Verse 13.11

Verse 13.11: “Ceaseless pursuit of the knowledge of the Self, and Insight, into the end of the knowledge of Reality: all this is declared

to be Knowledge (as such); what is otherwise than this, is Nescience. (616)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

He is firmly of the belief that there exists only one princple (known as) Supreme Soul, and it can be seen; and that knowledge through which it can be seen is the real knowledge, other (kinds of) knowledge, such as of mundane existence and of heaven, being in fact only ignorance. He casts away the very idea of the attainment of heaven, and refuses to hear (pay attention to) any talk pertaining to mundane existence, and with righteous feelings sinks deep in the knowledge of the Supreme (adhyātmajñānī).

Just as a traveller should seek out and follow the right royal road, avoiding the bypaths, where the road diverges into several sideways, in that way he leads his mind and intellect straight into the knowledge of the Supreme, casting aside all other knowledge. He affirms (in his mind) that, that is the only truth, all other things being mere illusions, and with such a resolute notion he remains firm (in mind) like the mountain Mem. In this way his belief remains fixed at the door of the knowledge of the self, like Dhruva (the North-Polar star) in the sky. There can never be any doubt of the fact that the real knowledge abides in such a one, since he already becomes knowledge itself, when his mind steadies itself into it (and I—the Supreme—am that knowledge).

Now the end (the Supreme) that is revealed after the steady pose of the mind, cannot be realised merely by verbal understanding of the process; still (even) that verbal understanding resembles knowledge in so far as it is a means to achieve the end. Besides, he sees straight (before his eyes) the object of knowledge, which is in fact, the fruit of pure (religious) philosophy. Otherwise, should one not be able to see directly the object of knowledge when he has apparently imbibed knowledge, it cannot be said that he has attained knowledge. Of what avail is a lamp in the hands of a blind person? In that way, should the object of knowledge be not visible, the so-called attainment of knowledge is of no avail whatever. If the Supreme Spirit cannot be revealed by the Light of Knowledge, that inspiration of knowledge (intellect) must be called blind.

Therefore, the intellect (inspiration of knowledge) should be so clear that it should be able to reflect (only) the form of the essence of Supreme that knowledge would show. Therefore, (only) the one, whose inspiration (intellect) has become so clear, reflects the object of knowledge (the Supreme Spirit) shown by pure knowledge. It hardly needs telling that he is the very incarnation of knowledge, whose intellect is as extensive (as to be able to see the Supreme Spirit) as knowledge itself. One whose intellect attains the object of knowledge, along with the splendour of knowledge, makes contact with and joins hands with the Supreme, And what wonder it is, if he is called the very knowledge incarnate, Oh Son of Pandu? Need the Sun be called the Sun?”

At this stage the hearers (of Jnanadev [Jnanadeva]) said,

“Let it alone. Do not preach in extenso. Why create obstacles in the preaching of this Scripture? We have had a good reception from you in the form of your oration in the great and detailed sermon on knowledge. You have adopted the poet’s (usual) style of introducing ample eloquence in the description. But now that you have invited us, why make an enemy of us (by creating obstacles)? Were (a lady) to take away the very food cooked and ready for being served, as one takes his seat for a meal, of what value would her polite mode of reception in other ways be? However good in other respects a cow be, who would feed such a kicker that resists (with kicks) while being milked? In that way (some), in whose intellect there has not been any spreading out (enlightenment) of knowledge, do utter meaningless words (using them as counters) that carry no significance; but let that alone. You have delivered the sermon in a very nice, lucid way. That subject of knowledge, for securing a particle of which, one has to undergo very great labour and trouble in the form of the study of the Yoga Discipline, is in itself very interesting; over and above that there is an eloquent preaching (like that) of yours.

Who would grumble and complain if there were a constant shower of nectar? Or would anyone impatiently count days (getting tired) of happiness, even were such days to swell into crores? Would not the bird Chakor [Chakora] keep on constantly looking at the (full) Moon, on a full moon-night, even were such a night to last for an entire Yuga (Age)? In that way there is already your sermon on the subject of knowledge, and added to that there is (your) eloquence; who would then say “Enough of it” while hearing it? (There is) a lucky guest (capable of doing full justice to food), and the hostess happens to be a lady well-versed in cooking; with such a combination, what wonder is there if it is felt to be of a short duration, however prolonged the meal may be? Similar is the present occasion.

