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→Visishtadvaita Sampradaya
There is yet another classification of Sadhana into different ways based on the important [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातनधर्मः)|Sanatana Dharma]] tenets, namely,
There is yet another classification of Sadhana into different ways based on the important [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातनधर्मः)|Sanatana Dharma]] tenets, namely,
# Karma
# Karma-yoga
# Bhakti
# Jnana-yoga
# Jnana
# Bhakti-yoga
Sadhana may proceed by emphasizing the subject or the object. The emphasis is laid on the object-factor by the Bhakti schools, while it is on the subject by the Jnana and Yoga schools of thought. The Yoga-system, again, gives '''primacy to will''', and the development of the subject is sought to be attained through the education of the will. It is the will that manifests the whole personality of man, and reason, being only a partial element in his constitution, need not be separately trained. The Kapila-Samkhya and the Vedanta, both preaching Jnana ascribe the '''primacy to reason''' which alone can control the other elements, because the other elements are subordinate to reason. Jnana and Yoga are thus two sub-divisions of the subjective form of Sadhana—one intellectualistic and the other voluntaristic, and they preach two distinctly opposite methods of attaining the end. It depends on the person choosing the way, as not all are fitted for one, and some are not for the other (way). As Vashista says<ref name=":5" />
Sadhana may proceed by emphasizing the subject or the object. The emphasis is laid on the object-factor by the Bhakti schools, while it is on the subject by the Jnana and Yoga schools of thought. The Yoga-system, again, gives '''primacy to will''', and the development of the subject is sought to be attained through the education of the will. It is the will that manifests the whole personality of man, and reason, being only a partial element in his constitution, need not be separately trained. The Kapila-Samkhya and the Vedanta, both preaching Jnana ascribe the '''primacy to reason''' which alone can control the other elements, because the other elements are subordinate to reason. Jnana and Yoga are thus two sub-divisions of the subjective form of Sadhana—one intellectualistic and the other voluntaristic, and they preach two distinctly opposite methods of attaining the end. It depends on the person choosing the way, as not all are fitted for one, and some are not for the other (way). As Vashista says<ref name=":5" />
=== Dvaita Sampradaya ===
=== Dvaita Sampradaya ===
Dvaita outlines the means, sadhana for realization of the supreme end, moksa. Sadhana is a progressive endeavour and it mobilizes all the resources of personality. Madhva assimilates into his scheme of sadhana the entire heritage of the '''Upanisadic''' thought, the bhakti literature such as the '''Puranas''', the '''Agamas''', and the '''Itihasas''' including the '''Bhagavad-Gita'''.
Dvaita outlines the means, sadhana for realization of the supreme end, [[Moksha (मोक्षः)|moksha]]. Sadhana is a progressive endeavour and it mobilizes all the resources of personality. Madhva assimilates into his scheme of sadhana the entire heritage of the '''Upanisadic''' thought, the bhakti literature such as the '''Puranas''', the '''Agamas''', and the '''Itihasas''' including the '''Bhagavad-Gita'''.
The foremost and the ultimate factor that brings about man’s liberation, attainment of moksa, is the grace, prasada of Narayana according to the Dvaita Sampradaya. ‘Without Narayana’s prasada, moksa is not possible’ says Madhva. There are several levels of grace that confers this boon. ‘The grace that responds to karma is the lowest, that, which is in answer to disciplines such as sravana, is of the middle level, and that which rewards the precious possession of knowledge is the highest’. This prasada is an ever-existent reality. All that is required of human effort is to actuate it towards the granting of moksa. It is ultimately God Himself through His grace, which is indistinguishable from His essence because of the principle of Visesa, that effectuates the summum bonum of man, moved towards that end, by the spiritual endeavour of the aspirant.<ref name=":3" />
The foremost and the ultimate factor that brings about man’s liberation, attainment of moksa, is the grace, prasada of Narayana according to the Dvaita Sampradaya. ‘Without Narayana’s prasada, moksa is not possible’ says Madhva. There are several levels of grace that confers this boon. ‘The grace that responds to karma is the lowest, that, which is in answer to disciplines such as sravana, is of the middle level, and that which rewards the precious possession of knowledge is the highest’. This prasada is an ever-existent reality. All that is required of human effort is to actuate it towards the granting of moksa. It is ultimately Himself through His grace, which is indistinguishable from His essence because of the principle of Visesa, that effectuates the summum bonum of man, moved towards that end, by the spiritual endeavour of the aspirant.<ref name=":3" />
The Visnu-tattvavinirnaya lays down that ‘Visnu grants knowledge to the ignorant, grants liberation to the man of knowledge, and grants ananda to the liberated individual.’ Grace is a continuously operative factor in spiritual life, and does not cease to be required even when the goal is accomplished.
