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Path of Jnana religion

CHENNAI: Without a determined effort the quest to understand the Supreme Truth will not even take off for the task is most evasive and hence most difficult. The understanding has to proceed in one’s consciousness gradually, step by step. Since Sri Ramakrishna perceived the truth directly and was able to see God in every aspect of the tangible world, his teachings reinforce that realising God is an experience felt within one’s consciousness and is not a matter of philosophy, pointed out Swami Gautamananda in a lecture.

To understand that the entire creation is the expression of the Lord’s Maya is the beginning of the realisation. Even as a magician is able to conjure up flowers in a plant or fruits in a tree for a brief spell, this creation is His Maya that is maintained for an extended period of time. In our limited perception we see only a partial aspect of the His manifestation.

An individual’s quest for self realisation is a long drawn battle between the forces of ignorance (Avidya) and knowledge (Jnana) for one has to counter the pulls of the worldly attractions with the help of Jnana (knowledge). Ignorance of what is good is called Avidya Maya and this pertains to evil tendencies such as lust and greed derived from ignorance and these perpetuate it further without any chance of movement towards Jnana.

All our day-to-day experiences reflect the effect of Avidya Maya since the nature of Samsara makes it easy to get entangled in the vortex of karma, just as entering a forest that warns us of wild animals brings us face to face with constant dread of danger. It does not matter whether we stand or try to run away.

But by heeding good advice one can avoid risks and dangers, that is, by pursuing Vidya Maya (knowledge of good). This nurtures the qualities of Vairagya (dispassion) and Bhakti (love and devotion for God) that are the essence of Jnana (knowledge) and enables us to travel nearer to the Self by removing the veil of ignorance.

But the consciousness of the absolute reality is reached when one transcends both these. The individual has to realise that the Atma (self) is indestructible and is caught in the web of Samsara in embodied form and learn to rise above it.

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