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Aptavani-1
Pragna : The Direct Light Of The Self And The Force
That Liberates
The power of the Self that illuminates the entire universe is called Keval Gnan.
Pragna is a direct light of the Self. The intellect (buddhi) is an indirect light of the Self; it flows through the medium of the ego.
Pragna is a fraction of keval Gnan (Absolute knowledge). Pragna is a phase of Gnan. As the veils of ignorance over the Self are lifted, there is an increasing light and an increase in the fractions of Keval Gnan. When this progression becomes complete, it turns into three hundred and sixty degrees; it becomes keval Gnan.
If there was a thousand watts light bulb fitted in a clay pot, and the opening of the pot was closed tight, would there be any light around? No, you would not be able to see any light. This is the case with the ignorant self (muddhatma). Within you there is infinite light of real Knowledge (Gnan prakash), but the darkness prevails because of the layers of ignorance over the Self. With the grace and special powers (siddhis) of the Gnani Purush, if a tiny hole is made in the clay-pot covering the light bulb, the whole room will be filled with the light coming through. That much covering is broken and that much direct light comes out. This light increases as more of the layers are lifted and as more holes are made in the pot. And when the whole pot is destroyed and separated, detached away from the bulb, there will be a flood of full light everywhere!
What is the function of this Pragna? Pragna acts like a wife who is devoted and dedicated to the goal of her husband. Pragna shows what is helpful to the self in the path to full enlightenment and protects the self from that which is harmful with reference to liberation. Whatever external circumstances present, it is pragna that makes you deal with them, with equanimity, and then she returns to the Self (shukla dhyan). So it carries out all external, as well as internal functions, just like an interim government. This work continues until the establishment of a fully independent government.
What is pragna? It is that which prevents the non-self to become one with the Self and conversely it will not let the awakened Self slip into the non-self. It is an integral part of the Self and it ceaselessly works towards the liberation of the self. A person's conduct continues to change with progressive expression of pragna. As one's conduct changes, one feels one's burden become lighter. Pragna keeps the two departments, home -the Self and foreign-the non-self, separate. That is Atmacharitra, the conduct of the enlightened Self. This conduct keeps the non-self and the Self, separate.
When I give Gnan, there is a direct experience of the Self. This direct experience is associated with the establishment of the right belief, which is permanent. This is parmaarth samkit (the right belief of the Self). That is why pragna-bhaav arises within you. Everything in this world is unsteady, temporary and transitory, whereas the pragna-bhaav is the part that remains still and steady. With pragna you do not have to 'climb steps (effort required as in the traditional kramic path to liberation). Pragna takes you up on an elevator all the way to ultimate liberation. All the bhaavs - deep inner intent and feelings - are
The direct ray of light of Gnan (the Self) is called pragna. When the Self becomes free from all the obscuring veils, it becomes capable of illuminating the entire universe. In other words when it attains the power to Observe and know all the gneyas, all that is to be known in the entire universe, that is Keval Gnan.
