Uddhava is confused by the elaborate instructions thus far, based on Vedic injunctions.
गुणदोषभिदादृष्टिर्निगमात्ते न हि स्वत: । निगमेनापवादश्च भिदाया इति ह भ्रम: ॥
T: "My dear Lord, the distinction that people make between piety and sin comes out of their being instructed in Vedic knowledge, which was originally your own gift to mankind, and therefore does not arise in people's minds by itself. If the same Vedic literature subsequently nullifies such distinction between piety and sin by hinting that one finally should go beyond such duality between good and bad, this causes confusion! So what should a man do?"
Bhagavan gives a very important clarification here.
श्रीभगवानुवाच
योगास्त्रयो मया प्रोक्ता नृणां श्रेयोविधित्सया । ज्ञानं कर्म च भक्तिश्च नोपायोऽन्योऽस्ति कुत्रचित् ॥
T: There are essentially three paths Bhagavan has delinated for the seeker. The seeker has to choose the path based on his own nature and status of spiritual development. They are Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.
निर्विण्णानां ज्ञानयोगो न्यासिनामिह कर्मसु । तेष्वनिर्विण्णचित्तानां कर्मयोगस्तु कामिनाम् ॥
T: Among these three paths, Jnana Yoga, the path of intellectual philosophy, is recommended for those who are disgusted with material life and are thus detached from ordinary, fruitive activities. Those who are not disgusted with material life, and having many desires they wish to fulfil, should seek perfection through the path of Karma Yoga.
यदृच्छया मत्कथादौ जातश्रद्धस्तु य: पुमान् । न निर्विण्णो नातिसक्तो भक्तियोगोऽस्य सिद्धिद: ॥
T: If spontaneously, one develops faith in hearing and chanting Bhagavan's glories, such a person is cut out for Bhakti Yoga. He is neither disgusted with the worldly life nor is a slave to worldly pleasures. He can then reach fulfilment through Bhakti Yoga.
The Vedic injunctions describe the do's and don'ts of Karma for one who has not developed Bhakti and is still interested in worldly fruits to be achieved through the right action. The proper performance of Vedic Dharma without attachment yields the reward of heavenly life. Similarly, default in such actions leads to hell.
ज्ञानं विशुद्धमाप्नोति मद्भक्तिं वा यदृच्छया ॥
Eventually, the proper performance of Karma Yoga leads the seeker to either the path of Jnana or the path of Bhakti, based on his tendencies.
By the way, neither a stay in heaven nor a sojourn in hell affords the opportunity that one gets in a human body for spiritual development! Those two otherworldly states do not give the opportunity for seeking and striving for Bhakti or Moksha.
Hence, man should make the best use of this body. Eventually, the Jiva leaves the body when it drops off, like a bird abandons his nest when the tree is cut down.
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मुक्तसङ्ग: परं बुद्ध्वा निरीह उपशाम्यति ॥
Steadfast performance of one's duty creates the platform for understanding the eventual goal of life and also builds detachment from the world.
Bhagavan now emphasises how important human birth is.
नृदेहमाद्यं सुलभं सुदुर्लभं प्लवं सुकल्पं गुरुकर्णधारम् ।
मयानुकूलेन नभस्वतेरितं पुमान् भवाब्धिं न तरेत् स आत्महा ॥
T: Witness the human body, the most important prerequisite obtained by one's Punya. It is a perfect boat to cross the ocean of bondage, as it is helmed by Bhagavan himself as the Paramatma guiding the Jiva from within! Bhagavan's grace is encountered by the seeker at every turn in life like a favourable wind, too. Only a man with suicidal instincts will fritter away his human birth!
The Path of Jnana
Cultivate detachment, constantly contemplate the supreme goal of life, bring the senses under total control, and be ever-vigilant and introspective. Perform Yoga and Pranayama to strengthen self-control under the force of Sattva. By critically observing the birth-death cycle and creation-annihilation phenomena ever evident all around, one develops the spiritual insight.
The Path of Bhakti
The devotee revels in listening to the Lord's glories and the stories of his Leelas. He engages with material pleasures but his interest in them slowly drops off, as his Bhakti grows. He can also see that all sense gratification eventually leads to misery. Slowly, his heart becomes firmly situated in Bhagavan, and all material desires within the heart are destroyed.
क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि मयि दृष्टेऽखिलात्मनि ॥
T: The devotee's worldly activities drop off, and he begins to see Bhagavan as the Paramatma in all.
तस्मान्मद्भक्तियुक्तस्य योगिनो वै मदात्मन: । न ज्ञानं न च वैराग्यं प्राय: श्रेयो भवेदिह ॥
T: Therefore, for a seeker, called here a Yogi, on the path of Bhakti, with mind fixed on Bhagavan, the cultivation of intellectual knowledge and a life of severe renunciation is not the recommended practice.
Bhagavan states emphatically that whatever can be achieved by all other paths, viz. Karma Yoga, Tapas, Jnana Marga, Hatha Yoga, charity and so on, is easily achieved by a Bhakta. Neither heaven nor liberation is difficult as a goal to achieve for him! But...
न किञ्चित् साधवो धीरा भक्ता ह्येकान्तिनो मम । वाञ्छन्त्यपि मया दत्तं कैवल्यमपुनर्भवम् ॥
T: The acid test for a true Bhakta is that even when Bhagavan offers him Moksha, i.e. liberation from the cycle of birth and death, he does not want it! Remember, the pre-requisite for true Bhakti is detachment and not wanting anything!
Such a true devotee naturally transcends the life choices of doing good and avoiding bad, as they no longer hold any meaning for him. After all, such discrimination is for people who are not established in total Bhakti, as these are based only the ordinary rules of conduct.
एवमेतान् मया दिष्टाननुतिष्ठन्ति मे पथ: । क्षेमं विन्दन्ति मत्स्थानं यद् ब्रह्म परमं विदु: ॥
T: "Those who earnestly follow the paths as taught by me, Bhagavan, will attain to ultimate well-being, reach Bhagavan, and experience Parabrahman."
