As discussed in the first part of this series, the idea that all paths lead to the same goal doesn’t hold true for Arjuna’s different choices — they clearly lead to different results. 

Instead of applying the idea to Arjuna’s specific situation, can it apply to humanity’s overall spiritual journey: do all spiritual paths lead people to the same goal? No, let’s consider two problems with this idea:

Philosophically: When comparing various paths, Krishna states explicitly and repeatedly that different paths lead to different results. Here are some references: 03.31-32, 04.39-40, 07.23, 08.15-16, 08.26, 09.11-14, 09.25, 12.05-06, 14.18 ,15.11, 16.23-24 and 18.58. 

Textually: Krishna never says directly anything close to, “All paths lead to the same goal.” The words that are interpreted to say so state literally, “All people are on my path.” How, then, are they read to mean, “All paths lead to the same goal”? By complex linguistic maneuvering involving at least two major steps. 

  1. Replace ‘Krishna’ with ‘goal’: In the verse, Krishna doesn’t use any word in the verse that could be translated to mean ‘goal’. Then, where does that word ‘goal’ come from? It is a replacement for ‘mama’ (Krishna) — some Gita translators try to universalize the Gita by replacing references to the personal divinity ‘Krishna’ with a more universal-sounding ‘goal.’
  2. Assume the use of transferred epithet: An example of such usage is. “The traveler walked a lonely path.” The path being insentient can’t be lonely; it is the traveler on the path who is lonely. But this literary device transfers the epithet ‘lonely’ from the ‘path’ to the ‘traveler.’ Similarly, in this verse’s second half: mama vartmaanuvartante manushyah partha sarvashah, the epithet ‘all’ (sarvashah) is transferred from the word near it ‘people’ (manushyah) to a word much further away ‘paths’ (vartma). While the Gita does use literary devices, there isn’t anything in the context to suggest that such a nonliteral reading is necessary. Nonliteral readings are sometimes used when the literal readings don’t make sense. But here, it is the nonliteral reading that doesn’t make sense; hence, it can be deemed invalid. 

One-sentence summary:

All paths lead to the same goal — this idea contradicts many other clear Gita statements and requires unnecessary linguistic maneuvering to even claim to be derived from the Gita. 

Think it over:

All paths lead to the same goal — What’s wrong with this idea:

  • Philosophically?
  • Textually?

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04.11: As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prutha.