Category:Achieving Knowledge
Theme Analysis
According to the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda, the pursuit of knowledge is not merely an academic exercise but a spiritual journey moving from speculation to realization. True knowledge is not generated by the imperfect material senses or mental gymnastics but is received through a descending process of authority. The perfection of all knowledge is not simply the ability to distinguish matter from spirit, but the actual surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. When one engages in devotional service under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, knowledge becomes revealed, serving as the boat to cross the ocean of material ignorance.
- The Limitation of Speculation: Mental speculation and empirical research are insufficient for understanding the Absolute Truth; such knowledge remains imperfect and subject to the flaws of the material senses.
- The Descending Process: Perfect knowledge is achieved only through the parampara system, received from the greatest authority, the Supreme Lord, and handed down through the transparent via medium of the spiritual master.
- Bhakti as the Means: While many strive for knowledge through austerity or study, the essence of the Absolute Truth is revealed specifically to the devotee through the process of bhakti-yoga and association with saintly persons.
- The Ultimate Goal: The culmination of all research and wisdom is to understand Vasudeva, or Krsna, as the source of everything and to fully surrender unto Him.
- Freedom from Illusion: Real knowledge acts as a vessel to cross the impassable ocean of nescience, liberating the living entity from the clutches of maya and engaging them in their constitutional position of service.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Achieving Knowledge through Devotional Service.
Pages in category "Achieving Knowledge"
The following 32 pages are in this category, out of 32 total.
A
- According to the Vedic system, knowledge which is achieved from the greatest authority is to be considered perfect
- After performing speculative activities for many, many births, when one actually comes to his real consciousness and surrenders unto the Supreme Lord, Krsna, then the fulfillment of his research in knowledge is actually achieved
- Any knowledge achieved by speculation is imperfect
- As soon as we speak of knowledge, there must be three things: the object of knowledge, the person who is trying to know and the process by which the object of knowledge is achieved
B
- Brahmaji was bewildered in the matter of creation, and he could not even trace out the source of his own existence. But all this knowledge was fully achieved by him through the medium of bhakti-yoga
- By his high intelligence (svena tejasa), by the superior power of superior knowledge achieved from the right source - the spiritual master, or acarya - he can give up his conditional life in a material body and return home, back to Godhead
- By performing austerities & penances, by controlling the senses & mind, & by achieving full knowledge of the Absolute Truth, one is fully cleansed of material contamination. Then one's words and blessings, like those of the demigods, are never a failure
E
- Evam parampara. So absolute knowledge can be achieved when we hear from the Absolute. No person in the relative world can inform us about the absolute knowledge. That is not possible
- Experimental knowledge can be achieved when one has understood the false knowledge. By experimental or proved knowledge, one can understand that he is not the body but spirit soul
I
- If one endeavors simply to achieve knowledge of the Absolute Truth or the Supersoul but has no devotional service, he labors without gaining the real result. This is compared to beating the husks of wheat after the grains have already been removed
- In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that the transcendental subject matter becomes clear in the association of the devotees. Without good association, one cannot achieve transcendental knowledge. BG 1972 purports
- In this material world there are different types of achievement, but of all of them the achievement of knowledge is considered to be the highest because one can cross the ocean of nescience only on the boat of knowledge. Otherwise the ocean is impassable
- In this material world we are trying to achieve so many things - riches, women, fame, beauty, knowledge, etc. - but as soon as we are situated in Krsna consciousness we think - Oh, no achievement is better than this
S
- Second birth means by reformatory process, when he is eligible, then he is initiated by the spiritual master. That is second birth. Then initiation means he is allowed to study Vedic literature to achieve real knowledge
- So that perfection of knowledge was achieved in the age of goodness by meditation, and in the age of Treta by sacrifice, and by Dvapara by worship, and in this age this krsna-kirtana
- Spiritual knowledge is very difficult to achieve, and so in order to make it more easily attainable, the Supreme Lord Himself comes in His original form as Sri Krsna
- Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami says that the actual effect that will be visible as soon as one achieves transcendental knowledge is that he will immediately become free from the clutches of maya and fully engage in the service of the Lord
T
- The empirical philosophers generally put forward the idea that human life is meant for achieving perfect knowledge. To them, knowledge means the ability to discern reality from illusion
- The highest perfectional knowledge is knowledge of the Supreme Lord. He cannot be understood by any process of religion other than devotional service; therefore, the immediate result of perfect knowledge is achieved by executing devotional service
- The internal potency is easily realized by the devotees of the Lord by dint of devotional service. Yuyudhana achieved this stage of life, just as he achieved expert knowledge in military science from Arjuna
- The personified Vedas continued, "Dear Lord, it is very difficult to achieve perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Your Lordship is so kind to the fallen souls that You appear in different incarnations and execute different activities"
- There are so many university degrees - M.A., Ph.D., D.A.C., and so on, so on, elite. Still, he does not know? Still, he's mudha? The Bhagavad-gita says, "Yes." Mayayapahrta-jnanah: The knowledge he has achieved, that has been taken away by maya
- This perfect knowledge can be achieved by a person who is already engaged in devotional service with faith, steadiness and full detachment, and who is always absorbed in thought of the Supreme. He is aloof from material association
- To understand Krsna superficially, that is not sufficient. That is also good, but you must have tattvatah, what is Krsna actually. That knowledge can be achieved - bhaktya, by this krsna-yoga