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Jnana Yoga
By Swami Vivekananda, Jnana-Yoga, the Path of Knowledge , describes the essence of Vedanta philosophy - the wisdom of the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita in a modern scientific manner. Jnana-Yoga , along with Swami Vivekananda's Karma-Yoga , Bhakti-Yoga , and Raja-Yoga , are considered classics and outstanding treatises on Hindu philosophy. The Swami's deep spiritual insight, fervid eloquence, and broad human sympathy, shine forth in these works and offer inspiration to all spiritual seekers.
327 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1899
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Vivekananda
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Vivekananda left a body of philosophical works (see Vivekananda's complete works). His books (compiled from lectures given around the world) on the four Yogas (Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga) are very influential and still seen as fundamental texts for anyone interested in the Hindu practice of Yoga. His letters are of great literary and spiritual value. He was also considered a very good singer and a poet.By the time of his death, He had composed many songs including his favorite Kali the Mother. He used humor for his teachings and was also an excellent cook. His language is very free flowing. His own Bengali writings stand testimony to the fact that he believed that words - spoken or written - should be for making things easier to understand rather than show off the speaker or writer's knowledge.
Swami Vivekananda [ স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ ] (1863 – 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, and bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion.
Born in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day Kolkata, West Bengal, India)
Vivekananda left a body of philosophical works (see Vivekananda's complete works). His books (compiled from lectures given around the world) on the four Yogas (Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga) are very influential and still seen as fundamental texts for anyone interested in the Hindu practice of Yoga. His letters are of great literary and spiritual value. He was also considered a very good singer and a poet.By the time of his death, He had composed many songs including his favorite Kali the Mother. He used humor for his teachings and was also an excellent cook. His language is very free flowing. His own Bengali writings stand testimony to the fact that he believed that words - spoken or written - should be for making things easier to understand rather than show off the speaker or writer's knowledge.
Swami Vivekananda [ স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ ] (1863 – 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, and bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion.
Born in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day Kolkata, West Bengal, India)
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August 9, 2025
Swami Vivekananda’s Jnana Yoga is both an introduction and a challenge—an introduction to one of the loftiest strands of Indian philosophical thought and a challenge to think beyond the boundaries of everyday perception, religious dogma, and the limits of personal identity.
Originating as a series of lectures delivered during his time in the West in the late 19th century, later compiled into book form, it showcases Vivekananda’s gift for making the subtlest metaphysics sound urgent and alive. This is not merely a manual on Vedantic philosophy; it is a sustained attempt to awaken the “divine consciousness” latent in every human being.
In the Hindu tradition, Jnana Yoga—the path of knowledge—stands alongside Karma, Bhakti, and Raja Yoga. It is concerned with the pursuit of ultimate truth through reasoning, discrimination (viveka), and realisation of the identity between the self (Atman) and the absolute (Brahman). In the Bhagavad Gita, Jnana Yoga is praised as the most direct, though also the most difficult, road to liberation (moksha).
Vivekananda translates this ancient ideal into a modern voice, engaging Eastern and Western audiences alike with analogies, humour, and bold rhetorical flourishes. He frames reality in Vedantic terms: beneath the shifting appearances of the world (Maya) lies the unchanging, infinite consciousness—Brahman. The task of the seeker is to pierce the veil of Maya and recognize that the individual soul is not separate from this absolute. This, for him, is not a speculative hypothesis but an experiential truth reached through disciplined inquiry.
One of the most striking elements of his exposition is the dismantling of the belief in separateness—of self from other, of humanity from divinity. He uses sharp logic to challenge the notion that consciousness is a by-product of the body or that God is merely an external ruler. Ignorance (avidya) is the root of suffering; knowledge is liberation. Religion, in this path, is not the recitation of inherited beliefs but the realisation of truth in one’s own experience. Blind faith, however pious, is insufficient. “Religion is realisation,” Vivekananda insists, setting aside mere ritualism. For this reason, Jnana Yoga, though demanding, is the royal path, because it offers direct knowing rather than borrowed belief.
His universality shines throughout. Vivekananda interprets Vedanta as a truth that underlies all genuine spiritual traditions. Christianity, Buddhism, Islam—each, in his view, holds at its core the same reality: the divine is within, and the self is infinite.
