Part of a series on |
Hinduism |
---|
Jnana yoga (IAST: Jñāna yoga), also known as jnana marga (jñāna mārga), is one of the three classical paths (margas) for moksha (liberation)[1][2] in the Bhagavad Gita, which emphasizes the "path of knowledge"[3] or the "path of self-realization".[4] The other two are karma yoga (path of action, karma-mārga) and bhakti yoga (path of loving devotion to a personal god, bhakti-mārga).[1][5][6] Modern interpretations of Hindu texts have led to the a fourfold classification to include Raja yoga, that is, meditation as described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.[7]
Jñāna yoga is a spiritual practice that pursues knowledge through questions such as 'Who am I?' and 'What am I?' among others.[8][9] The practitioner studies usually with the aid of a guru, meditates, reflects, and reaches liberating insights on the nature of one's own Self (Atman, soul) and its relationship to the metaphysical concept called Brahman in Hinduism.[4][10][9] The jñāna-mārga ideas are discussed in ancient and medieval era Hindu scriptures and texts such as the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.[4][11][12]