Jnana Yoga is the path of wisdom. In the perfection of knowledge we overcome maya, or the illusion of the unreal. The unreal has no existence, or at least, it is transitory in nature. The Real can never cease to be. Constantly engaged in the world of objective thought impressions, we become entangled in what is considered the web of maya. By wisdom we transcend maya. By the revelation of our true nature, we disentangle ourselves from the web of confusion. We are then able to think and act with discernment.
Jnana Yoga is the yoga of knowledge, not knowledge in the intellectual sense but that of pure consciousness. It is that knowledge that is inseparable from the true experience of Reality. A person who can see through the multitude of physical forms and worldly attachments, sees through the illusion of maya and can concentrate the mind on what is Real. In the purity of mind we establish the light of truth in our life. The desire for wisdom is innate within us.
The motto of the Gujarat Vidyapith, the university established by Mahatma Gandhi in Ahmedabad, India in 1920, stresses that knowledge is that which liberates us: Sa Vidya Ya Mukte Ye. These words can be found engraved on the wall of the university and on its seal.
Freedom is attained in the knowledge of the Self. Attainment of self-knowledge requires self-mastery, self-discipline and constant practice. It is, in essence, what Gandhiji meant by swaraj. Commonly, we learn of the movement for India’s independence as swaraj. But to Gandhiji, it personally meant more than the self-rule of a nation or home-rule for India. In his mind, swaraj meant rule of the self or individual self-mastery, leading to self-realization. Swaraj over this little self involves practicing self-control by putting aside limitations in the form of biases and prejudices, impatience and intolerance. We want to move beyond the chitta or mind stuff that keeps us from understanding the true nature of the soul within us and all beings. We want to be free of that which binds and limits us. Gandhiji referred to swaraj as the key ingredient on the path of wisdom. The Jnana Yogi must strive to overcome the littleness of mind in order to realize larger noble truths. Self-study and introspection will guide us if we give proper attention to insight and intuition.
This wisdom (jnana) is not mere book learning. In it there is no room for doubt. It begins with faith and ends with experience.
M.K. Gandhi
Wisdom is the discerning nature of the soul. It is not merely intellect but a higher state of consciousness that guides us internally. Self-knowledge has a value unequal to any other possession in life. It is that which alone reveals the true nature of ourselves and the world around us.
Srimati Karuna
Gandhi’s Steadfast Yoga