Jnaana Yogovyavasthita- Are we demons...contd

Jnaana Yogovyavasthita
This is the third quality in the first sloka describing the divine type. Bhagavan Ramanuja defines this as "prakriti viyuktaatma svarupa viveka nishtaa". This means ,firm adherence to the descrimination between the nature of the self(jeeva atma) and Prakriti( matter). This descriminating knowledge removes "dehaatma brama" or the delusion that "i am the body" . This might appear seemingly simple but to really feel that that the self is different from the body is tough in pragmatic sense. The real nature of self is in its being a Sesha to Sriman Naarayana , and in being a jyaana svarupa and ananda svarupa and paratantra. the nature of prakriti is that it is achit and is subservient to Naarayana and a Bogyam to both jeeva and Brahmam. the upanishad statement " Bhokta Bhogyam Preritaaram cha matva.." says Bhokta is jeeva and Bhogyam is prakriti and the agent who enables (Bhokta to enjoy Bhogyam)this is Naarayana. The self wrongly thinks that"i am the body" and feels that it is svatantra (independent). most of us believe that we are bodies and are independent and are controlling matter. This is called dehaatma brama. Only Pandithas or scholars are capable of having this mind set that "I am a soul residing in my body". Adi Shankara paadacharyal defines a pandita(scholar) as " pandaa aatma vishayaa bhuddih yeshaam te" or a person whose intellect is fixed on understanding his self(aatman). The goal of Jnaana yoga is jeeva aatma sakshatkaara and this has to be aided by karma yoga . For Adi Shankara the essense of gita is Jnaana yoga only ,with Bhakti and karma yoga being just just preparatory steps. {Shankara starts the commentary with -idam dvi prakaaram dharma iti nishrreyes prayoojanam.." To shankara , Gita preaches Pravriti and Nivritti as two different paths and Pravriti marga just helps one to prepare for Nrivritti marga . Shankara says in Bhaja Govindam-"sat sanghathve nisangathvam " To Him , only sanyaasa with Jyana yoga that gives the relization that the self is identical with Nirguna Brahmam leads to Moksha or is itself Moksha.
the essense of Gita is very clearly summum bonum and this has to be acheived by Bhakti alone as Per SriMatham. Karma yoga and Jnaana yoga are two limbs of Bhakti. Bhavan Yaamuna muni says "Sva dharma jyaana vairagya saadya bhaktieka gocharah Naarayana param Brahma Gita shastre samirithah" - The essense of gita is attaining the Parabrahmam- Sriman Narayana by Bhakti alone aided by karma and jyana yoga coupled with vairagya.This is how Gita proceedes from Samkya and karma yoga to jyana yoga coupled with Vairagya and towards the end Bhagavan says "Manmanaa Bhava MadBhaktah Madyaaji Maam Namaskuru.." Also the most famous statement" Sarva dharmaan parityajya maam eekam sharanam vraja..." clearly hints that the Lord wanted to prepare Arjun for Bhakti yoga and Prapatthi by introducing its limbs -karma yoga and Jnaana yoga in the beginning.
A person has to start with Samkya (buddhi) that i am the self and simultaneously practise karma yoga with the afore said mind set-"Tannai kandaa paambaii kandaa poolee"-as rightly said by Shri Pillai Lokaachariyar . slowly the yogi draws his senses from the external objects and meditates on his self and attains aatma sakshatkaara. Then he proceeds to meditate on Brahmam as taught in the Brahma vidyas in the upanishads and attains Paramaatma sakshatkaara by the Lords grace.
the state of Buddhi necessary to embark on karma yoga is the samkya yoga which is preached by The Lord in the beginning. There is a Jnaana element in karma yoga and there is karma aspect of Jyaana yoga and hence both are not totally two different paths as advised By Shankara.The Lord himself says this " Sankya yogou Pritag balah pravadanthi na pandithah"- The learned does not consider sankya and karma yoga as two totally different paths , only children of vedanta will say they are different.
Jyayna yoga is the path of sense restraint and just being with and meditating on the self. Karma yoga is feeding the senses as prescribed by Shastras and with a mind set that "I am not the agent" and sacrificing the fruits of actions to the Lord. This doesnt mean Jnayana yogis donot have karmas or need not do any prescribed activities. the Isa upanishad clearly says " Kurvan eveha karmani jijivishet shatam samah evam tvayi, na anyatoo asti na karma lipyate naree" - do your prescribed duties for 100 years (life time) with a detached mind set. this is the only way and by this way the actions will not bind the soul. hence the Jyaana yogi needs to maintain his body and hence will have to do some karmas and therein he needs to be careful not to lose sense control. Hence the Lord advises Arjun to follow Karma yoga first as Karma yoga is better suited to common people.
In todays circumstances, both Jnaana yoga and karma yoga seems very tough for common people to follow. This is the reason Ramanuja did not advocate the path of yoga for us. In kali yuga Sharanaagathi is the only feasible path. But as Ramanuja rightly explains , we can attempt to think that we are not the body -atleast intellectually if not intrinsically.