In this way, Jnana Yoga becomes a bridge between East and West, tradition and modernity. Contrary to the stereotype of mysticism as anti-intellectual, reason holds a place of honour in this system. The seeker must question relentlessly, reject contradictions, and cling only to what withstands scrutiny—while also recognising the ultimate limit of reason when it tries to grasp the infinite.
What makes Jnana Yoga so remarkable is Vivekananda’s clarity amid complexity. Sanskrit philosophical concepts, dense with centuries of commentary, emerge in his lectures as part of a living conversation.
His language is vivid: the ocean and its waves illustrating unity and diversity, the rope mistaken for a snake showing illusion, and the sun reflected in many pots of water revealing the one consciousness mirrored in many minds. His rhetorical power is formidable, blending the conviction of a preacher with the precision of a logician, often leavened by humour. He engages his Western audience directly, drawing from modern science, history, and the Bible alongside Vedic lore, creating a resonance across cultures that was radical for its time.
Still, the book is far from easy. It demands not only intellectual effort but also the willingness to let cherished assumptions be dismantled. For readers grounded in materialist or strictly theistic frameworks, the insistence on the unity of self and God can be exhilarating or deeply disorienting. The discipline of discrimination is no armchair exercise; it is a lived practice of distinguishing the real from the unreal, the eternal from the ephemeral, even when that means seeing one’s own body, emotions, and personal history as ultimately not-self.
Vivekananda is candid about the difficulty: Jnana Yoga is like walking a razor’s edge. It requires fearlessness, detachment, and a mind honed by meditation. This is not a path for those content with comfort; it is for those who burn for truth.
In the wider landscape of spiritual literature, Jnana Yoga distinguishes itself through accessibility without dilution. It avoids the impenetrability of purely scholastic Vedanta while preserving its depth. Its cross-cultural appeal is strengthened by the way it integrates with other yogic paths; Vivekananda never isolates Jnana Yoga from Bhakti, Karma, and Raja Yoga, seeing them as complementary expressions of the same quest.
At the same time, the work is not without potential criticisms. His Vedantic conclusions are sometimes presented as self-evident rather than argued against competing metaphysical models, and the emphasis on knowledge can seem to underplay the transformative power of devotion for those more attuned to the heart than the intellect.
Modern readers might also wish for a deeper acknowledgement of the historical moment in which these lectures were given—a colonial and cross-cultural space that shaped his emphasis on universality.
Yet more than a century later, the work’s relevance has not dimmed. In an era of information overload and ideological division, Jnana Yoga urges us to slow down, think clearly, and seek the truth behind appearances. Its insistence that differences are surface ripples over an underlying unity offers not only spiritual comfort but also a framework for social harmony.
To a generation skeptical of institutions but hungry for meaning, its call for direct experience over dogma can be liberating. For the scientifically minded, it offers rigorous reasoning; for the mystically inclined, it opens the door to boundless inner discovery.
In the end, Jnana Yoga is a demanding and dazzling exploration of the path of knowledge. Vivekananda distills the essence of Advaita Vedanta without making it feel antique, demonstrating that philosophical inquiry and spiritual practice are partners, not adversaries, in the quest for truth. His metaphors illuminate the abstract, his prose crackles with conviction, and his universality bridges divides that continue to fragment our world.
This is not a book to be read once and set aside; it is a companion for a lifetime of reflection. It asks the reader to reconsider who they are, what reality is, and how life might be lived in light of that recognition.
For those willing to walk the razor’s edge, Jnana Yoga remains as vital in 2025 as it was when Vivekananda first spoke those words in the lecture halls of New York and London more than a century ago.
Originating as a series of lectures delivered during his time in the West in the late 19th century, later compiled into book form, it showcases Vivekananda’s gift for making the subtlest metaphysics sound urgent and alive. This is not merely a manual on Vedantic philosophy; it is a sustained attempt to awaken the “divine consciousness” latent in every human being.
In the Hindu tradition, Jnana Yoga—the path of knowledge—stands alongside Karma, Bhakti, and Raja Yoga. It is concerned with the pursuit of ultimate truth through reasoning, discrimination (viveka), and realisation of the identity between the self (Atman) and the absolute (Brahman). In the Bhagavad Gita, Jnana Yoga is praised as the most direct, though also the most difficult, road to liberation (moksha).
