XIV

APRAVIDYA (OR KNOWELEDGE OF THE WORLD):  IT'S VALUE

 

The scriptures are indeed wonderful and precious records of the personal experience of the great souls in their quest for Reality, and as such are worthy of respect and adoration. The study of the scriptures has it's own value. To a certain extent, these books awaken in us a desire for knowledge of God. By reading then, we too are moved to experiment in the science of life, to seek out some living Master competent to initiate us into preliminaries of this science, for such a one can help and guide us on the spiritual path from the plane to plane. But Beyond this, the scriptures cannot help.

 

The real help comes from a living Master alone, who makes us repeat the experiment of old. For our satisfaction, he refers us to recorded results and conclusions for a general check-up with our own. Again, it is the living Master who can correctly interpret to us the ancient texts, and impart to us the right import. Linked as he is with the powerhouse of reality, his utterance are those of God Himself, no matter if the words may appear to be coming out of a human mouth.

 

“His words are the words of Allah (God), though seemingly these come from Abdullah (the servant of God).”

 

Guru Nanak explained; “O Lalo, I open my mouth just to utter words that come to me from my beloved (God).” such words of divine wisdom, coming directly from God-men are more precious than the most wonderful thought recorded in the holy books. All these have no other value except that of creating in us a desire to know God, but cannot actually help us to introvert; to tap within. To withdraw and recede back and be linked with word, Naam or Kalma. “But unfortunately, the people of the world get entangled in the books, wholly and solely depend upon them as their mainstay in life. without attempting to do what the books say: “Get attuned with God.” without this attunement, one gets entangled in the world, tied to the scriptures, and one finds no bliss. The Srutis and Puranas all speak of the way. But instead of freedom, one sinks deeper in the morass.”  - (Ramayrna by Tulsi Dass)

 

All living Master, on the other, hand, point, to us a “Way – out” and put us on the “grand trunk road” leading to the Infinite. He becomes a guide to the weary soul torn by life’s struggle in the world, a work which no book can possibly do.

 

Man is the most ancient of all sentiments creatures on earth. All religions and all sacred texts came into being only after his advent. All religions were made for the benefit of man, and man was never intended for any religion. God made man and man made religions. man is the author of all scriptures, but the grand mystery of life, which the latter describes, ever lies within the human breast. No one can know and solve it unless some Master soul points the “Way-In” and helps the soul to withdraw and transcend all limitations, physical, astral and causal, before it is enabled to have a glimpse within, and to listen to the inner Divine music.

 

Man is ever engaged in the recitation of scriptures and in expounding the sacred texts to huge congregations, but the pity of it is that he remains all the time far from the reality that he studies for himself, preaches to others, and makes so much noise about.

 

“He studies the sacred texts for the sake of disputations, without knowing the reality.

 

And reality cannot be know but through a Master-soul who gives the true way to the True One.” – Maru M.5

 

There is a vital difference between man and scriptures. The former is a sentient being, endowed with consciousness and reason, and is aware of the same; while the latter are insentient and do not know that they are inert and lifeless and cannot impart correct knowledge without a true interpreter. How can the sacred books speak to, reason with, and try to convince, a living entity. With his book-knowledge and learning every person feels that he knows Reality, little realizing that the infinite cannot be comprehended by finite means. It's power can be felt by the spirit alone, if properly attuned and adjusted under the guidance and instructions of some living Master-soul.

 

As long as we do not have an inner experience of the soul, we remain in utter darkness. Bookish knowledge becomes a headache as it draws the mind out into the world through the senses, and makes us feel identified with the senses by constant association with the world, and by always thinking in terms of the body and bodily relations around us. On the contrary, self-knowledge satisfies the innate craving and hunger of the soul for peace and happiness. all that we need learn is the book of man, for the greatest study of man is man.

 

When once a person is able to open the pages of the soul and see the great and immense possibilities lying hidden therein, there drawns in him a new kind of awakening and new light, shadowless and uncreated. This is called regeneration or rebirth or resurrection. It puts an end to his otherwise endless suffering, tribulations, want and miseries, and he becomes established in his native Godhood and Divinity. The soul thus freed from world ties comes into it's own knows it's truly Divine Nature, and tries to understand and find it's source and Fountainhead, the Great Ocean of consciousness, containing the three vital elements of life, Light and love. Attaining this supreme Truth, there comes to the soul eternal bliss and perfect calm forever. But all this process of spiritual evolution, blossoming into the universal consciousness, comes only through the grace of some God- man and not otherwise. That is the fundamental law since the dawn of creation and admits of no modification. Just as there is one God and one reality, there is also one path leading to Him – the path of the Master. This nothing else but Surat, Shabd; Yoga, or yoga of the Sound current. A Muslim Saint, therefore affirmed:

 

“Consign all thy books to the flames, and by constant remembrance of the Lord, transform thy mind into a veritable garden of Allah (God).”

