Understanding

Because you desired wisdom above all else, and did not ask for victory over your enemies, or riches, or long life, I will give you not only the wisdom you asked for to rule my people righteously, but also the things you did not ask for: riches, wealth, and glory, so that there will be no king like you before or after you.

Knowledge is what moves towards unity, and when it reaches the supramental level, it grasps the oneness, essence, and self-law of existence, and views and handles the many things from that light and fullness, somewhat like the Divine does from the highest point from which He embraces the world.

Ignorance is the lack of the divine ability to see the supramental Truth; it is the part of our consciousness that does not perceive, as opposed to the part that sees and knows the truth.

The distinction between knowledge and ignorance starts with the hymns of the RigVeda, where knowledge means being conscious of the Truth and what is right, and ignorance is being unconscious of the Truth and what is right, opposing it and creating false or negative effects.

'I' and 'mine' represent ignorance, while 'Thou' and 'Thine' represent knowledge.

One cannot attain knowledge unless one is free from egotism.

Brahman is beyond knowledge and ignorance, virtue and vice, merit and demerit, cleanliness and uncleanliness.

One attains Perfect Knowledge when one sees God in man.

We have been given this human life to understand the all-pervading, omnipresent God. This knowledge can only be given by someone who has themselves realized God. Life becomes truly happy only after meeting such a God-realized person.

The fear of the Lord is wisdom.

Salutations to the Guru who, with the salve of wisdom applied like a fine brush, opens the eyes of one left sightless by the darkness of ignorance.

I bow to the Guru who is Brahman — eternal, pure, beyond all appearance and form, unstained, ever-aware, the very embodiment of consciousness and bliss.

Salutations to the Guru — by whom this mind is made conscious, yet who cannot be grasped by that very mind; who pervades the states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep.

Salutations to the Guru — by whose truth the world appears real, by whose light all things shine, and by whose bliss all beings rejoice.

The first syllable 'gu' illumines the qualities beginning with maya — the veiling forces of creation. The second syllable 'ru' is Brahman, the destroyer of illusion and confusion.

The syllable 'gu' signifies darkness; the syllable 'ru' signifies light. The Guru is verily that Brahman which devours ignorance — of this there is no doubt.

This knowledge is exceedingly rare in all three worlds — listen as I reveal it. O fair-faced one, it is truth, verily the truth: there is no Brahman apart from the Guru.

The Goddess said: Om. Salutations to You, O Lord of lords, the highest Guru of the universe, surpassing even the highest. O eternally auspicious Shiva, O great Lord — grant me initiation into the knowledge of the Guru.

Those who understand themselves, understand God.

Forgiveness, courage, non-violence, equanimity, truth, sincerity, knowledge, charity, and renunciation are said to be the characteristics of the path that arises from goodness.