Spiritual Disciplines That Arise In the Gita

The first six chapters of the Bhagavad Gita predominantly relate to the path of action or karma yoga also known as the yoga of action. (The relationship between the body and the soul is explained in the second chapter).

The middle six chapters (7th to 12th) explain the paths of meditation (Dhyana Yoga) and devotion (Bhakti Yoga). The sixth chapter already begins to deal with the mind through the topic entitled as Dhyana Yoga or the Yoga of Meditation. Here, the mind is the equipment that is involved. For the purpose of our understanding, it will help to remember that the mind has two fold tendencies. 1. The mind can be full of emotions and can lead a person to the path of devotion or bhakti. One can sing the praises of the Lord and cultivate the very fine emotions of pure love (eg., Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Mirabai). 2. The second tendency of the mind is its ability to lead a person into meditation. The Yoga of meditation is also known as Raja Yoga.The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Maharaj are the best guide since the ancient times, for the practice of Raja Yoga.

The last six chapters (13th to 18th) relate to the path of Knowledge or Jnana Yoga. This relates to the intellect portion of B-M-I.

Thus we are able to emphasise four major Yogas of the Bhagavad Gita.

1. Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action). 2. Dhyana Yoga (Yoga of Meditation).
3. Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion). 4. Jnana Yoga (Yoga of Knowledge).

The imagery associated with the Bhagavad Gita is that of a chariot with four horses. Arjuna is inside the chariot and the chariot is being driven by Lord Krishna. The human body is the chariot and Arjun is the embodied soul. This body (chariot) is being driven by the Supreme Lord. God's will prevails. The explanation about this imagery is taken from :
The Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Section CLVIII

It is Krishna who gave unto Arjuna a number of white steeds (horses). This world (or human life) represents his chariot. He (Krishna) it is that yokes that chariot for setting it in motion. That chariot has three wheels (viz., the three attributes of Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas). It has three kinds of motion (for it goes upwards or downwards or transversely, implying superior, inferior, and intermediate birth as brought about by acts). It has four horses yoked to it (viz., Time, Predestiny, the will of the deities, and one's own will). It has three naves (white, black, and mixed, implying good acts, evil acts and acts that are of a mixed character).

The Gita is the Song Celestial; a dialogue between the Supreme Lord and the individual soul.

(A similar imagery from the Katha Upanishad describes a chariot (III.Up.I.2.3. -13 & 14.) "Know that the Self is like the Lord of the chariot, and the body is his chariot. Know that the intellect is the charioteer and the mind the reins. The senses, they say, are the horses, the objects of the senses their roads. When the Self is in union with the body, the senses and the mind, the wise call Him the enjoyer."

The four Yogas of the Gita are of invaluable help in developing the human personality. The human personality can be likened to a table with four legs. Each of the four legs is important. The four legs or the four pillars of human personality are 1. Action 2. Will Power 3. Emotions 4. Reason.