 

The Vedas and Upanishads tell that Atma Siki. Or self-realisation, cannot be attained by the study of, or listening to the scriptures. As self lies far Beyond the scope of both the mind and the intellect. It can be achieved by intuition, and integral experience of the soul, through the grace of some Master-soul.

 

In verse 39 of Sukat 164 of Mandal I of Rig Veda, and in Verse 8 of Chapter IV of Swetarshweta Upanishad, it is stated that a person who knows the Primal Causeless cause, Self-existent and Immanent, which is the very soul of the Vedas and in whom all God and goddesses are deeply rooted, will not have anything to do with the Vedas. Those alone have real peace who are engrafted to Him.

 

Even if a person were to be well-versed in the four Vedas, eighteen puranas, nine Viyakaranas, the six Shastras ( six schools of Indian philosophy), and all other sacred scriptures of the world, he would be lost in the maze of the scriptures and remain a far removed from God as ever before, so long as the human does not come in contact with Shabd or Word (God in action), it wanders in the world like a Chandool (parrot), who on the spur of the moment begins imitating whatever it hears.

 

All philosophic disputation are the offsprings of dull and drab intellect and the source of headache. It would certainly be better, by far, if one were to leave off all knowledge and learning and grasp the one and the only pivotal stillpoints – reality – the bestower of all bliss and happiness. Bulleh Shah, Guru Nanak and others speak in the same terms.

 

“Why do ye bother with so many books, for these are a source a headache;

 

learn ye the mystery of the center, and leave off the vicious circle of endless and idle talk.”  - Bulleh shah

 

“One may read cart-loads of books and carry a heavy load on his head;

 

All such studies forge but strong fetters and keep one bound therein.

 

One may read endlessly from year to year, and from month to month, nay, every moment of his life;

 

O Nanak! Only one thing counts, and all the rest but make one self-conceited.”  - Asa War M.1

 

“The study of the scriptures, including the Vedas, far from freeing the mind of shackles, makes one all the more egocentric.” – sorath  M. 5

Hafiz, a well-known Persian poet, goes to the extent of saying that so long as a person does not leave off intellectual wrangling he remains ignorant of the reality. Man must take note of one thing – that he must transcend himself if he wants to escape from all limitations and shortcomings.

 

If any problem has to be solved, one must apply himself heart and soul to it's solution. The Upanishads, with a clarion call, declare that Atmavidya, or self-knowledge, drawns only when the senses are at rest, the mind is stilled and the intellect, too, is equipoised. Learning and knowledge may be additional assets for a spiritual person, but certainly constitute a crown of thorns of the worldly wise.

 

“knowledge may adorn a spiritual adept, but it is a headache for the carnal mind.” – Maulana Rumi

 

In Brihadaraniak Upanishad it is mentioned that an unlettered person is steeped in dark ignorance, and a learned one is still greater darkness. Why? Because a man of great learning can hardly know the glory and greatness of the Saints and their saintly teachings.

 

The Saints and sages, therefore, lay stress on a life of spirituality. Book-learning has no real value for them. The hearsay words of wisdom and knowledge derived from books are all lifeless, and, as such, cannot transmit life-impulse to others. It is just like talking of sweet and not partaking of them. Should a person go on repeating on the various ingredients that go to make a pudding, he cannot relish the pudding nor can experience have any satition unless he actually eats it.

 

Bhai Gurdas says the same thing, in this context;

 

“By repeating the words Sugar, one tastes not the sweetness of sugar,

 

By repeating the word fire, one is not rid of the cold,

 

By repeating the word physician, one is not cured of the malady,

 

By repeating the word suffering, one never escapes therefrom.

 

By repeating the words sandalwood, one never enjoys it's fragrance.

 

By repeating the words moon, one never gets it's soothing light,

 

By repeating the word Jnana, one never gets out of ignorance,

 

It in only the actual practice that brings in Heavens light.”

 

- Kabir Sawai 452