Four Track Way of the Soul

In Hinduism any living being is called Jiva. Ji is to live. Any being that lives is Jiva. Jiva has three aspects in existence.

First is - Jiva is a knowing subject. It is capable of knowing that which is. It is capable of knowing itself. That is, Jiva has Knowingness or Jnathruthva. Jiva is an acting agent. It is capable of action. It is capable of adopting means towards ends. Jiva has Actingness or Karthruthva. Jiva is also an enjoyer. It is capable of enjoying the pleasures and it covets the pleasures. Jiva has Enjoyingness or Bhogthruthva.

Jiva is a Knower; an Acting Agent; an Enjoyer. To act and to enjoy are nothing but more special forms of the Knowingness of Jiva. So to liberate Jiva is to make it free to express itself fully by way of knowing, acting and enjoying. Hence Hinduism designs the paths toward liberation in such a way that all the three faculties are put to use towards freedom.

Four such paths have been shown to the soul, viz., the Path of Knowledge, the Path of Action, the Path of Yoga, the Path of Love. They are called Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga and Bhakthi Yoga respectively. All the four elements are in each and every one of the four, but with varying accents.
This Four Way Road is the National Highway of Hindu Religious practice.

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