karma-mārga

Hinduism

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June 30, 2026

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The karma-marga is one of the paths to salvation in Hinduism, often translated as the "path of ritual action" or "path of duties". It emphasizes the strict observance of caste regulations and ritual duties as a means to achieve a happier life in the next incarnation. This path is rooted in the concept of karma, the universal causal law where good or bad actions determine future existences. The Bhagavadgita highlights the karma-marga alongside the paths of knowledge (jnana-marga) and devotion (bhakti-marga), suggesting that performing one's duties with detachment from the results can lead to spiritual release (moksha).1234

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Hinduism
Dharma and the three paths
…three paths to salvation: the karma-marga (“path of ritual action” or “path of duties”), the disinterested discharge of ritual and social obligations; the jnana-marga (“path of knowledge”), the use of meditative concentration preceded by long and systematic ethical and contemplative training (Yoga) to gain a supraintellectual insight into one’s identity…
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…three paths to salvation: the karma-marga (“path of ritual action” or “path of duties”), the disinterested discharge of ritual and social obligations; the jnana-marga (“path of knowledge”), the use of meditative concentration preceded by long and systematic ethical and contemplative training (Yoga) to gain a supraintellectual insight into one’s identity…
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