I AM
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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 />
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