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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

Miscellaneous

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Religion

 

 

Spiritual knowledge transcends duality

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHENNAI, DEC. 24. Knowledge pertaining to the world is relative as it is always

in relation to something that the process of knowledge takes place. Knowledge

presupposes subject-object duality, the person and the object of knowledge. This

is true of all empirical knowledge but cannot be applied to spiritual knowledge.

For example, when God is spoken of as both the cause and the effect of this

universe, human beings cannot form any notion of God except in the relative

sense. But, according to the scriptures, the Supreme Being has an identity which

is beyond both His manifest and unmanifest aspects. Arjuna when he was granted

the cosmic vision of Lord Krishna exclaimed, ``You are that imperishable Being

who is both existence (effect) and non- existence (cause) as also that which is

beyond them both.''

 

It was the insight he got which enabled him to make this shift in understanding

from the relative to the absolute level. Another revelation which accompanies

this knowledge is one's relationship with God. Before spiritual awakening a

person identifies himself with the worldly relations as his sense of

identification with his body-mind-intellect personality is very strong.

Spiritual knowledge enables man to understand that while his relationship with

others in the world is temporary that with God is eternal.

 

This can be better appreciated with the analogy of the ocean and the wave. While

the relationship between one wave and another is temporary that between the wave

and the ocean is permanent as the wave is nothing but the ocean when it loses

its identity. So also is the case with man. His true nature is spiritual and

infinite and when he realises his relation with God his egocentric identity

ceases to bother him anymore. In empirical knowledge the object is different

from the subject and hence the process of knowledge is experienced distinctly;

whereas, in the case of spiritual knowledge, the individual is both the knower

and the known.

 

In her discourse, Swamini Satyavratananda said another insight Arjuna had when

he beheld the cosmic vision of Lord Krishna was the infinite nature of the

Almighty because of which He pervades the entire universe. Arjuna was

overwhelmed by the whole experience beholding the Lord everywhere and all

present in God. This knowledge is possible only through the grace of the Guru

(spiritual preceptor) and it is not possible to recompense the preceptor who

enables his disciple to get this insight. For teaching this truth Lord Krishna

has been hailed as the Jagadguru (world teacher).

 

 

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