We entertained already a keen desire for knowledge, and added to that there is a liking on your part for preaching that subject (with full interest). This has multiplied four-fold our interest and attention to the sermon and we cannot help saying that you really are “the seer of knowledge”. Now, therefore, do enter into the central hall (kernel) of your intellect and through its (intellect’s) glory proceed with the full preaching of the sub-stanza (relating to ignorance).”

At these words of the saints, Jnanadev [Jnanadeva], the disciple of Nivritti, said, “Yes, I also desire the same thing; Oh saints, since you direct me, I would not prolong the talk needlessly. So now hear. Lord Krishna thus narrated to Dhanurdhara the eighteen attributes of knowledge.

Then the Lord added “Knowledge should be known by all these (attributes). This is my view and it is confirmed by all the learned. Just as the round Avala (āvalā) fruit, placed on a palm can be vividly seen rocking, even so I have shown you knowledge in a way that can make your eyes see it (vividly). Now, Oh highly talented Dhananjaya, I shall tell you, with its symptoms, what is called nescience (ajñāna). Ordinarily, once the knowledge is known, nescience can also easily be known since, what is not knowledge is automatically nescience. Just see, with the end of the day there only remains the turn of the night to follow, there being no third thing intervening. In that way, where there is no knowledge, there is only nescience; yet I tell you some of its (glaring) symptoms.

One who expects to be treated respectably and keenly desires honour and feels pleased at proper reception: one who never likes to climb down from a high ranking position like the stiff peaks (śikhara [śikhare/śikharēṃ]) of mountains: In such a one dwells complete nescience. He erects aloft (in the form of tall talk) his acts of charity, woven in flowery language, like the string of grass inwoven with leaves of Pimpal tree and hung high on a broom stick in a temple. He makes a great show of his learning and indulges in tom-tomming his good actions, while all his efforts are directed towards attaining honours and fame. He adorns his person lavishly with fine things (fragrant unguents), but displays the spirit of a miser in offering hospitality to people (guests).

Such a one is a regular mine of nescience, know ye. Just as the wild forest fire causes the burning of the (neighbouring) movables and immovables (trees and animals), in that way the world has to suffer misery from the actions of such a person. Even his casual talk pinches more (acutely) than does a pointed iron bar, while his thoughts and feelings are more deadly than even poison. Great nescience dwells in him; in fact he is the very hoard of nescience, since his life is the very rest-house of violence. In the way the bellows get full when the wind is pumped in and get empty when the wind is pumped out, he gets elated at gains and despondent at losses. Just as the dust, being entangled in a whirlwind, ascends high up in the sky, in that way he is transported at his praise and gets miserable, pressing his forehead with his palms, at hearing him-self slandered, like the mud which oozes with a little water and dries with a light breeze. He behaves like that when he is honoured and dishonoured: he cannot withstand any onslaught (on his) feelings and there dwells complete nescience in him.

Internally his mind is knotty (crooked), though outwardly his talk and glance appear frank. He would embrace one (as a token of love and friendship), but in practice whole-heartedly help another (one’s rival). Like the spreading out of feed by a hunter in order to inveigle his prey, he outwardly shows cordiality (in his behaviour) and wins the heart of good people. His outward actions appear perfectly good, like a flint appearing green with the growth of moss over it, or like the ripe yellow fruit of the bitter neem (Margosa) tree. Nescience is fully stored up with such persons, there is no doubt about it; take it to be the truth. He feels ashamed of the family (name) of his preceptor, and considers any act of devotion to him as a great nuisance. He only secures his learning (knowledge) from the preceptor and then turning hostile shows arrogance towards him: The mere mention of such a one (by the tongue) is as heinous as swallowing the food (cooked by) of a pariah; but such a mention becomes necessary while exhaustively enumerating the symptoms of Nescience.

