Modes of Knowledge!


King Janaka said to Astāvakra-You entertain hopes of defeating Vandin only because you’re ignorant of his power of speech. He has defeated many eminent & learned Brāhmanās


Astāvakra replied-This Vandin has never entered into debate with a person like me & that is the reason he considers himself to bea lion & roars like one. Today however he’ll lay down vanquished like a disabled cart on highway whose wheels have collapsed


King Janaka then put complicated riddles before Astāvakra, which he replied unerringly with grave meaning. King was astonished & thought that this boy cannot be an ordinary human being & appears to be gifted with the art of speech. He gave permission to him to enter sacrificial arena


Astāvakra without delay approached Vandin & challenged-I’ve come to debate with you about nature of Absolute Truth. Answer my questions & I shall answer yours


A fierce competition ensued as an exceedingly intricate philosophical debate on absolute knowledge between them. Externally, each put forward their views by composing a verse in relation with progressive numbers. But internally they put forward their respective arguments in such intricate symbolic manner that no 3rd being can understand its meaning


In essence Vandin tried to put forward theory that ultimately everything is one undifferentiated truth, whereas Astāvakra correctly proved that Supreme Soul & individual living entities are eternally & inconceivably simultaneously one & different


Vandin said-Only 1 fire blazes forth in many shapes. 1 Sun illuminates entire world. Only 1 hero is king of all celestials (Indra) & only 1 is the Lord of the Pitrs (Yama)


Astāvakra said-2 friends Agni & Indra ever move together. 2 great celestial sages are Nārada & Parvata. Ashvini-kumarās are twins. 2 are the no. of wheels on chariot & it is a couple, husband & wife ordained to live together


Vandin said-3 Vedas direct sacrificial performances. At 3 times such sacrifices commence & 3 are superintending deities of this world


Astāvakra said-There are 4 āsramās followed by brāhmanās, 4 cardinal directions & 4 legs of a cow


Vandin said-There are 5 sense, 5 objects of senses, 5 kinds of sacrifices that householders are enjoined to perform, 5 locks of hair on the head of Apsarās & 5 principal sacred rivers known in this world


The debate thus continued in progressive numbers


If the basis of our knowledge is in the mode of ignorance, then we cannot perceive complete reality. Knowledge of common man is always in mode of darkness because every living entity in conditional life is born into this mode


One who doesn’t develop knowledge thro’ authorities or scriptural injunctions has knowledge that is limited to body. He is not concerned about acting in terms of directions of scripture. For him God is money, & knowledge means satisfaction of bodily demands. Hence this has no connection with the Absolute Truth


Let's move from mode of ignorance to that of goodness


Thoughts? #gameoflife

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