"In whatever way men approach me," says the Lord Krishna, "so I reward them; for it is my path that men follow in all things." This verse is taken from the Bhagavad-Gita, "The Song of the Lord", a scared book belonging to Hindus that illustrates the paths available to them to obtain Ultimate Reality: the unification of the Atman (Self) and the Brahman (God). The Atman is the immortal Soul of man and is identical with the Ultimate Reality, also known as Brahman. This entity of Atman has always existed within us, however, it is the Hindus goal in life to experience Atman, however, they must leave the transitory world of illusion (maya) where everything is separate from Brahman. When the Ultimate Reality is achieved the devotee is granted liberation (moksha) from samsara (rebirth) which is caused by the consequences of their actions (karma). The path to liberation is difficult and complex. The Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita teaches that there are essentially three paths to achieve moksha from samsara: the jnana-marga (meant for people with intuitive wisdom), the karma-marga (the act of performing one's role in life or dharma) and the bhakti-marga (the emotional devotion to God). Many scholars argue that bhakti is the most important of these three paths and is therefore the only one to help achieve true oneness with Brahman. Each path, however, is a means to the same goal and therefore has equal importance. It is through the practice of either one or a combination of this triad of margas (paths) that a Hindu is able to achieve Ultimate Reality.
             The Three Problems of Human Mentality
             Human beings, according to Hindus, live in an illusionary, dualistic world. The world they perceive as real is illusionary; it is full of material possessions and feelings. It is the goal of a Hindu to escape this world of maya (illusion) and become one with Atman. There are, however, obstacles in this path. Duri...