The few known ways to reach god are bhakthi marga, karma marga, gnana (jnana) marga & yoga marga.
How one can know the best way which suits to him? Are there any references?
For this timetabled life style, is there a way to know the proposition of them which suits to the person to take him to the next spiritual level?
The answer is simple. Just ask yourself:
Depending upon your answers and how you feel about them, you can easily decide which path is suitable for you. Because the scripture says the following:
nirviṇṇānāṁ jñāna-yogo nyāsinām iha karmasu
teṣv anirviṇṇa-cittānāṁ karma-yogas tu kāminām [SB - 11.20.7]Meaning
Among these three paths, jñāna-yoga, the path of philosophical speculation, is recommended for those who are disgusted with material life and are thus detached from ordinary, fruitive activities. Those who are not disgusted with material life, having many desires yet to fulfill, should seek perfection through the path of karma-yoga.yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān
na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto bhakti-yogo ’sya siddhi-daḥ [SB - 11.20.8]Meaning
If somehow or other by good fortune one develops faith in hearing and chanting My glories, such a person, being neither disgusted with nor very much attached to material life, should achieve perfection through the path of loving devotion to Me.
So the rule is simple:
Irrespective of which path you follow, if you do it properly, then it will automatically lead you to the other. However, in this present age of Kali, following the path of jnana is very difficult. So generally path of devotion can be easily followed by most people without any risk. And bhakti (devotion to God) gives the result of all the other paths:
yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna-vairāgyataś ca yat
yogena dāna-dharmeṇa śreyobhir itarair api
sarvaṁ mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate ’ñjasā
svargāpavargaṁ mad-dhāma kathañcid yadi vāñchati [SB - 11.20.31,32]Meaning
Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities, penance, knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious duties and all other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by My devotee through loving service unto Me. If somehow or other My devotee desires promotion to heaven, liberation, or residence in My abode, he easily achieves such benedictions.
So ask yourself those questions and depending upon your state of mind you can easily decide which path is suitable for your current situation.
It is not only according to Hinduism, It applies to all religious, Karma Yoga is the best way to reach god and it is also a best way of achieving "Moksha".
From tripod.com
Karma Yoga
As we have seen, karma yoga can be described as the way of faithful action without any interest in its effects and without any personal sense of giving. In other words, one must renounce any selfish motive behind one's act. Those who follow this path do what is required of them by their caste and place in life without any thought of the consequence of their action. In so doing, one avoids the accumulation of negative karma while simultaneously acquiring good karma. As we have seen, Rama exemplifies this way of faithfulness in the Ramayana.
In the Bhagavad-Gita, karma yoga is actually connected to the concept of devotion to a god. In 3:30-31 of the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna says:
Dedicating all works to Me in a spiritual frame of mind, free from desire, attachment, and mental grief, do your duty.
Those who always practice this teaching of Mine, with faith and free from cavil, are freed from the bondage of Karma.
It should be noted that in some ways the Bhagavad-Gita is addressing those who claimed that the only way to keep from accumulating negative karma is to do nothing. Many people had concluded that they would have to renounce the world, withdraw from it, and do as little as possible in order to avoid the negative consequences of action. There were two problems with this approach. On the one hand, it is simply not possible to renounce all activities. On the other hand, if everyone renounced all actions because of fear of negative karma, the cosmos itself would collapse.
The one who does not help to keep the wheel of creation in motion by sacrificial duty, and who rejoices in sense pleasures, that sinful person lives in vain, O Arjuna.
Notice in the verse above, the the "wheel of creation" is kept in motion by "sacrificial duty." Thus, complete renunciation of duties and responsibilities is not only impossible, the attempt to do so endangers the order of the world. Karma yoga provides an alternative to the renunciation of duty and responsibility.In karma yoga, one renounces not the world, but the selfish motives behind any actions. One who acts without any thought of reward or punishment has in fact renounces all selfish motives.The result of fulfilling one's duties without thought of reward or punishment is freedom from the effects of karma.
मोक्षकारणसामग्रहयां भक्तिरेव गरीयसी |
स्वस्वरूपानुसन्धानं भक्तिरित्यभिधीयते ||32||
"mOksha kAraNa sAmagryAm bhaktirEva garIyasi"
SwaSwarupaNuSanDhaaNam BhaktiRityaBhidhiYate - Sankaracharya in Vivekachudamani.Translation: Among all tools available in the attainment of mOksha (salvation), bhakti is the most important.
Having said that, our mind and soul steer towards a particular path based on the practices done in previous lives and the one in which we are deficient. All four are required for mOksha and excellence in one path leads to the realization of the others.
This is a reference from Uddhava Geeta (in Bhagwat Purana) explaining the separate paths for varying sadhakas.
Translation:
Gyan, Karma and Bhakti. These 3 alone are the main paths for true welfare of a person.
Those persons who have renounced ritualistic Vedic actions (like social rules, order) and their fruits, they are eligible for Gyan Yoga.
In contrary to that, people who are unable to give worldly duties and their fruits, for them Karma Yoga is prescribed.
While those who are neither too renunciate and nor too involved in worldly affairs and because of previous birth's inclinations have attained faith in the glories of God, for them Bhakti Yog is most suitable. These people will attain liberation through Bhakti alone.
Regarding Karma Yoga, like Vedic rituals, Varna Ashram etc., should be followed as long as one does not develop Vairagya from Vedic actions and their fruits like heavenly pleasures or does not develop faith in God.
This has been explained in Bhagwat Geeta (3.3) by Krishna as well:
sri-bhagavan uvaca
"loke smin dvi-vidha nistha pura prokta mayanagha jnana-yogena sankhyanam karma-yogena yoginam"
The Lord said:
"In this world there is a twofold path, as I said before, O sinless one, the path of knowledge of the Sankhyas and the path of action of the Yogis!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-irtM_BgePk
Of course, there is also a Kriya Yoga Marg as it is based on breathing exercises and doing asanas based on Patanjali's Ashtang Yoga which even atheists like Buddhists, Samkhya etc., also follow apart from their traditional indoctrinated knowledge.
An authentic Vedic Astrologer (Jyotishi) from a true lineage of Jyotishis can educate the aspirant which path to make. Moksha houses are 4th house(bhakti), 8th house(occult skills such as aspiring for siddhis), 12th house(pursuing a path of enlightenment). Specifically the 4th house and it's ruler(strong bhakti yoga affinities especially if feminine planets reside such as Venus reside in that house). Karma yogis usually have a strong connection between 9th house(house of dharma) and 10th house(house of karma). For serious sanyasins and people pursuing enlightenment the 12th house should be unafflicted by malefic planets(called as baadhakas or obstacles).
