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## Diimadrushti: In a body of viparyasa, the soul's perception of itself is the cause of samsara.
(301) The obstacle to the soul's attainment of the true nature of things is its innate viparyasa-bhava, a perception that, whether consciously or unconsciously, misinterprets the nature of things. This viparyasa-bhava, which is not overcome by the teachings of vairagya and upashama, leads to a distorted understanding of the world. As long as this viparyasa-bhava persists, even the contemplation of principles will be distorted. The ego and attachment that arise from the desire for worldly possessions, family, and other things, and the passions of attachment and aversion that arise from the attainment or non-attainment of these things, are all manifestations of this viparyasa-bhava.
–Shrimad Rajchandra Patranka 418. (506) This viparyasa-bhava, this distorted perception, makes the soul blind to the difference between what is beneficial and what is harmful. It is unable to discern between the two, and so it engages in harmful activities, even though they bring suffering.
"Hitam hitva hite sthitva durdhir duhkhayase bhrisham. Viparyaye tayorehi tvam sukhayishyase sudhih."
–Shri Gunabhadra Swami's Shri Atmanushasana: By abandoning the beneficial and dwelling in the harmful, the foolish soul experiences great suffering. But by reversing this, by abandoning the harmful and dwelling in the beneficial, the wise soul will attain happiness.
The soul that cultivates the belief that happiness will not be found on the path that leads to happiness, will be hindered from pursuing the true path. It will think, "I will not find happiness on this path, happiness will be found on another path," and thus it will be prevented from pursuing the true path. It will encounter obstacles to the attainment of true happiness. This kind of perception is what the wise call mithyatva.
–Shri Manahsukhbhai K. Shantasudharas Vivechan. Therefore, such a soul is only concerned with the present, only with the present moment. It only sees the present and does not consider the past or the future. It believes, "This life is sweet, what have I seen of the next life?" and only thinks about the present. Thus, it forgets the past and the future, becoming attached to this life. It believes that all its duties are to be performed in this life, and it becomes completely absorbed in its activities. In this way, it loses awareness of what is beneficial and harmful, what is right and wrong, what is edible and inedible, what is drinkable and undrinkable. It forgets the true nature of the soul, which is pure consciousness, distinct from the physical body. It identifies itself with the body, and becomes oblivious to its true nature. It becomes completely absorbed in the body and its needs.