Vivekananda translates this ancient ideal into a modern voice, engaging Eastern and Western audiences alike with analogies, humour, and bold rhetorical flourishes. He frames reality in Vedantic terms: beneath the shifting appearances of the world (Maya) lies the unchanging, infinite consciousness—Brahman. The task of the seeker is to pierce the veil of Maya and recognize that the individual soul is not separate from this absolute. This, for him, is not a speculative hypothesis but an experiential truth reached through disciplined inquiry.
One of the most striking elements of his exposition is the dismantling of the belief in separateness—of self from other, of humanity from divinity. He uses sharp logic to challenge the notion that consciousness is a by-product of the body or that God is merely an external ruler. Ignorance (avidya) is the root of suffering; knowledge is liberation. Religion, in this path, is not the recitation of inherited beliefs but the realisation of truth in one’s own experience. Blind faith, however pious, is insufficient. “Religion is realisation,” Vivekananda insists, setting aside mere ritualism. For this reason, Jnana Yoga, though demanding, is the royal path, because it offers direct knowing rather than borrowed belief.
His universality shines throughout. Vivekananda interprets Vedanta as a truth that underlies all genuine spiritual traditions. Christianity, Buddhism, Islam—each, in his view, holds at its core the same reality: the divine is within, and the self is infinite.
In this way, Jnana Yoga becomes a bridge between East and West, tradition and modernity. Contrary to the stereotype of mysticism as anti-intellectual, reason holds a place of honour in this system. The seeker must question relentlessly, reject contradictions, and cling only to what withstands scrutiny—while also recognising the ultimate limit of reason when it tries to grasp the infinite.
What makes Jnana Yoga so remarkable is Vivekananda’s clarity amid complexity. Sanskrit philosophical concepts, dense with centuries of commentary, emerge in his lectures as part of a living conversation.
His language is vivid: the ocean and its waves illustrating unity and diversity, the rope mistaken for a snake showing illusion, and the sun reflected in many pots of water revealing the one consciousness mirrored in many minds. His rhetorical power is formidable, blending the conviction of a preacher with the precision of a logician, often leavened by humour. He engages his Western audience directly, drawing from modern science, history, and the Bible alongside Vedic lore, creating a resonance across cultures that was radical for its time.
Still, the book is far from easy. It demands not only intellectual effort but also the willingness to let cherished assumptions be dismantled. For readers grounded in materialist or strictly theistic frameworks, the insistence on the unity of self and God can be exhilarating or deeply disorienting. The discipline of discrimination is no armchair exercise; it is a lived practice of distinguishing the real from the unreal, the eternal from the ephemeral, even when that means seeing one’s own body, emotions, and personal history as ultimately not-self.
Vivekananda is candid about the difficulty: Jnana Yoga is like walking a razor’s edge. It requires fearlessness, detachment, and a mind honed by meditation. This is not a path for those content with comfort; it is for those who burn for truth.
In the wider landscape of spiritual literature, Jnana Yoga distinguishes itself through accessibility without dilution. It avoids the impenetrability of purely scholastic Vedanta while preserving its depth. Its cross-cultural appeal is strengthened by the way it integrates with other yogic paths; Vivekananda never isolates Jnana Yoga from Bhakti, Karma, and Raja Yoga, seeing them as complementary expressions of the same quest.
At the same time, the work is not without potential criticisms. His Vedantic conclusions are sometimes presented as self-evident rather than argued against competing metaphysical models, and the emphasis on knowledge can seem to underplay the transformative power of devotion for those more attuned to the heart than the intellect.
Modern readers might also wish for a deeper acknowledgement of the historical moment in which these lectures were given—a colonial and cross-cultural space that shaped his emphasis on universality.
Yet more than a century later, the work’s relevance has not dimmed. In an era of information overload and ideological division, Jnana Yoga urges us to slow down, think clearly, and seek the truth behind appearances. Its insistence that differences are surface ripples over an underlying unity offers not only spiritual comfort but also a framework for social harmony.
To a generation skeptical of institutions but hungry for meaning, its call for direct experience over dogma can be liberating. For the scientifically minded, it offers rigorous reasoning; for the mystically inclined, it opens the door to boundless inner discovery.
In the end, Jnana Yoga is a demanding and dazzling exploration of the path of knowledge. Vivekananda distills the essence of Advaita Vedanta without making it feel antique, demonstrating that philosophical inquiry and spiritual practice are partners, not adversaries, in the quest for truth. His metaphors illuminate the abstract, his prose crackles with conviction, and his universality bridges divides that continue to fragment our world.
