Verse 12

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Verse 12

 

Japastappooo vratam teertham Yajno daanam tathaiva cha

/

Gurutaatva mavijnaaya sarvam Vyartham bhavet priye //

 

Shiva proceeds: "Oh Parvati! If one doesn't know the

quality of Guru, all the ritualistic practices,

prayers, penances, etc. are useless.

 

We think that we are educated. One might think of

oneself as a Scientist or Scholar or a Poet or an

Artist. But what is Vidya (knowledge)? Sciences,

arts, etc. are in a way a part of knowledge. Similarly

Vedas, Sastras, epics are also branches of knowledge.

But these sciences, etc., only let you know what is

visible to the five senses, however remote it might

be; but don't let you know your true self that is

lodged in you. On the other hand, they make you

stray to your real self. The knowledge of the Vedas,

etc. makes you introspective, enabling you to reflect

on your real self. So they are far more important

than these sciences. Thus sciences remain mere

branches of knowledge, but the Vedas constitute the

real knowledge.

 

But both the types, in spite of their knowledge, help

delude you and you practice in ignorance. Only

getting any number of Ph.Ds will reduce you to this

state. Why?

 

In the absence of knowledge of the quality of Guru,

all other knowledges lead but to ignorance. So they

are called agents of illusion. Shiva says that those

who are fond of them are petty-minded.

 

So the aforesaid branches of knowledge are called

APARAVIDYAS meaning knowledge of inferior quality.

There is another kind, i. e., PARAVIDYA which means

knowledge of a superior quality. It can be attained

only through the grace of the Guru..

 

Among those who learn the Vedas are some doers of

ANUSHTANA (daily worship). But what is ANUSHTANA?

Yajnas, chantings, service to mankind, worships and

adorations, VRATAS (vows), pilgrimages and

penances come under ANUSHTANA. These doers of

ANUSHTANA might be righteous, exemplary and even Gurus

to some. They might be of some help to others.

 

In spite of all that, they fail to see their real self

and they cannot uplift themselves. For this they have

to approach Guru. Such ANUSHTANAS which don't merge

in the quality of the Guru are deceptive. They can't

take us to PARATATTVA (the divinity). So they are all

a waste.

 

Lord Shiva admonishes such people who are swayed by

the wasteful, deceptive ANUSHTANAS and calls them mere

human animals. On the whole, mere learning is totally

a waste. If ANUSHTANA is there, it is something.

Whatever it is, if one's attention is not drawn

towards

one's Guru, it is of no use at all.

 

 

 

 

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