Now we shall describe the devotion towards the preceptor, which (action) will operate as an expiation (prāyaścitta) for the tongue, since the remembrance of the preceptor’s name is as much Light-giving (purificatory) to the disciple as the Sun is generally to all. This expiation will enable one to get safely through (nistarela) the sin that has been committed by the tongue in making a mention of (the name of) one bearing malice against the preceptor. This (remembrance of the name of the preceptor) will clean wash off the sins committed by (mentioning) the name of that malice-bearing one. Now hear some more symptoms of nescience. He (one with nescience) is weak in (conducting) his actions, while his mind is full of suspicion like an out-of-the-way well (which is considered inauspicious) in the wilderness, the opening of which is covered with thorny bush while the interior is full exclusively of bones: like that well he is internally and externally most unholy.

Just as a hungry dog cares little (to see) if the food he devours is kept well-covered or uncovered, in that way, while (engaged in) securing wealth he cares little to see if it is (rightfully) his own or belongs to some one else. Similarly, just as there is little consideration with village pigs regarding the suitability or otherwise of the place for sexual intercourse, (in the same way) he is never thoughtful where females are concerned. He never feels sorry in the least if he is to miss the (due) time of the performance of actions or omits to perform his enjoined day-to-day or occasional duties. He neither feels ashamed of committing sins nor feels any regard for good actions (puṇya) and his mind is ever flooded with evil notions. Such a one, know ye, is the very idol of nescience, and his eye is ever greedily fixed on the acquisition of wealth. He deviates from courage (the path of virtue) even for a bit of gain, just as the grass-seed drops down from the grass even with a jerk of an ant.

Just as a puddle gets stirred-up (and muddled) with the dipping of a foot into it, in that way he gets terror-stricken even at the mention of danger. His mind is carried away along with the forceful current of “castles in the air” just as a melon (dudhiyā) falling into floods is carried away along with the current. Just as dust is driven off to a great distance in the sky (air) along with a strong breeze, so his mind is violently deranged at hearing any sorrowful news. Like a dust-storm, he never remains steady anywhere and never thinks of staying at places of pilgrimage or holy waters or in any town or city. He ever remains wandering fruitlessly like a puffed up chameleon keeping ever running from the top to the foot and from the foot to the top of a tree, Just as an earthen jar (rāñjaṇa) does not stand steady unless part-buried (settled) in the ground, in that way, he keeps on wandering about; he is at rest only when asleep. There dwells in him nescience in abundance, while in point of fickleness, he is the very brother of a monkey.

And, Oh Dhanurdhara, he does not exercise the least degree of self-control over his mind. He never feels afraid in any way to face censure in the way the strong current of a brook defies (and breaks through) a bund of sand. By his actions, he breaks his religious vows (vrata [vrate]), kicks (disregards and insults) his own religion and transgresses the rules (laid down by scriptures). He is never sick of sins, nor does he feel any regard for good actions (puṇya), and roots out all sense of shame. He turns his back on family (religious) usages and keeps far away from the mandates of the Vedas, and never knows (how) to discriminate between good and bad actions. He is uncontrolled like a stray (free) bullock (dedicated to God), or wild like the strong wind, and (uncontrolled) like a water channel whose banks are cut (by the flood). His mind runs amuck after the objects of the senses just like a blind elephant in rut, or like a conflagration on a mountain.

Is there anything not liable to be flung on a dung hill (ukiraḍā), or who will not discover a (lost) thing lying in an open unprotected place (mokāṭa), or who will not cross the threshold of the town-gate? It is open to anyone to take food in a free kitchen (annasatrī); a low person, when suddenly elevated to a high rank and power, enjoys his position recklessly; any man may enter the house of a prostitute, his mind is like that, and there is in it, know ye, an abundance of complete nescience. He does not abandon his great liking for the objects of the senses whether alive or dead, and makes preparation even while here (on the earth) to be able to have enjoyments in Heaven. Ever taking particular care of enjoyment, he has the vicious hobby of performing fruit-motived actions, and takes a cleansing bath should he see the face of an ascetic (virakta).

