati Hatha Ratnavali Hatha Yoga Pradipika Hatha Yoga: The Report of a Personal Experience Gheranda Samhita Joga Pradipika Shiva Samhita Sritattvanidhi Vasishtha Samhita Vimanarcanakalpa Yogasopana Purvacatuska

Buddhism

Theravada	Samatha Samadhi (Buddhism) Vipassana Anapanasati Visuddhimagga
Mahayana	India Yogachara Japan Tendai Zazen
Vajrayana	India Kriyayoga (Buddhist) Caryayoga Anuttarayoga Sahajayana Tibet Devata yoga Yantra yoga Six Yogas of Naropa Tummo Ösel Karmamudra Milam Bardo Phowa Mahayoga Anuyoga Atiyoga Mahamudra China Tangmi Japan Shingon

Modern

As exercise	Asana Downward dog Standing asanas List of asanas Drishti Sun Salutation Vinyāsa Hasta Vinyasas Yoga as therapy Yoga for women Props Light on Yoga
Related	Yoga hybrids Mindful Yoga International Day of Yoga List of yoga schools Modern yoga gurus Yoga Nidra Yoga scholars (template) Journals Asana Journal Yoga Journal

Hinduism

topics

Philosophy

Concepts	Brahman Om Ishvara Atman Maya Karma Saṃsāra Puruṣārthas Dharma Artha Kama Moksha Niti Ahimsa Asteya Aparigraha Brahmacharya Satya Dāna Damah Dayā Akrodha
Schools	Āstika: Samkhya Yoga Nyaya Vaisheshika Mīmāṃsā Vedanta Dvaita Advaita Vishishtadvaita Nāstika: Charvaka

Texts

Classification

Vedas

Rigveda Yajurveda Samaveda Atharvaveda
Divisions	Samhita Brahmana Aranyaka
Upanishads	Aitareya Kaushitaki Brihadaranyaka Isha Taittiriya Katha Maitrayaniya Shvetashvatara Chandogya Kena Mundaka Mandukya Prashna

Gods	Trimurti Brahma Vishnu Shiva Agni Dattatreya Ganesha Hanuman Indra Kartikeya Krishna Rama Surya Varuna Vayu more
Goddesses	Tridevi Saraswati Lakshmi Parvati Bhumi Durga Kali Mahavidya Matrika Radha Rukmini Sati Shakti Shashthi Sita more

Practices

Worship	Temple Murti Puja Bhakti Japa Bhajan Naivedhya Yajna Homa Tapas Dhyāna Tirthatana
Sanskaras	Garbhadhana Pumsavana Simantonayana Jatakarma Namakarana Nishkramana Annaprashana Chudakarana Karnavedha Vidyarambha Upanayana Keshanta Ritushuddhi Samavartanam Vivaha Antyeshti
Varnashrama	Varna Brahmin Kshatriya Vaishya Shudra Ashrama Brahmacharya Grihastha Vanaprastha Sannyasa
Festivals	Diwali Holi Shivaratri Raksha Bandhan Navaratri Durga Puja Ramlila Vijayadashami Ganesh Chaturthi Rama Navami Janmashtami Onam Pongal Makar Sankranti New Year Bihu Gudi Padwa Pahela Baishakh Puthandu Vaisakhi Vishu Ugadi Kumbh Mela Haridwar Nashik Prayag Ujjain Ratha Yatra Teej Vasant Panchami Others
Other	Svādhyāya Namaste Bindi Tilaka