World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 488

fore us. His rich contribution to the world of devotional literature is the proof of the maturity of his inner devotion.
If we take up the knowledge aspect, Shri Shankara is the most enlightened of all. Shri Shankara says:
कुरुते गंगासागर गमनं व्रतपरिपालनमथवादानम् । ज्ञानविहीनः सर्वमतेन मुक्तिं न भवति जन्मशतेन ॥
Religious activities such as a holy dip in the Ganges or in an ocean, or in holy lakes, performance of some vritas, charity, etc, will not directly give us salvation or moksha. All of them can liberate the soul only when they are accompanied by knowledge or enlightenment. If such religious rituals are not clubbed with enlightenment, even after several hundred births with constant religious performances, one doesn't get salvation or liberation.
"Higa q
ary" "and fafaral sifa rafa FPI: Tren faud 3 Hry"
Realisation of God is spiritual enlightenment. Without that one cannot get salvation. This is what Shri Shankara proclaims loudly in several contexts. His commentaries on the Brahmasutra, the Bhagavadgeeta, the Upanishaths reveal his highly disciplined philosophical narrative style and the height of his knowledge also. Shri Shankar explains what is ‘self' or 'Jeevatma' and what is Almighty or Paramatma in crystal clear style. It is not easy to understand the ‘self or Jeevatma' since we think superficially. Who is Jeevatma ? or self ? We all, you and I, are Jeevatmas. We haven't understood ourselves. Some ask - What? Do you think I don't know myself? We have to ask them like this. "If you know yourself well, how were you when you were an eight month old infant ? When did you eat sugar candy and when did you eat dates ?” Nobody remembers childhood experiences. The mother can tell it. Suppose that the mother replies like this - "you could not get adjusted with dates. Hence I used to give you sugar-candy.” On listening to such statements of mother, one has to imagine one's own childhood days. That is what anyone will do. That's all. But did not one spend one's own childhood days here? Is it a lie ? No. The life before the present birth is still mysterious. If we go a step back, and tell, nobody remembers that he/she was in mother's womb before birth. But is it a lie that she/he came from mother's womb ? The life before the present birth is still more obscure. Thus nobody has his/ her own complete knowledge. We know things only after our mind got developed. Still we don't know everything. Ultimately we have to accept that our mind is limited. The things connected with the 'self" are very deep and mysterious. How were we born? How will we die ? How will we go to different worlds ? What are the principles ? Like this there are very subtle and
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