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Chapter 1: Background
Currently, the path of liberation has been mostly lost. It is described here for the contemplation of the truth seekers, without any reservation.
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Explanation & Discussion:
The remaining two aspects of the composition are covered here. The subject matter of the composition, Abhidheya, is the path of liberation. The purpose of the composition, Prayojan, is contemplation by the truth seekers.
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People are deeply engrossed with the material well being in the false hope of achieving peace and happiness. We have been pursuing material comforts almost to the exclusion of spiritual and other objectives. With that end in view, we have embarked upon scientific exploration, which has provided the comforts and amenities that were unimaginable only a few years back. Has that, however, made us happy?
Shrimad wrote this more than a century before in light of the situation then prevailing. Since then, the human race has made tremendous progress in the material field. It has split the atom, probed the psyche, spliced the gene and cloned sheep. It has invented radar, microwave and silicon chip. It has revolutionized the means of transport and communication by introducing automobiles, airplanes, rockets, satellites, telephones, televisions, computers, and internet. It has radically revised the prevalent theories in the areas of logic, learning, physics, chemistry, medicine, mathematics, space, and time.
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In the spiritual field, however, the mankind has made no progress. On the contrary, there has been evident regress. The material progress has not brought the lasting happiness to the people. True happiness lies in the state of liberation and the
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