The objects of the senses might themselves get tired (of him); yet he himself is never tired (of them), but he fails to realise this ludicrous situation, in the way a leper never feels in any way repugnant at having to eat with his leprous hand. A she-donkey does not allow a male-donkey running after her (in lust) even to touch her, and further smashes his nose by her kicks; yet he does not turn back but continues to run after her.

In that way he takes a leap into burning fire (i.e. is ready to run any risk) for the enjoyment of the sense-objects and makes a parade of diverse vices, proudly looking upon them as his ornaments. A deer runs in full speed (after a mirage) till it breaks its blood vessel, with an ardent desire for water, yet it never comes to think that it (mirage) is not real water, but is only an optical illusion (mirage). In that way even though troubled in various ways by the objects of the senses, from birth to death, he never feels nausea for them, but on the contrary, clings to them with greater love. In the initial stage of his childhood, he is mad with affection for his parents, and when this affection comes to an end, he stands charmed with the person of his youthful wife.

While he is enjoying the charms of his wife, old age slowly creeps in, and with its coming that love (for the wife) is transferred to the offspring. He remains huddled up in the house in the company of his children, like the blind-born young (of a cat or a dog), yet he never feels tired (of that enjoyment) of the sense-objects till the end of his life. Know ye, there is no limit to the nescience of such a man. I shall now mention some more symptoms (of such a one). He begins his actions with the (wrong) assumption that the body is the soul and throbs (with pleasure) at the exhibition of whatever defective or effective actions he performs. He walks erect and stiff in the conceit of his youth and learning, as a devotee (bhagata) does as soon as the image of God comes to be placed on his head.

He boasts and says,

“I am the only rich person having wealth in my house, who else can possibly reach my standard so far as conduct and practice are concerned? No one is as great as I am. I am all-knowing and whatever I say is accepted (by others)”.

He swells with satisfaction and vanity, being infected with superioritycomplex. Just as one suffering from a malady cannot relish any sort of enjoyment, in that way, he cannot bear the sight of the wellbeing (good) of anyone else. Just see, a (burning) lamp consumes the wick, as also the entire oil, and wherever placed, that place gets blackened just like carbon. It makes a cracking sound if water is sprinkled on it and is extinguished by a sniff; if it comes into contact with anything, it does not leave (unconsumed) even a particle (kāḍī) of it. Even though it gives a mild light, it (lamp) creates warmth (heat); like such a lamp he becomes intolerable with such (scanty) learning.

Milk administered (even) as a medicine to a person suffering from typhus produces evil consequences (by intensifying the disease), or if given to a serpent (and drunk by it) it turns into poison; in that way he is spiteful even though possessing good qualities, is full of conceit even though learned, and is greatly rigid and stiff in spite of his austerities and knowledge. He is found puffed up with pride like a low-born person (antyaja) seated on a throne, or like a python who has swallowed a pillar (supporting the churning handle). He is just as unbending (stiff) as a wooden roller (lāṭaṇa [lāṭaṇe]), his heart like a stone, never melts (with pity) and he never submits to one possessing good quality, just as the reptile called “Furase” (a species of coluber) does not yield to the incantation of a snake-charmer. In short nescience is ever on the increase in the case of such a one, I tell you of certainty and further, Oh Dhananjaya, even though he takes great care of his body and his house yet never cares to look at his past and future (births) but forgets them just as an ungrateful person forgets his obligations for good done to him, or as a thief forgets the riches entrusted to him, or as a shameless person forgets the reproof administered to him.

Just as a roving dog, once driven away from the house with his tail and ears cut, returns to it again alomst immediately, even before the blood of its wounds is dry; or as a toad even while it is itself swallowed by a snake, does not forget the flies, but lolls up its tongue to catch them; in that way he does not feel any distress in the least at the cutaneous disease brought on by the oozing out of the nine gates of the body. He was nearly boiled in the heated atmosphere, full of layers of faeces, during his nine months’ stay in the mother’s womb, yet he never recollects in the least his sufferings during that stage nor yet his birth pangs. His mouth never spits (out) nor does he feel any disgust at the sight of a child lying on the lap and rolling in its faeces and urine. He never even thinks of his (previous) life that has just come to an end or of the new one that is (just about) to come: Similarly he never worries himself about the coming death in the din of the prosperity during his present life. His mind is not even prepared to admit the existence of any state like death, feeling confident of the existing state of his being alive and its continuance.

