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Shri Datta Swami

Posted on: 02 Sep 2021

               

Whether a human incarnation also has three kinds of ignorance?

[Ms. Laxmi Thrylokya asked:Swami, thank You so much for correlating the three divine philosophies of Advaita, Vishishtaadvaita and Dvaita. While explaining about Advaita, You said that it is perfectly true when applied to the human incarnation of God. The soul of the Human incarnation is God Himself. I have no doubt till this. But, Aadi Shankaraachaarya also told about 3 levels of ignorance called Avidyaa, Vikshepa and Mala which covers the soul and stands as an obstacle to realise the self (soul) as God. Now, my question is whether a human incarnation also has these three kinds of ignorance? Does a Sadguru (Human Incarnation) also overcome these 3 things to realise Himself / Herself as God? Only You can answer this Swami because You are the Human incarnation of God. Kindly enlighten us.]

Swami Replied:- Very bright question. Aadi Shankara told that the soul forgets itself to be God and such ignorance must be crossed over by the soul in order to realise and become God. All this is told to convert ignorant atheists into theists. Hence, the above statement shall be forgotten completely. There is no such type of ignorance in the soul even though other types of ignorance may exist. What you talked about various forms of such type of ignorance exist only in the incarnation. This type of ignorance is forcibly superimposed by God on Himself to have real entertainment to the extent of climax. Ignorance exists in the incarnation under the control of the incarnation (Vaśīkṛtamāyaḥ Īśvaraḥ).

God in the incarnation acts as if He is under the control of ignorance to enjoy the entertainment fully. At no time, God is under the control of ignorance. The theoretical ignorance is Avidyaa, which is seeing rope as serpent in twilight. This Avidyaa is destroyed by the knowledge of reality-torchlight. But, Vikshepa is not destroyed so easily and so quickly. Vikshepa is the practical influence of Avidyaa. Mala is nothing but the long stored practical influence of ignorance or Vikshepa. Same Vikshepa stored for a long time becomes Mala. All this Avidyaa, Vikshepa and Mala apply to the incarnation only, which is seeing the unreal world as real for the sake of entertainment. The poor soul is seeing the real world as real only because the unreal world (for God) is real for the unreal soul since soul is a tiny part of the world only.

 
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