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its culminating point. Now the ethical valuation and humanistic valuation have for their criterion a reference to consciousness. Essence of all ethics and all being, be it human or non-human, lies in remaining true to one's own self and in maintaining one's own status on the basis of self-existence. In order to do justice to others and to one's own self, one must realize self in all individual beings as well as in one's own being. So in self- realization lies the supreme value. Religion is in a way application of philosophy. Finding self as the ultimate, one takes the path of self-realization; and it is the religion at par in the strict sense of the term -
dharma' which means maintaining one's essential nature.
While concluding this first chapter of his work Dr. Patel contends : “Thus, in our search for reality, we cannot but arrive at the self as ultimate from various aspects. So, now we would realize the significance of Śrīmad's conclusion : "We see various sects and systems of thought. It is merely due to difference of various view points or approaches. But it is from the root of one ultimate reality that all of them have sprung and spread.' Hence, we would also realise the significance of his interpretation of the doctrine, the who knows the self knows all’and see the propriety
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