Just as the fish in the pond with a scanty supply of water, does not go to any other place of deep water, sticking on (where he is) in the vain hope that it (pond) would never go dry; or just as a deer enchanted with music does not perceive the approach of a hunter; or just as a fish not perceiving the deadly hook (secreted inside) swallows the bait: or just as the moth lured by the brilliance of the lamp, does not realise that the intense heat of the burning lamp would bum it; or just as a lazy person in the pleasure of sound sleep does not see that the house is on fire; or just as food should unknowingly be cooked along with poison; in that way he does not realise, while immersed in the Rajas (worldly) pleasures that the very Death has come in the guise of life (birth). He considers the growth of his body, the passing of days and nights and the glory of the enjoyment of sense-objects as real events. Poor fellow! he does not know that a complete surrender to him by a prostitute along with all that is hers, means nothing else but making him utterly destitute.

The friendly association by a traveller with a thief spells his own death: (so also) to wash off the dirt from a picture painted on a (mud) wall is nothing else but its destruction (effacement). It is (a sign of) death (and not health) for an anaemic patient to have a swollen body; in that way he gets deluded, his thought never going beyond eating and sleeping, but does not realize it. A person, running fast towards a stake, standing in front of him and on which criminals are impaled, brings nearer at each step his own death; in that way, the more the body grows (and ages) or the more the days pass on and the more pleasant the enjoyment of sense-objects becomes, the more (rapidly) death conquers (devours) the span of the life. Just as water goes on dissolving salt, life wastes away, the destroyer (God of Death) looking him in the face; yet he does not realize this thing taking place directly before him so vividly.

In short, O Son of Pandu, he does not see, getting deluded by sense-objects, the death that is ever present in his body. There can hardly be any difference of opinion in the say that he (such a one) is the king of the country of the ignorant. He does not see death (while) engrossed completely in the exuberance of life, so also he does not take into account the (coming) old age, in the fulness and pride of his youth. He does not see the old age that confronts him in the way a cart rolled down from the precipice, or a boulder released and shooting down from a mountain-top, does not see what lies in front of it. He becomes uncontrollable through the fury of youth like the sudden floods pouring into brooks and low-lying grounds, or two bullocks fighting each other (become unruly). He goes on expanding his worldly affairs even though the stout body loses its vigour and lustre, the head begins to shake, the beard gets grey, while the neck rocks to and fro.

A blind man cannot see anything in front of him till it actually knocks aginst [against?] his breast; or a lazy fellow feels pleased with the drowsiness coming over his eyes: in that way he does not see the (approaching) old age while in the enjoyment of his existing youth, and such a one, know ye, is really one full of nescience. He mocks at (seeing) the infirm and the crippled out of conceit, never taking into consideration the fact, that his own condition too is going to be like that (one day). The illusion of youth does not leave him, even though there appear (coming) signs of old age, heralding the approach of death. Such a one is the home of nescience and take this as a correct reply.

Now hear some more glaring symptoms of nescience. A bullock, who grazes in and returns safe and sound (by chance) from a forest inhabited by a tiger, and yet goes there again in the full confidence (of returning safe); one who goes and brings without getting bitten, a hoard from a house guarded by a serpent and makes a bold assertion from this circumstance that there was no serpent there at all: one who luckily escapes once or twice (from) getting ill, even after indulging in practices injurious to health, and infers from this, the absence of any sort of sickness: one who, because his enemy is enjoying sleep, fancies that all his enmity as also the resultant troubles have come to an end and presently (unexpectedly) loses his own life, his offspring meeting the same fate: one who does not take due precaution against (any possible) disease, simply because he is having a good appetite and sleep and is consequently keeping perfectly healthy: one who gets more and more blind through the supremacy of Rajas-quality the more he comes by riches, while in the enjoyment of the company of wife and children, and yet never foresees the coming misery that is to befall him with his sudden separation from these one day: such a one (coming under any one of these categories) is nescience itself and along with him also one, who feeds his senses, out of all proportion, with theenjoyment of their (respective) objects.

