5.2. Realistic Epistemology

In the Indian Vedic system, pramā and pramāṇa study is the key factor to attain vidyā. A cognitive state that has been achieved through a pramāṇa is more likely to be a pramā, a true (valid) cognition than one is accomplished by some other means. In its straightforward form, we call it true knowledge. According to Svāminārāyaṇa, knowledge is a synonym of understanding.^[1] Knowledge is understood as definite, doubt-free, truthful, awareness of the thing episode or concept, especially about the true nature of ontological realities i.e., Parabrahman, Akṣarabrahman, īśvaras, jīvas, māyā, and the products evolved from māyā including the cognitive/conative senses and non-sentient products and the rest of the world.

Here, we have to take into account that Svāminārāyaṇa’s epistemology is realistic, for it is based on well ascertained veridical experience both at worldly empirical and transcendental levels. This enables the knower in understanding the true nature of reality and in making the right endeavor to realize the highest goal. The theory of knowledge helps in knowing the nature of every real entity of a given metaphysical system, in addition to knowing the validity of the system. As a realist in the opinion of the Svāminārāyaṇa Bhāṣya,^[2] valid knowledge corresponds to real objects. The world of experience is real. Knowledge necessarily relates to the real. All knowledge is valid, but metaphysical knowledge, adhyātma jñāna of ātman and Paramātmā has lasting value. The world is real and it cannot be dismissed as a mere illusion or appearance. At the dawn of right knowledge and Parabrahman sākṣātkāra or Parabrahman realization, the world of plurality does not cease to exist, in the mind of the enlightened devotee rather, one sees in everything the presence of Parabrahman. Again, it is the state of mind of the enlightened devotee, but the world and all others do exist.

According to the Bhāṣyakāra, the entities are:

“nityaḥ satyaḥ sadaivaite mitho bhinnāḥ svarūpataḥ”^[3]

“The knowledge of five eternal ontological entities is real and eternal; they are distinct to each other as well.”

In this sense, knowledge is a comprehension of reality with predicates or qualitative determination. Reality is always known as characterized by determinate adjectives or qualities. That is why, Parabrahman, the supreme entity, is always conceived as characterized by being the knowledge of sadā sākāra,^[4] and saguṇa,^[5] in short, the subject-predicate situation is fundamental to epistemology and metaphysics of Svāminārāyaṇa. Thus, the knowledge of reality is impossible unless it is accepted as characterized by determinate features. Any knowing is meaningful only when what is known is concrete and qualified. In other words, the fundamental requirement in any knowledge process is its subject-predicate situation.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vacanamrut Loyā 7

[2]:

Brahmasūtra 1/1/1, p.8; 1/1/2, p.16

[3]:

Svāminārāyaṇa Siddhāntasudhā Kārikā 3

[4]:

Vac.Gaḍh.1/37,40,45,71, loyā-7, Pāñ.1,7, Gaḍh. 2/10,39, Gaḍh. 3/30,32,35, Amd. 6

[5]:

Vac. Gaḍh. 1/33,66, Sār. 6, Kār.8, Gaḍh. 2/8,14, 31, 42