60 The Perfection of Yoga
comes freed from all contaminations arising from
illusory dualities, he engages in the transcendental
service of the Lord. Sri Krsna concludes His discourse
on this subject in this way:
yoginam apt sarvesam
mad-gatenantaratmana
Sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
“And of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with
great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving
service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga
and is the highest of all.” (Bg, 6.47)

It therefore follows that the culmination of all
yogas lies in bhakti-yoga, the rendering of devotional
service unto Krsna. Actually, all of the yogas deline-
ated in Bhagavad-gita end on this note, for Krsna is
the ultimate destination of all the yoga systems.
From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of
bhakti-yoga is a long way to self-realization. Karma-
yoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of
this path. When karma-yoga increases in knowledge
and renunciation, the stage is called jriana-yoga, or
the yoga of knowledge. When jiiana-yoga increases
in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical
processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called
astanga-yoga. And, when one surpasses astanga-yoga
and comes to worship the Supreme Personality of
Godhead Krsna, that is called bhakti-yoga, the cul-
mination. Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate
goal, but to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely one has to
understand the other processes. The yogi who is