In the flush of youth and (also) with the possession of riches, he goes on recklessly, without considering the worthiness or otherwise of carnal pleasures that are enjoyed by him He (such a one) does what should not be done, aspires for impossible things, while his intellect keeps on pondering over things that should not even be thought of. He enters where he should not, demands things that ought not to be received, makes contacts with persons or things which ought not to be touched, even indirectly, either physically or mentally, goes to a forbidden place, beholds spectacles that he should shun, eats viands that are forbidden (by scriptures)-and which alone please him, forms friendship that he should avoid, follows the path that should not be followed, listens to what he should not, talks thoughtlessly of things which he should not utter, and yet does not see the evils arising out of such conduct.

The sole criterion of conduct for him is the imparting, of a pleasurable sensation to his body and mind; therefore, while performing actions, he completely loses sight of what is just or unjust, and thinks he is doing the right thing when in reality he is acting perversely. He does not care to see (think), whether he would (thereby) be committing sins or courting the miseries of hell eventually. Association with such a person emboldens (invigorates) nescience in the world to such an extent that it dares even wrestle with (those possessing) knowledge.

Let this alone: I shall tell you some more symptoms of nescience, so that you can know it (more) exactly. His attachment for his homestead is like the female black bee that gets enamoured of the pollen in fragrant flowers (navagandha kesarī). His mind remains ever engrossed in keeping pleased a female’s (wife’s) mind in the way a fly sitting on a heap of sugar does not stir away from it. He cannot let go his grip on the idea of home throughout life, intellectually or emotionally, just as a frog remains in a pond or just as a fly gets entangled in snot (śembūḍa) or just as an animal gets stuck up in mud with a thud; he remains chained to his house in the way a serpent is confined to barren rocky soil. He holds on to his cottage (khopaṭī) with all the force of his life, in the way a wife holds firmly her husband embracing him with her arms encircling his neck. He (exerts and) guards his house in the way a bee exerts for securing honey. He feels greatly attached to his house, and knows nothing else but his wife—in the way the parents feel attached to a son born to them, through good luck, late in their old age. Similarly he is riveted to the person of his wife with heart and soul to such an extent that he completely loses all cognisance as to who he is or what he ought to do.

The mind of a great man (saint) remains ever merged in the Supreme spirit and all his activism comes to a stand-still; in that way he (possessed of nescience) devotes all his senses solely to the thought of sex (senses are identified with words) without feeling in any way ashamed of it, or without caring what others say about it. His mind is ever engaged in the adoration of females and he dances to their tunes as does the monkey to the tunes of the juggler (gāruḍī).

A miser bears all hardships and also hurts the feelings of his kith and kin, but goes on increasing his wealth cowrie by cowrie (a tiny unit of currency) and in that way, he curtails (cuts off) charities, religious rites and alms and cheats his relatives; yet he spares no expenditure meeting in full the demands of his wife (maintaining her high status). He treats poorly the deities to be adored and deceives his preceptor with (sweet) talk and pleads (falsely) poverty before his parents: yet he secures for the enjoyment of his wife, at any cost whatever the best things he sees. He worships his wife in the way a loving devotee worships his family God, He preserves for his wife whatever is genuine and the best and yet treats others in a niggardly way. He feels as it were the world is threatened with total destruction (deluge), if any one is to talk wrathfully to his wife or oppose her. He is alert in attending even to the least wishes of his wife, in the way people do not break their vows of dedicating to deities silver (made) images of cobra, for warding off the fear of the skin-disease ringworm (nāyaṭa [nāyaṭe]). In short, Oh, Dhananjaya, his wife is all in all to him, while he showers his love on her progeny. He values, more than his own life, all and sundry that is hers, including her wealth. Such a one is the very origin of nescience and through him it gets strengthened—nay he is himself the nescience incarnate. He is transported to the seventh Heaven when he secures any object dear to his heart, in the way a floating boat swings up and down, backwards and forwards, along with the waves in a stormy ocean; while he finds himself in the lowest Hell at the happening of any unpleasant thing.