This is not a book to be read once and set aside; it is a companion for a lifetime of reflection. It asks the reader to reconsider who they are, what reality is, and how life might be lived in light of that recognition.
For those willing to walk the razor’s edge, Jnana Yoga remains as vital in 2025 as it was when Vivekananda first spoke those words in the lecture halls of New York and London more than a century ago.
August 26, 2010
This is a very important work on a difficult subject. Gyana Yoga is the path of attaining the Absolute through the use of right knowledge, that is, through constant discrimination between the true and the false. Learning to recognize what is true can be a difficult oath, and there are many philosophical quandaries along this road.
But Swami Vivekananda with his powerful oratory and use of his vast knowledge lays bare the basic principles of Gyana. In this book, he shows that Gyana is not a doctrinal path but something that can be reached through reasoning. This is one of the greatest expositions on the beliefs of Advaita Vedanta, specially since it is done not through technical terms but through a direct appeal to logic and reason. The path of Gyana Yoga through this book becomes a path of spirituality that is accessible to those who would not like to abandon science and reason for religion.
But Swami Vivekananda with his powerful oratory and use of his vast knowledge lays bare the basic principles of Gyana. In this book, he shows that Gyana is not a doctrinal path but something that can be reached through reasoning. This is one of the greatest expositions on the beliefs of Advaita Vedanta, specially since it is done not through technical terms but through a direct appeal to logic and reason. The path of Gyana Yoga through this book becomes a path of spirituality that is accessible to those who would not like to abandon science and reason for religion.
March 12, 2015
Jnana Yoga literally means Yoga of Knowledge (the path of Wisdom) , it can be treated as one of the ultimate book, i took four days to complete this book, and those days are really divine full and i feel in my inner sense that i am blessed.
December 14, 2014
Brilliant book. If the world lived by the ideals set out in this book it would be a far better place.
It can be downloaded for free from open library.
https://archive.org/stream/vedntaphil...
It can be downloaded for free from open library.
https://archive.org/stream/vedntaphil...
July 13, 2020
This book is a collection of a few of Swami Vivekananda's lectures and discourses on philosophy and the reasoning/understanding aspect of religion. He especially goes at length to talk about the Vedanta and all the schools of thought therein. And there is absolutely no part of the book where he asks you to simply accept or believe his words as arguments from authority. So, as a cautionary reader, you might get uncomfortable and may not even agree with some of the things he says. But as they say, there's always time for a second read! :)
In more ways than one, it opened up my idea of religion in general and is one of the best books I've come across on the subject.
Man never progresses from error to truth, but from truth to truth, from lesser truth to higher truth but never from error to truth
In more ways than one, it opened up my idea of religion in general and is one of the best books I've come across on the subject.
Man never progresses from error to truth, but from truth to truth, from lesser truth to higher truth but never from error to truth
August 21, 2020
A fantastic book by the swami , it was like an intellectual poem for me.
He talks about in the last chapter about the unity in all religions by how each on is representing a universal truth, all religions have a soul , only every religion is looking at the soul in a different angle.
I recommend this book to anyone.
He talks about in the last chapter about the unity in all religions by how each on is representing a universal truth, all religions have a soul , only every religion is looking at the soul in a different angle.
I recommend this book to anyone.
October 5, 2015
the most important book I've read in my life ... "When I am doing a certain work, my mind may be said to be in a certain state of vibration, all minds which are in a similar state will have the tendency to be affected by my mind." "Suppose there are different musical instruments tuned alike in one room; you may have noticed that when one is struck the others have a tendency to vibrate so as to give the same note ..." "Following this simile further, it is quite possible that, just as light-waves may travel for millions of years before they reach any object, so thought-waves too may travel hundreds of years before they meet an object with which they will vibrate in unison."
August 15, 2014
It is a book to be read with lot of focus and packed with lot of knowledge. He is talking from a completely independent view point and debating even the roots of Vedas and Upanishads to establish what he thinks as an appropriate description. Sometimes you can see him as a critic also... Beautiful book!!
January 5, 2014
One of the greatest work ever. It is the highest form of spiritual knowledge...
April 2, 2016
A masterpiece by Vivekanand. Puts everything in clear perspective. Not for dabblers in philosophy. Read it only if are introspective enough to ask some of the most difficult questions.
