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Means of Self-Realization influenced by such passions, is not knowledge but ignorance. Knowledge is knowledge only when it results in avoiding or reducing such passions (kaşāya). In his poem “ Mülamārga' Śrîmad has very precisely and aptly defined right knowledge. In stanza no.6 of the poem he says, “ Knowledge is that understanding of the aspirant which he acquires from a pious preacher (sadguru) and which teaches him that soul is different from the body etc., and it has the quality of pure conscious attention or cognition (upayoga) and is indestructible.
The importance of right knowledge lies in the fact that without right knowledge there cannot be right faith, as right faith is nothing but unfailing faith in the abovementioned concept regarding soul, and right conduct is nothing else but conduct which is the result of right faith and right knowledge. In other words, it can be said that right knowledge is to know properly one's own soul. It is like the Vedantin's experience of identity of soul with the universal soul, “Aham Brahmāsmi" or "tattvamasi.”
It is however necessary to remember that though right knowledge should precede right faith, the two cannot perhaps be separated from each other and rather
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