One whose heart is, in this way, tied with ropes in the form of feelings of distinction, must be taken to be one possessed by nescience, however talented he may be. He worships me with a motive for fruit in the way one assumes the garb of a (sham) ascetic (vairāgī) in order to get money, or in the way a faithless wife captivates the heart of her husband by (a show of) being faithful to him in order to faciliate her visits to her paramour. He (of nescience) in such a way worships me, Oh Kiriti; yet all the while his heart is fixed on securing the enjoyment of the sense-objects; (and) if he does not succeed in securing the wished-for object through such worship, he denounces it as all futile and gives it up. He then takes to new Gods, in the way a cultivator (always) takes to bringing under cultivation new areas, and worships them in the same manner in which he used to worship the former ones.

Were he to see a preceptor with some pomp about him he would accept his (preceptor’s) spiritual guidance and get himself initiated into the mysteries of the sect, disregarding others (spiritual guides). He treats all living beings cruelly; yet worships with great devotion, immovable objects (such as trees, rocks, etc.) but is wanting in unswerving faith anywhere. He prepares an idol of mine and installs it in a comer of his home, and yet he himself goes out on pilgrimage to other Gods. He constantly worships Me, as also the family Gods on auspicious occasions, and on special days, goes and adores other Gods altogether. He keeps me installed in his house, while he makes vows to other Gods, and on occasions of the death-anniversaries of his ancestors, he becomes their devotee. He worships me with devotion on Ekadashi days (eleventh day of each fortnight of the lunnar [lunar] month) and worships with the same devotion the cobra on the Cobra-Festival Day (nāgapañcamī—the fifth day of the bright fomight of the month Shravan [Shravana]). He becomes a devotee of God Ganapati on “Ganesh-Chaturthi” (the fourth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada), while on Chaturdashi (the fourteenth day) he would worship the Goddess Amba and address her as his mother, saying, “I am wholly yours” (dedicated to your service). On the Navami (ninth day) discarding his daily prayers and occasional duties he settles down and recites “Navachandi” (navacaṇḍī—versified praise of Goddess Durga), while on Sundays (he) serves meals in honour of God Bhairava (a form of God Shiva).

As Monday follows, he runs, Bel-leaves (which are sacred to God Shiva) in hand, to (the temple of) God Shiva, (worshipped in the form of linga) and in this way he (one single person) treats all the Gods. Thus he goes on worshipping uninterruptedly without a moment’s break. A devotee, who keeps on running greedily after each and every deity, in the way a village harlot unceasingly keeps on hovering near about the village gate, should be known as an idol of nescience incarnate. So should be considered also one, who feels dislike for penance-groves with solitude reigning supreme, as also for places of holy waters and river banks: similarly one, who feels pleasure in society, and who is titillated amidst the din of busy worldly life, and who ardently likes to discuss matters forming the subject of public talk.

When he hears about that lore which enables one to have a vision of the (Supreme) soul, he laughs contemptuously, being proud of his (superior) learing [learning?]. He does not even look at the Upanishads; the Yoga-precept is not to his taste: his mind has got absolutely no tendency towards the spiritual knowledge. His intellect roams at random confusedly (like stray cattle), after dismantling and out-stepping the protective wall (enclosure) of firm conviction that the metaphysical discussion on the nature of Self (Highest Reality) is a matter of supreme importance. He fully knows the science dealing with the performance of religious acts (karma kāṇḍa), knows by heart all the mythologies, and so wonderful is his skill in astrology that his predictions are always found correct. He is a master-hand in sculpture (and other crafts) and also expert in the culinary art and has at his fingers’ end (the black and white magic contained in) the ‘Atharva Veda’. There is nothing which he has yet to learn in the field of sexology and love. He has made a thorough reading of the great Epic Bharata, while all the scriptures (Agamas: works dealing with the production, installation and worship of idols) come and stand before him incarnate. He is expert in moral and political sciences, and knows well the medical science,, and no one can compete with him in poetry and drama. He can deliver a discourse on the “Smrutis” (Ancient Law-books) and knows well the secrets of the science of ‘jugglery’ (gāruḍavidyā).