March 10, 2018
Wonderful book , goes in depth in understanding of Gyana Yoga.
November 13, 2018
Meets difficult questions such as why is there evil in the world, what happens to us after we die, what is the nature of God, head on. Its central theme is unity. I found much truth in this book.
November 15, 2016
One of the four forms of Yoga to attain enlightenment is through Jnana Yoga aka the Yoga of Knowledge. Here again, Vivekananda tries to explain the essence of "being" through many different examples - which is a very tough thing to convey given we humans are restrictive to our own senses. There are a lot of different forces exist around us however our senses are only adapted to limited few. He talks in detail about what is meant by being religious and the goal of any religion may it be Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism or Islam. And how humans are being hypocritical when it comes to terming themselves as being religious yet not understanding the essence of what does that mean. He appreciates the Atheist for taking a firm stance on being non-religious. He deep dives into Maya (Illusion) and how the Gods have evolved along with the humans. Reading about this concept, in particular, was very interesting and very thought-provoking.
Although they are all convincing which I completely agree by the way, until and unless any of them has been put to practice it is very hard to realize one's self that is free of Time, Space and Causation. He also dives deep into what are Energy and Matter and their equivalent terms in Advaita (Prana and Akasha) and how everything is constantly changing only in form but the underlying core Atman that is ever pure and infinite. It may be a bit absurd for everyone to agree to these things, but for me, I fully enjoyed reading each and every page. Will definitely read this book multiple times!
Although they are all convincing which I completely agree by the way, until and unless any of them has been put to practice it is very hard to realize one's self that is free of Time, Space and Causation. He also dives deep into what are Energy and Matter and their equivalent terms in Advaita (Prana and Akasha) and how everything is constantly changing only in form but the underlying core Atman that is ever pure and infinite. It may be a bit absurd for everyone to agree to these things, but for me, I fully enjoyed reading each and every page. Will definitely read this book multiple times!
June 28, 2013
I didn't really enjoy reading this book. I suspect it's really only interesting as a historical document of the lectures Swami Vivekananda delivered. Certainly he made a mistake by leaning so much on what the Victorians understood scientifically. Many of those things have since changed -- leaving the Swami's arguments propped up either by the empty shells of partially understood phenomena or by the failure to take into account things like Chaos Theory.
It's a pity. The metaphor of monism may be beautiful, but to claim that it has been scientifically proven, actually just means it has not been scientifically disproven yet. Not a good ground for making a case to people more than 100 years into the future.
It's a pity. The metaphor of monism may be beautiful, but to claim that it has been scientifically proven, actually just means it has not been scientifically disproven yet. Not a good ground for making a case to people more than 100 years into the future.
September 27, 2012
A compilation of lectures cum sermons the swami gave in 1896 in England and America. He was a preacher of a doctrine new to most of his audience and the style and content of these pieces reflects that. They seem dated and stilted at times, and so are best read as historical reflection of the dawn of inter-faith dialog. But that is not to say he is not preaching - for he is emphatically promoting the Vedanta philosophy. This is also the era when anthropology of religion was a new discipline, and when there was a movement to understand faith in scientific terms.
At its best the volume includes the series Practical Vedanta which is a clear step-by-step unfolding of the philosophy.
At its best the volume includes the series Practical Vedanta which is a clear step-by-step unfolding of the philosophy.
July 20, 2018
Who don't understand Bhagvat Geeta they should read this Book.... It give a clear way to understand Vedas.... Brief Description about Vedas and Upanishad , if understand this Book clearly you don't have to read other book about Hindu Spiritual books.... This is too Difficult to understand , one paragraph i read 5 to 6 times than I understand what it means.... If you want to read you have to sit with Clean mind and Silent Place....
September 2, 2014
O scurta istorie a filosofiilor religioase indiene. India este tara cu cea mai mare libertate religioasă. Accentul este pus pe cea mai rationala dintre ele: Advaita Vedanta. Sunt descrise ideile principale si puse in contrast cu cele ale celorlalte religii indiene intr-un limbaj usor si o logica extraordinara a realitatii.
November 9, 2010
This book is great. Not a lesure reading though. Since it was my first book by Swami vivekanand, I am not yet in position to comment. his thought are very practical and I could not disagree with him on anything.
