Accept This Ignorance – In Gita Verse 14.13 When there is an increase in the mode of ignorance, O son of Kuru, darkness, inertia, madness and illusion are manifested.
Embracing Ignorance on the Path to Enlightenment
In the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna imparts teachings that are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. In verse 14.13, Krishna offers insight into the nature of ignorance and how it shapes our existence:
“When there is an increase in the mode of ignorance, O son of Kuru, darkness, inertia, madness, and illusion are manifested.”
Here, Krishna warns that not only is ignorance a state of darkness, but the unwillingness to acknowledge our own ignorance can lead to a life filled with confusion and miseries. Observing others, we may realise that much of our suffering stems from our own lack of awareness. Therefore, it is crucial to become conscious of our ignorance; otherwise, we risk creating a hellish existence for ourselves.
Krishna cautions that if we fail to awaken to our ignorance, we invite darkness, inertia, madness, and illusion into our lives. However, this acknowledgment should not propel us towards a desperate accumulation of knowledge. In fact, knowledge – when pursued for its own sake – becomes a form of addiction, a never-ending accumulation that does not transform our being.
As mentioned in my reflection on Bhagavad Gita Verse 4.27, mere knowledgeability is not the cure for ignorance. It’s because intellectual information, while informative, fails to touch the core of our existence. The very act of acknowledging, ‘IT SEEMS TO ME THAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING,’ paradoxically opens the door to true understanding. In this recognition, there is a purity similar to the innocence of a child – yet with the conscious awareness of a sage. Here lies the beauty of true wisdom – embracing ignorance consciously.
Ignorance, in its purest sense, is blissful. Knowledge can create noise and obstruction, whereas the absence of knowledge can provide clarity. If we can strip away the layers of accumulated knowledge, we may find that reality, in its essence, is not hidden; it simply requires a clear vision to be seen.
In the ancient Indian text, the Shiva Sutra, there’s a powerful declaration: “GYANAM BUNDHAM” – “knowledge is bondage.” True freedom comes when we acknowledge that we know nothing. This acknowledgment can feel uncomfortable because, like prisoners who have grown accustomed to their chains, we too have become attached to the weight of our intellectual acquisitions. When those chains are removed, we may feel a sense of loss – a sign that our identification with knowledge runs deep.
This moment of realisation is a golden opportunity to be free, to relish the liberation that comes from innocence and ignorance accepted and embraced with love. It heralds a new birth, a return to childlike wonder combined with the maturity of life’s experiences.
However, as seekers on the path, we must beware of clinging to the very concept of’’not knowing’ as if it were a new piece of knowledge. To be truly ignorant in the deepest sense means to be free from even the idea of nonknowledge – to stand in pure innocence, unmarked by any concept.
When reading or listening to the teachings of Krishan or the discourses of Zen masters, one may be easily drawn to an intellectual grasp because the teachings of Krishna are straightforward, not shrouded in complex philosophy. But remember, the aim is not to create new theories in the mind but to internalise and live these truths.
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