Yoga (Sanskrit: to yoke, to unite) encompasses far more than physical postures. The Bhagavad Gita outlines four cardinal paths - Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, Raja. Later tantric and post-classical traditions added Hatha, Kundalini, and Mantra/Laya. Each path suits a different temperament; most masters combine them.
Gita context: Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita tells Arjuna that all four classical paths lead to the same liberation - the difference is temperament, not destination. Ch.3 = Karma Yoga, Ch.4 = Jnana Yoga, Ch.6 = Dhyana Yoga (Raja foundation), Ch.12 = Bhakti Yoga.
Nishkama karma - action without attachment to fruit
Dedicate all actions to the divine; the fruit belongs to God. The mind is purified by action done without ego-stake. Liberation through total engagement in the world.
Suits
Active, extroverted, people-oriented temperament
Key teachers
Swami Vivekananda, Swami Sivananda, Sri Aurobindo
Entry practice
Dedicate one daily act (work, cooking, any service) to your Ishta-devata. Say "Om Tat Sat" before beginning.
Para Bhakti - supreme devotion
Love of a personal deity as the supreme means and end. The devotee offers their whole heart; the intellect serves the heart. 9 forms (navadha bhakti): shravan, kirtan, smarana, pada-sevana, archana, vandana, dasya, sakhya, atma-nivedana.
Suits
Emotional, heart-centred, devotional temperament
Key teachers
Mirabai, Tukaram, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Ramanuja, Namdev
Entry practice
Daily 15-minute pooja of your Ishta-devata + 108 japa of their mula-mantra.
Viveka-Vairagya - discrimination and dispassion
Liberation through discriminative knowledge (viveka) between the real (Atman/Brahman) and the unreal (nama-rupa). The classic method: shravan (hearing), manana (reflecting), nididhyasana (deep meditation on the truth).
Suits
Intellectual, questioning, analytical temperament
Key teachers
Adi Shankaracharya, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj
Entry practice
Daily 15-min reading of Bhagavad Gita ch.2 ("Sankhya Yoga") + 10-min Atma-Vichara ("Who am I?")
Yoga chitta vritti nirodhah - Yoga is the cessation of mental fluctuations
Systematic mastery of the mind through 8 limbs (ashtanga): Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi. Complete, scientific approach to controlling the mind and attaining liberation.
Suits
Systematic, scientific, disciplined temperament
Key teachers
Patanjali (3rd C BCE), Swami Sivananda, BKS Iyengar, Swami Vivekananda (who systematised this path for the West)
Entry practice
Begin with the Yamas and Niyamas (moral + personal disciplines) before attempting advanced asana or pranayama.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Swatmarama, 15th C), Gheranda Samhita, Shiva Samhita
The body is the vehicle of liberation. Shatkarmas (6 purifications), asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha, and samadhi. Foundation of all modern yoga styles - Iyengar, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Bikram, Yin all derive from Hatha.
Suits
Body-oriented, beginners to advanced physical practitioners
Key teachers
Swatmarama, Gorakshanatha, T Krishnamacharya (modern revival)
Entry practice
Learn Surya Namaskara + Nadi Shodhana pranayama under a qualified teacher.
Sat-Chakra-Nirupana, Gorakshashataka, Shiva Samhita
Awaken the coiled Kundalini Shakti at Muladhara and guide it through 6 chakras to Sahasrara (crown). Uses bandhas, kumbhaka (breath retention), visualization, and mantra.
Suits
Advanced practitioners; requires long preparation in Hatha + Bhakti
Key teachers
Swami Sivananda, Swami Muktananda (Shaktipat lineage)
Important: REQUIRES qualified teacher - premature awakening can cause physical and psychological imbalance.
Entry practice
This path requires initiation (diksha) from a qualified guru. Do not attempt Kundalini techniques from books or videos alone.
Nada-Bindu Upanishad, Hatha Yoga Pradipika ch.4, Shiva Samhita
Mantra Yoga: liberation through sustained repetition of a bija or mantra until the mind merges into sound-consciousness. Laya Yoga: dissolution (laya) of the mind into the anahata-nada (unstruck inner sound). The path of the musician and the meditator.
Suits
Musical, auditory, contemplative temperament
Key teachers
Swami Nada Brahmananda, various Nada yoga masters
Entry practice
Begin with Ajapa-Japa (Soham/Hamsa) - 21-min daily practice.
Commission a Ganapati Homa
Begin a yoga sadhana with a consecrated sankalpa
A Ganapati or Saraswati Homa removes obstacles before beginning serious yoga sadhana.
