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== मोक्ष-सोपानम् ॥ Moksha Sopanam ==

== मोक्ष-सोपानम् ॥ Moksha Sopanam ==

Buddhi Yoga (c) is the ancient version of the Snakes and Ladders game that we use in the present day. Based on the Moksha Sopanam, this design encodes ancient wisdom comprising of three knowledge paths or Margas of Moksha (मोक्षमार्गः) namely     

Buddhi Yoga is the ancient version of the Snakes and Ladders game that we use in the present day. Based on the Moksha Sopanam, this design encodes ancient wisdom comprising of three knowledge paths or Margas of Moksha (मोक्षमार्गः) namely     

# Tantra (तन्त्रम्) or Jnana (ज्ञानमार्गः)     

# Tantra (तन्त्रम्) or Jnana (ज्ञानमार्गः)     

# Karma (कर्ममार्गः)     

# Karma (कर्ममार्गः)     

This design comprises of 72 cells with each cell of the game board inscribed with terms from the vedanta shastras which are very relevant to the present day life. The placement of the specially inscribed words depicts the life of man, in different ashramas, at different mental and physical states taking different paths all within the framework of the Purusharthas, in their journey to understand life and attain Moksha. In a grand perspective, the gameboard represents the Kshetra (location), the player is the "manifestated form" (Man, the Jivatma embodied in an Upadhi formed from Prakrti) and the snakes represent a person's weaknesses (passions) and susceptibilities.  The players being a form of Prakriti are therefore referred to in the female gender during the discussion on the game.     

This design comprises of 72 cells with each cell of the game board inscribed with terms from the vedanta shastras which are very relevant to the present day life. The placement of the specially inscribed words depicts the life of man, in different ashramas, at different mental and physical states taking different paths all within the framework of the Purusharthas, in their journey to understand life and attain Moksha. In a grand perspective, the gameboard represents the Kshetra (location), the player is the "manifestated form" (Man, the Jivatma embodied in an Upadhi formed from Prakrti) and the snakes represent a person's weaknesses (passions) and susceptibilities.  The players being a form of Prakriti are therefore referred to in the female gender during the discussion on the game.     

The snake in last cell suggests that the game was played differently than the "race to win" game that we know today.  The rules of play as mentioned by Harish Johari in Leela and first hand encounters with some learned people in Varanasi helped in formulating the rules of play for Buddhi Yoga.    [[File:Buddhi Yoga.png|thumb|292x292px|Fundamental principles of the philosophy of Tantra.]]

The snake in last cell suggests that the game was played differently than the "race to win" game that we know today.  The rules of play as mentioned by Harish Johari in Leela and first hand encounters with some learned people in Varanasi helped in formulating the rules of play for Buddhi Yoga.    [[File:Buddhi Yoga.png|thumb|344x344px|Fundamental principles of the philosophy of Tantra.]]

== Tantra (तन्त्रम्) or Jnana Marga (ज्ञानमार्गः) ==

== Tantra (तन्त्रम्) or Jnana Marga (ज्ञानमार्गः) ==

== Karma Marga (कर्ममार्गः) ==

== Karma Marga (कर्ममार्गः) ==

The path of unselfish action is the karma marg to moksha.  We act in the context of our social role.  There are four stages (आश्रम) in our life; the student (ब्रह्मचर्याश्रम), the householder (गृहस्थाश्रम), the retired (वानप्रस्थाश्रम) and the renunciate (सन्यास).  These stages are represented by two rows each on the game board in the above sequence.  Thus the first two rows or eighteen cells represent the stage of the student, the next eighteen cells represent the stage of the householder and so on.   

The path of unselfish action is the karma marg to moksha.  We act in the context of our social role.  There are four stages (आश्रम) in our life; the student (ब्रह्मचर्याश्रम), the householder (गृहस्थाश्रम), the retired (वानप्रस्थाश्रम) and the renunciate (सन्यास).  These stages are represented by two rows each on the game board in the above sequence.  Thus the first two rows or eighteen cells represent the stage of the student, the next eighteen cells represent the stage of the householder and so on.   

== Bhakti Marga (भक्तिमार्गः) ==

== Bhakti Marga (भक्तिमार्गः) ==

Bhakti marga or Bhakti Yoga is conspicuous by the absence of any other supporting cell other than the cell of bhakti itself.  Narada (son of Brahma), had in his Bhakti Sutra, famously proclaimed that bhakti begets itself, or bhakti is it's own fruit (स्वयं फलरूपतेति ब्रह्मकुमारः)<ref>Narada Bhakti Sutra (Sutra [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/नारदभक्तिसूत्रम् 30]) </ref>.  It is very uniquely positioned on the tri-guna side of the game board signifying that bhakti applies to the believers of saguna (सगुण) devotion.  

Bhakti marga or Bhakti Yoga is conspicuous by the absence of any other supporting cell other than the cell of bhakti itself.  Narada (son of Brahma), had in his Bhakti Sutra, famously proclaimed that bhakti begets itself, or bhakti is it's own fruit (स्वयं फलरूपतेति ब्रह्मकुमारः)<ref>Narada Bhakti Sutra (Sutra [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/नारदभक्तिसूत्रम् 30]) </ref>.  It is very uniquely positioned on the tri-guna side of the game board signifying that bhakti applies to the believers of saguna (सगुण) devotion.