Ignorance (Avidya) means not knowing what is true and accepting what is false as truth.
1. Mistaking the Body for the Self
A woman sees a few gray hairs in the mirror and becomes distressed. She thinks, “I am growing old; my value has diminished.” This is ignorance. Wisdom says, “This body is my garment, but I am far more than the body.”
2. Determining Our Worth by Others’ Opinions
If someone praises us, we feel happy. If someone criticizes us, we lose sleep for the entire night. Why? Because we have handed over the key to our happiness to others. This is ignorance.
3. Seeking Happiness in Material Possessions
We think, “If I get a bigger house, I will be happy.” The house is acquired, but after a few months, new problems arise. Happiness was never in the house. The mind merely imagined that the object would bring happiness. This is ignorance.
4. Excessive Attachment in Relationships
A mother becomes so attached to her child that her entire identity depends upon him. When the child grows up and becomes occupied with his own life, the mother feels shattered. Was love wrong? No. But attachment transformed love into suffering.
5. Ego
We often think, “I accomplished everything by myself.” But reflect for a moment: Who gave us the breath of life? Who keeps the heart beating? Who causes the sun to rise? Assuming complete doership and taking ownership of every action is ignorance born of illusion (Maya).
6. Comparison
Today, through social media, we see someone else’s beauty, wealth, or success and begin to feel inadequate. We forget that we are only seeing the polished highlights of another person’s life—not the whole story. Wisdom teaches that God has given each individual a unique purpose and a unique journey.
7. Fear of Death
What is the greatest fear? “I will cease to exist.” But in the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says: “Na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin…” (2.20). The Self is never born and never dies. Only the person who identifies solely with the body trembles before death.
The Rope and the Snake
Imagine that a rope is lying in a room at night. In the darkness, you mistake it for a snake. You become frightened. Now ask yourself: Was there really a snake? No. The moment a lamp is lit, you realize that it was only a rope. Did the lamp drive away the snake? No. The snake never existed. The light merely removed the ignorance. This is precisely what the light of Self-knowledge does. Most of our fears, ego, jealousy, and insecurities are like that imaginary snake. When the light of wisdom dawns, they begin to disappear naturally.
Dr. Ramesh Singh Pal