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======= Understanding
Hinduism =======
Ignorance
From The Mahabharata
Santi Parva, Section CLIX
Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Yudhishthira said: Thou hast said, O grandsire, that the foundation of all evils is
covetousness. I wish, O sire, to hear of ignorance in detail.
Bhishma said: The person who commits sin through ignorance, who does not know that his
end is at hand, and who always hates those that are of good behaviour, soon incurs infamy
in the world. In consequence of ignorance one sinks into hell. Ignorance is the spring of
misery. Through ignorance one suffers afflictions and incurs great danger.
Yudhishthira said: I desire O king, to hear in detail the origin, the place, the
growth, the decay, the rise, the root, the inseparable attribute, the course, the time,
the cause, and the consequence, of ignorance. The misery that is felt here is all born of
ignorance.
[Note: The commentator explains that including the first, Yudhishthira puts altogether
12 questions.]
Bhishma said: Attachment, hate, loss of judgment, joy, sorrow, vanity, lust, anger,
pride, procrastination, idleness, desire, aversion, jealousy, and all other sinful acts
are all known by the common name of ignorance.
[Note: This is an answer to the first question viz., the general nature of ignorance.]
Hear now, O king, in detail, about its tendency, growth and other features after which
thou enquirest. These two viz., ignorance and covetousness, know, O king, are the same (in
substance). Both are productive of the same fruits and same faults, O Bharata! Ignorance
has its origin in covetousness. As covetousness grows, ignorance also grows. Ignorance
exists there where covetousness exists. As covetousness decreases, ignorance also
decreases. It rises with the rise of covetousness. Manifold again is the course that it
takes.
The root of covetousness is loss of judgment. Loss of judgment, again, is its
inseparable attribute. Eternity is ignorance’s course. The time when ignorance
appears is when objects of covetousness are not won. From one’s ignorance proceeds
covetousness, and from the latter proceeds ignorance. (Covetousness, therefore, is both
the cause and consequence of ignorance). Covetousness is productive of all. For these
reasons, every one should avoid covetousness. Janaka, and Yuvanaswa and Vrishadarbhi, and
Prasenajit, and other kings acquired heaven in consequence of their having repressed
covetousness, O chief of the Kurus! Avoiding covetousness thou shalt obtain happiness both
here and in the next world.
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Related articles:
Sin
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