Sri Ramakrishna said:
What is the message of the Gita? It is what happens when you repeat it ten times. If ‘Gita’ is repeated ten times, it sounds like ‘tagi’ — tyagi — one who renounces. This is the teaching of the Gita: ‘O man, try to realize God by giving up everything.’
I didn’t get it for many years, until one day I realized, all four yogas are different forms of renunciation.
- Jnana Yoga — Renounce the reality of the world. Realize the Self alone is true.
- Bhakti Yoga — Renounce personal will. Surrender completely to God’s will.
- Raja Yoga — Renounce thoughts. Still the mind in deep silence.
- Karma Yoga — Renounce the result of action. Offer all actions without expectation.
The Bhagavad Gita shows many paths, but the essence is one: Renunciation.