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I <strong>AM</strong> : M. M. Ninan<br />

6. JNANA, BHAKTHI AND KARMA MARGA<br />

In Hinduism, the Bhagavat Geetha, gives three basic ways to<br />

salvation - three ways of liberation. They are first Karma marga -<br />

the way of the work. Do good and be made perfect. Since you<br />

cannot do that in one life, you improve your work, incarnation<br />

after incarnation until you are made perfect - until you are able to<br />

do your duties without regard to its consequences. In this process,<br />

evil work leads you to lower levels of consciousness and good<br />

works leads to higher levels of consciousness. If you are at the<br />

higher level of consciousness you are reborn in the heavens and the<br />

pleasures of the heavens leads you to immersed in the senses and<br />

loose the way. In the lower levels of consciousness you are caught<br />

up in the struggles of existence that you loose the concept of<br />

godhead itself and you sink deeper, deeper into ignorance, and<br />

evil. The gods are to be incarnated to be a man to achieve salvation.<br />

Salvation is found only in human existence. I have described this<br />

teaching only to show the vicious circle karma yoga produces. If at<br />

all there is a way out, it is now and it is today.<br />

Heb 4:7 Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today,<br />

when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before:<br />

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."<br />

The second way designated is the Jnana Marga - the way of<br />

enlightenment - the way of Knowledge. Evidently, knowledge can<br />

show the way. But it cannot take you there. Every Yogi knows that<br />

he is God, but he has not attained. Evidently, knowledge in itself is<br />

not self-realization. You have to realize what you know. We do not<br />

know how. Only a Master can show that. Who is this master who<br />

has overcome death? Who has the power to give Life? Who is the<br />

true Master?<br />

97

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