December 20, 2014
I absolutely loved the command of Swami Vivekananda's voice in each of the lectures of a series delivered to the Western world, shortly before his untimely death. Vedantic philosophy is multifaceted, and not many people can speak of it with as much authority as he did. Superior, yet sublime.
June 7, 2012
The Ultimate book on indian philosphy..
July 27, 2014
Best of this series. Well structured and informative.
July 11, 2015
I am the Existence absolute, Bliss absolute, Knowledge absolute, I am He!
February 8, 2016
Marvelous work of Swami ji. He has explained the power of 'real knowledge' and conquest for it. A must read for everyone who is a true seeker in spiritual or educational domain.
March 21, 2017
A great book highly recommended
March 22, 2020
The title might be misleading to those who have seen yoga as a kind of physical exercise.
The content of the book tries to broadly cover Indian theology/philosophy. The author is a well educated Hindu monk. He draws parallels with Christianity, Islam, and Buddism wherever appropriate --that shows he had studied a wide array of religions.
The reason I called "theology/philosophy" is that it is not entirely theology even though most of its content is on religion. Yes, it talks about how humans created God/gods in some beliefs and how God/gods created humans in some other beliefs, etc. It talks about Atman(ie. Soul). Then surprisingly it turns into an atheistic view and tells each of us can become god-like beings which is interesting.
I was raised as a Hindu, in which my parents believed in multiple deities -- So I had believed Hinduism is polytheism. Then eventually I turned atheist and stopped associating myself too closely with Hinduism. As I learned more about Hinduism from this book, I was surprised that it has diverse beliefs spanning across monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, and atheism, etc.,
So I can be an atheist and also be a Hindu; which might raise the eyebrows of some people as it did to me at first. For eg. Gauthama was raised as mono/poly-theist Hindu who discarded all the theist beliefs (i.e turned into atheist) and eventually become Buddha (after realization).
The fact that Buddhism was once spread across whole India but today it is wiped out shows the innate inclination of commoners to believe in God/gods.
Ironically, a lot of Indians never learn the (atheistic) teachings of Budha but instead worship Buddha statues as 'yet another god'. The author did wink that atheism doesn't sell/convince well to people so we have to keep Gods in there -- I don't know if he was joking or playing mind game.
I wanted to take out one star because some things are too ambiguous. I get that Hindu/Indian philosophy has diversity. I get that the author has studied too many philosophies and a great spokesperson. But the philosophical threads in this book are all jumbled up.
I wish the author had removed all the clutter to make a summary of dos and don'ts.
That would have made him as another Buddha-like god in the eyes of commoners (sarcasm intended!). And he didn't. He let us figure out whatever feels best for us which is why I am not removing any stars.
The content of the book tries to broadly cover Indian theology/philosophy. The author is a well educated Hindu monk. He draws parallels with Christianity, Islam, and Buddism wherever appropriate --that shows he had studied a wide array of religions.
The reason I called "theology/philosophy" is that it is not entirely theology even though most of its content is on religion. Yes, it talks about how humans created God/gods in some beliefs and how God/gods created humans in some other beliefs, etc. It talks about Atman(ie. Soul). Then surprisingly it turns into an atheistic view and tells each of us can become god-like beings which is interesting.
I was raised as a Hindu, in which my parents believed in multiple deities -- So I had believed Hinduism is polytheism. Then eventually I turned atheist and stopped associating myself too closely with Hinduism. As I learned more about Hinduism from this book, I was surprised that it has diverse beliefs spanning across monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, and atheism, etc.,
So I can be an atheist and also be a Hindu; which might raise the eyebrows of some people as it did to me at first. For eg. Gauthama was raised as mono/poly-theist Hindu who discarded all the theist beliefs (i.e turned into atheist) and eventually become Buddha (after realization).
The fact that Buddhism was once spread across whole India but today it is wiped out shows the innate inclination of commoners to believe in God/gods.
Ironically, a lot of Indians never learn the (atheistic) teachings of Budha but instead worship Buddha statues as 'yet another god'. The author did wink that atheism doesn't sell/convince well to people so we have to keep Gods in there -- I don't know if he was joking or playing mind game.
I wanted to take out one star because some things are too ambiguous. I get that Hindu/Indian philosophy has diversity. I get that the author has studied too many philosophies and a great spokesperson. But the philosophical threads in this book are all jumbled up.
