In the Isa Vasya Upanishad, which is the last part of the Sukla Yajur Veda, Yajnavalkya says,
anyat eva Ahuh avidyayA : Others (Some) only say by not-knowledge (methods like bhakthi, karma etc)
anyat Ahuh vidyayA : Others (Some) say by knowledge (gnyAna)
iti s’us’ruma dhIrANAm : thus have we heard of (from) those intelligent people (dhI = thinking part of mind = intelligence)
yE nah tat vicacakshire : who to us have shown/demonstrated (told) “tat” (That – the Brahman)
What does Sankaracharya say?
Sankara quotes authorities to show that vidya leads to devaloka and avidya leads to pitruloka. He says that this mantra is referring to the received knowledge of the ancients – aagamas
What does Bhishma say?
“ The Tirthas of the mind are separate and distinct from those of the earth. That person who bathes in both attains to success without any delay. As strength without exertion, or exertion without strength can never accomplish anything, singly, and as these, when combined, can accomplish all things, even so one that becomes endued with the purity that is contributed by the Tirthas in the body as also by that which is contributed by the Tirthas on the earth, becomes truly pure and attains to success. That purity which is derived from both sources is the best.‘” (Reference : Mahabharata : Anusasana Parva : Translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli.)
What did Thyagaraja say ?
Thyagaraja said, “Sangeetha Gnyanamu, Bhakthi vina, Sanmargamu kalade”? Can the knowledge of music, find the right path without devotion? Drop the sangeetha term and the philosophy of this Vedic Scholar becomes evident once again!
What do I think ?
I have found that any method will lead us to the divine (I believe that nothing else than divinity exists – so what else is there to find?). I think devotion leads us to know more and knowledge makes us love more. Desire (Kama) leads us to action (Karma) which leads us to disillusionment (nirmohatva) and detachment (vairagya) from “the sensory perceptions of the world” and drives us to seek a knowledge of Reality that needs us to extend the senses inward and outward. (Extending your senses.)
What did Krishna say?
Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, that all ways and all motives lead to him, to Reality.
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