The Visnu-tattvavinirnaya lays down that ‘Visnu grants knowledge to the ignorant, grants liberation to the man of knowledge, and grants ananda to the liberated individual.’ Prasada is a continuously operative factor in spiritual life, and does not cease to be required even when the goal is accomplished.
What brings grace to operational manifestation is bhakti of the aspirant. Dvaita tradition defines bhakti thus: ‘Mahatmya-jnana pursvastu sudrdhah sarvatodhikah; sneho bhaktriti proktahtaya muktih nacanyatha’. The two constituents of bhakti are knowledge of the greatness of God and love towards Him. This love must be steadfast and surpass in its intensity all other love including self-love. It is that height of bhakti that could invoke the necessary grace of Narayana for the purpose of moksa. There are different levels of bhakti, four levels stated in the Gita. Only the highest bhakti is what brings about the prasada for moksa.<ref name=":3" />
What brings grace to operational manifestation is bhakti of the aspirant. Dvaita tradition defines bhakti thus: ‘Mahatmya-jnana pursvastu sudrdhah sarvatodhikah; sneho bhaktriti proktahtaya muktih nacanyatha’. The two constituents of bhakti are knowledge of the greatness of God and love towards Him. This love must be steadfast and surpass in its intensity all other love including self-love. It is that height of bhakti that could invoke the necessary grace of Narayana for the purpose of moksa. There are different levels of bhakti, four levels stated in the Gita. Only the highest bhakti is what brings about the prasada for moksa.<ref name=":3" />
=== Visishtadvaita Sampradaya ===
=== Visishtadvaita Sampradaya ===
All Bhakti schools agree in thinking that the Absolute cannot be reached by knowledge, as the Jnanavadins hold. They regard devotion to be the most effective means to realization. Jiva is in bondage because it does not know the truth that Vishnu is the Ultimate. The knowledge of this truth (Jnana) leads to His Prasada and through it to freedom from bondage. However, a certain level of fitness is required on the part of the Jiva for the knowledge to be acquired. A course of discipline for the Jiva is of absolute necessity and consists of several stages of mental and physical purificatory aspects.
# '''Karma-yoga''' - At this stage the individual obtains the knowledge of his own self and Ishvara by means of studying the sacred literature (shravana). A sadhaka acts with dispassion, avoids bad actions and performs only those actions such as worship, dana (charity) in the divine name and meditation on Ishvara's nature. Both knowledge and actions thus purify him to make him fit for the next stage.
# '''Jnana-yoga''' - It is totally the way of knowledge. At this stage the individual has the conviction (chinta-visesha) that he is dependent on Ishvara and different from Prakrti. This leads him to Bhakti yoga.
# '''Bhakti-yoga''' - It is the way of devotion. At this stage the sadhaka is required to have incessant thought of Ishvara. Such thought happens when the eight-fold condition (ashtanga-yoga) is satisfied namely, [[Yama ( यमः )|yama]], [[Niyama (नियमः)|niyama]], [[Asanas (आसनानि)|asana]], [[Pranayama (प्राणायामः)|pranayama]], [[Pratyahara (प्रत्याहारः)|pratyahara]], [[Dharana (धारणा)|dharana]], [[Dhyana (ध्यानम्)|dhyana]] and [[Samadhi (समाधिः)|samadhi]]. According to this school of thought, seven-fold discipline has to be practiced, Sadhana-saptaka, and Ramanujacharya quotes in his Sribhashya the Vakyakara who describes them as follows: तल्लब्धिः विवेक-विमोकाभ्यासक्रियाकल्याणानवसादानुद्धर्षेभ्यः संभवान्निर्वचनाच्च। They are viveka (विवेकः), vimoka (विमोका), abhyasa (अभ्यासः), kriya (क्रिया), kalyana (कल्याणम्), anvasada (अनवसादः), anuddharsha (अनुद्धर्षः). While ascertaining the fimdamental factors leading to Bhakti, Vedanta Desika points out that four factors namely (1) Viveka, (2) Nirveda, (3) Virakti and (4) Bhiti are essential for developing Bhakti.
# Prapatti: It is the same as complete self-surrender to Ishvara (saranagati). It is the disposition of knowledge. It happens once at the death of the body. It puts an end even to prarabdha karma. With it the Self is liberated to go back to Vaikuntha. Every Jiva is fit to have it.
== References ==
== References ==
[[Category:Vedanta]]
[[Category:Vedanta]]
[[Category:Yoga]]
[[Category:Yoga]]