I wish the author had removed all the clutter to make a summary of dos and don'ts.
That would have made him as another Buddha-like god in the eyes of commoners (sarcasm intended!). And he didn't. He let us figure out whatever feels best for us which is why I am not removing any stars.
January 20, 2023
It was definitely a fascinating and very inspirational read.
This is the first time I am reading a book from any of the contemporary sages of Hinduism, yoga and India. You could get the sense of his teaching style and character, because this book was written based on his live lectures. I think I highlighted like 1/4 of the text because its loaded with ideas and realizations that are worth to ponder on. Plus, I will definitely share these ideas with my yoga community. That said, it is not an easy read, because you have to approach it with full focus and an open heart to hear what he is saying.
The book gave me a much clearer picture on Vedantism, rituals, the ancient Hindu philosophy and the use of religion in general. I find it extremely interesting to realize that this knowledge, that he spread in the 19th century, is still relevant today, and it comes from thousands-year-old past. There is something very special about this.
There are ideas I disagree with and I think that at some points his logic did not necessarily follow from his premises. Plus, you could feel how the old time thought of the 'perfect man' (and definitely not a woman) influenced his rhetoric. But, at the same time, who am I to judge someone as influential as Swami. Without him, I (and the entire West) probably would've never picked up this knowledge in the first place.
This is the first time I am reading a book from any of the contemporary sages of Hinduism, yoga and India. You could get the sense of his teaching style and character, because this book was written based on his live lectures. I think I highlighted like 1/4 of the text because its loaded with ideas and realizations that are worth to ponder on. Plus, I will definitely share these ideas with my yoga community. That said, it is not an easy read, because you have to approach it with full focus and an open heart to hear what he is saying.
The book gave me a much clearer picture on Vedantism, rituals, the ancient Hindu philosophy and the use of religion in general. I find it extremely interesting to realize that this knowledge, that he spread in the 19th century, is still relevant today, and it comes from thousands-year-old past. There is something very special about this.
There are ideas I disagree with and I think that at some points his logic did not necessarily follow from his premises. Plus, you could feel how the old time thought of the 'perfect man' (and definitely not a woman) influenced his rhetoric. But, at the same time, who am I to judge someone as influential as Swami. Without him, I (and the entire West) probably would've never picked up this knowledge in the first place.
January 1, 2022
As humans progress, they are more and more prone to disbelieve in the spiritual. With our logical over-thinking minds we reduce God and the whole spiritual world to superstition. But the need for a greater good doesn't go away just because we have technology. The belief that there is something more to be achieved pushes people to progress. To believe that there is nowhere further to go from here is simple ignorance. Jnana yoga provides the logical and structured system that modern people need, and I truly believe that a lot of people can benefit from it.
July 7, 2022
বইটিকে বেদান্ত দর্শনের সার বললে নেহাৎ ভুল হবে না! স্বামী বিবেকানন্দের পাশ্চাত্যের অনেক বক্তৃতা ও ভাষণের লিখিত রূপ এই বইটি। তবে বইটি শুধু পড়ার খাতিরে পড়ে মজা পাবেন না পাঠক,পড়ার সাথে সাথে উপলব্ধি করার চেষ্টা করলে মুগ্ধ হবেন অবশ্যই! বিশেষত যারা বেদান্ত দর্শনের বেসিক পাঠ জানতে চান,তাদের জন্য বইটি অবশ্য পাঠ্য বলে মনে করি!
February 1, 2018
For those for whom the term “Jnana Yoga” is unfamiliar, it’s one of the three original branches of yoga. Jnana yoga is the path of knowledge, which sounds more scholarly than apropos and so maybe the alternative translations of path of self-realization or of wisdom might be more informative. For the most part, Jnana yoga isn’t about reading books and collecting facts, although studying texts is traditionally a part of the approach, it’s more about turning inward and expanding understanding through practice and personal inquiry. The other two branches are bhakti yoga, which is the path of devotion followed by pious true believers, and karma yoga, which is the path of [unselfish] action or charitable work.
