Category:Position of Ignorance
Theme Analysis
The position of ignorance (tamo-guṇa) is the most degraded state of material existence, defined by a complete lack of awareness regarding one's true spiritual identity. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that modern civilization, despite its technological pride, is largely situated in this darkness. In this awkward position, humanity is led by "blind leaders" who reinforce the bodily conception of life, causing people to mistake profound misery for happiness.
- The Bodily Conception: Ignorance is synonymous with the "dog mentality"—the inability to distinguish the eternal self from the temporary physical body. As long as one identifies with the body, they remain in a state of darkness, regardless of their academic or social standing.
- The Crisis of Modern Leadership: Modern institutions fail to provide the "science of the soul," leaving the population in a precarious state. Śrīla Prabhupāda critiques contemporary leaders as "blind men" who, lacking spiritual vision, cannot possibly lead others to real peace or prosperity.
- Illusion and Misery: A key symptom of ignorance is the inability to recognize suffering. In this state, the living entity accepts a wretched, awkward condition as "enjoyment," failing to see that material happiness is merely a temporary reprieve from inevitable distress.
- The Requirement for a Guru: Escaping this entanglement is impossible through independent effort or "blind faith." One must seek out a bona fide spiritual master (guru) to receive the light of knowledge (jnana), which alone can dissipate the darkness of ignorance.
- Elevation Through the Modes: While the goal is to transcend all material qualities, the practical process involves moving from ignorance to passion, and finally to goodness. From the platform of goodness, one can then transition into the transcendental position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, where the self is fully realized.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Escaping the Awkward Position of Ignorance.
Pages in category "Position of Ignorance"
The following 22 pages are in this category, out of 22 total.
A
- A child is born into ignorance, and if as he grows older he remains under the bodily conception of life, he lives in darkness. His position is that of a sudra
- As a matter of fact, we will see that we are no longer in ignorance or in passion, but are situated in the mode of goodness. What is that position? We will find ourselves joyful in every circumstance of life. We will never feel morose
- At the present moment, our position is very precarious. We are in the darkness, the ignorance, and so many other things, corollaries to these things
O
- On this nonsense idea the whole world is going on. So how there can be real knowledge? The basic principle of knowledge is ignorance. Andha. The man who is leading, he is blind. So how he can lead? This is the position
- One who wants to transcend this position of ignorance and wants to know the transcendental subject, means spiritual subject, brahma-jijnasa, he requires a guru, not any person, other person
P
- People are kept in ignorance. There is no school, no college, no institution to give instructions about this science. This is the position of modern civilization. People are kept in ignorance
- People are not very serious. They're so much in ignorance: "All right, let it happen, whatever may happen. We may enjoy life." This is not very good position. At least in human form of life, one should be very sober, considerate (of) what is happening
T
- The cursing of Jaya and Vijaya is here repented. Now the Kumaras are thinking in terms of their position in the modes of passion and ignorance, and they are prepared to accept any kind of punishment from the Lord
- The impetus for activities is generated from the self, but such activities become illusory due to ignorance of the real position of the self
- The mundane qualities do not allow a living entity to understand his real position. The qualities of both ignorance and passion strongly bind one to the illusory bodily conception of the self
- The so-called temporary happiness of the world is also misery, but in ignorance we cannot understand this. That is the actual position
- They cannot understand that by serving Krsna, we become healthy or in our normal position. This is called ignorance. Somebody is trying to forget Him, somebody is trying to become equal with Him. This business is going on
W
- We do not know what is the position of my real self. That we do not know. This is called ignorance. That instruction is given in the Bhagavad-gita in the beginning: na hanyate hanyamane sarire
- When one is put into an awkward position because of ignorance, the process by which one can be freed from this entanglement is called yoga. This is also called liberation
- When situated in Krsna consciousness, one is no longer in the darkness of ignorance, and when freed from all such darkness, one is situated in his original position
Y
- You do not know your real position. That is ignorance. And that is dog mentality. The dog cannot understand that he is not body; he is something else
- You keep yourself always in goodness. Then your position is all right. Otherwise, it is very risky. But these people, the Western people, they do not do that. They keep themselves in the modes of ignorance. That is very risky civilization