The exegesis of Vedic lexicon is a child’s play for his scholarship. He is a great grammarian and an excellent logician, but in point of spiritual knowledge is born blind (alsolutely[?] stupid). He is capable of inventing and establishing new theories and methods in all different sciences, except the one that pertains to the knowledge of the Supreme Spirit. But fie upon it all! It (erudition) is as unworthy of being looked at as a child born on the “Mula Nakshatra” (mūla nakṣatra—the 19th in the present series of the 27 lunar mansions—very inauspicious, a birth during the passage of the Moon through which is supposed to be fatal to either of the parents or to other close relatives).

All his learning is of the type of the “eyes” spread all over the plumage of a peacock, not a single one of which has got the power of vision. If even a small bit of the root Samjivani (a kind of elixir supposed to restore life) could be secured, where is the need of having cartloads of other medical drugs? Virtues (auspicious marks on the palm, head etc.) without prolonged life, ornaments on the body without a head, or a marriage procession accompanied by music but without the newly wedded couple, are simply a mockery. In that way, all scriptures, without the one conveying the knowledge of the Supreme Self, are quite untrue (apramāṇa).

On account of this, Oh Arjuna, the body of one, who is not steadfast on the (study of) spiritual knowledge, even though he recites the scriptures, (without understanding a bit of them) is (as it were) the germinated seed of nescience and his scholarship (vyutpannatva) has developed into the creeping plant of nescience. Whatever he talks is the flower of the nescience while the fruit he derives from his good actions is also nescience. It needs no saying, that one who has not got (a drop of) regard for spiritual knowledge, is incapable of understanding the real objective or end of knowledge.

How can one, who runs back before even reaching the bank on this side, come to know of what is on the other (beyond the bed) bank; or how could one see what is inside the house when his feet have been tied down (nailed down) at the very threshold (of the house)? In that way what means, indeed, are accessible to one, who is quite ignorant of metaphysics, for understanding the true import and the end of knowledge! It requires therefore no concrete or direct evidence to make it clear to you, that such a person does not understand the real essence of knowledge. With the food served to a pregnant woman, gets also fed the foetus; in that way was included nescience, in the discourse of knowledge held before. An invitation given to a blind person, naturally brings along with him, another person with good vision; in that way with the preaching on the symptoms of the nescience, the distinguising marks, attributes of knowledge invariably accompany. Therefore in this portion, I described the symptoms of nescience as being otherwise than the distinguished marks of knowledge such as non-arrogance, etc. The eighteen attributes of knowledge (preached), when turned into their negatives, (in the reverse way) automatically constitute the science of nescience.

Shri Mukunda, in the fourth foot (ardhārdha [ardhārdhe]) of a former verse preached “everything opposed to the attributes of knowledge is nescience” and therefore, following the same method, I detailed the symptoms of nescience. Had this method not been originally used, I would not have swollen the subject-matter with any loose talk of my own, in the way the volume of milk is increased by adding water. I have only done the duty of amplifying the meaning conveyed in the original verses, without transgressing the limit of original wording.

At this the hearers said, “Enough of this (explanation); there is no need of maintaining by arguments (what you have done). Why are you needlessly afraid, Oh the support of poets, (that your sermon will be considered verbose)? Shri Murari (Lord Krishna) desired you to expound the interpretation, which he had kept secret (in his heart) and you have been fulfilling the inten-tions of God; but you will be overcome (with feelings) if we express thus. Therefore we would not say it; let it alone. But we have felt completely pleased at hearing (your sermon) which has, as it were, secured for us a boat of knowledge. Now tell us promptly what Hari said afterwards.

Hearing these words of the saints, the disciple of Nivritti said, “Hear now attentively what Lord Krishna said to Arjuna.”

God said, “Oh son of Pandu, the entire group of symptoms you now heard is of nescience. You should now turn your back on the nescience and be quite firm in regard to knowledge. Arjuna felt anxious to know how the acquisition of knowledge will enable him to attain the object of knowledge. Realizing this wish, the master of all the ‘all-knowing’ said, “Hear now (what) I tell you about the Object of Knowledge.