This is a hard book to rate. As a book about yoga and the philosophy thereof, I give it four stars and might even give it five in a gleeful moment. However, if I were to rate it as a book specifically on jnana yoga, I’d give it two. The book reads more like a bhakti yogi’s take on jnana yoga than a book on jnana yoga itself. In other words, Swami Vivekananda devotes a lot of space to telling the reader what they should take on faith and relatively little to discussing how one can glean one’s own insight through practice and introspection. I realize that if I were a Bhakti Yogi, my perspective would be different and I’d likely see the book as insufficient in its efforts to suggest that the reader should sing the praises of the almighty. But I’m not, and I obtained a book entitled “Jnana Yoga” thinking I would learn about the titular subject and so I was a bit disappointed at the approach of the book. There are some insights into jnana yoga here and there, but it’s not the focus. It’s telling that Chapter one is entitled “the necessity of religion” and that it begins by explaining why the existence of God must be taken as axiomatic.
There are sixteen chapters in the book. The general flow goes: a few chapters on “maya” (which is typically translated as illusion / delusion, but which Vivekananda argues is best thought of in a different light, which he goes on to explain in detail), some chapters on the cosmos and its nature, and the last few chapters are on atman (i.e. the self, sometimes translated as “soul.”) It should be said that these topics are consistent with a consideration of jnana yoga. Jnana yogis concern themselves with these big questions such as the nature of reality, the universe, and the self. However, the approach of saying that this is what the Vedas say (and thus it’s the reader’s truth) is inconsistent with the path of the jnana yogi. Swami Vivekananda is clearly highly knowledgeable and he does bring up some thought-provoking approaches. There are occasional errors on matters of science, but one must keep in mind that it was written before the turn of the twentieth century and so the state of knowledge has changed considerably in the intervening years, and so I don’t discount for them -- especially, because one is often surprised by the author’s level of understanding of the science.
The book is straight text. The edition that I read had some annotations, but the book neither has nor needs any ancillary material.
My recommendation would be contingent on what the reader is looking for in a book. If one is seeking a general understanding of yogic thought on the nature of reality, the universe, and the nature of self, then this is an insightful book. If, however, one is interested in the path of the jnana yogi and what it entails, I’d suggest you look elsewhere (e.g. Swami Saraswati’s “Sure Ways to Self-Realization.”)
This is a hard book to rate. As a book about yoga and the philosophy thereof, I give it four stars and might even give it five in a gleeful moment. However, if I were to rate it as a book specifically on jnana yoga, I’d give it two. The book reads more like a bhakti yogi’s take on jnana yoga than a book on jnana yoga itself. In other words, Swami Vivekananda devotes a lot of space to telling the reader what they should take on faith and relatively little to discussing how one can glean one’s own insight through practice and introspection. I realize that if I were a Bhakti Yogi, my perspective would be different and I’d likely see the book as insufficient in its efforts to suggest that the reader should sing the praises of the almighty. But I’m not, and I obtained a book entitled “Jnana Yoga” thinking I would learn about the titular subject and so I was a bit disappointed at the approach of the book. There are some insights into jnana yoga here and there, but it’s not the focus. It’s telling that Chapter one is entitled “the necessity of religion” and that it begins by explaining why the existence of God must be taken as axiomatic.
There are sixteen chapters in the book. The general flow goes: a few chapters on “maya” (which is typically translated as illusion / delusion, but which Vivekananda argues is best thought of in a different light, which he goes on to explain in detail), some chapters on the cosmos and its nature, and the last few chapters are on atman (i.e. the self, sometimes translated as “soul.”) It should be said that these topics are consistent with a consideration of jnana yoga. Jnana yogis concern themselves with these big questions such as the nature of reality, the universe, and the self. However, the approach of saying that this is what the Vedas say (and thus it’s the reader’s truth) is inconsistent with the path of the jnana yogi. Swami Vivekananda is clearly highly knowledgeable and he does bring up some thought-provoking approaches. There are occasional errors on matters of science, but one must keep in mind that it was written before the turn of the twentieth century and so the state of knowledge has changed considerably in the intervening years, and so I don’t discount for them -- especially, because one is often surprised by the author’s level of understanding of the science.
The book is straight text. The edition that I read had some annotations, but the book neither has nor needs any ancillary material.
My recommendation would be contingent on what the reader is looking for in a book. If one is seeking a general understanding of yogic thought on the nature of reality, the universe, and the nature of self, then this is an insightful book. If, however, one is interested in the path of the jnana yogi and what it entails, I’d suggest you look elsewhere (e.g. Swami Saraswati’s “Sure Ways to Self-Realization.”)
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