Knowledge or Wisdom
(knowledge gained from books - define wisdom)

Kaivalya Jnani:
The knowledge gained from the books (bookish knowledge) or the wisdom acquired from Scriptural texts... what is more important in life? nice question...

When I was young... I always came second in my class. It was rarely I came first. As I cleared standard after standard... something within kept me highly excited! What it was... I never could understand it! In ninth standard, I gave way to the feelings within.

I stopped mugging. All was over for me. I had got zero in three papers and two marks (out of 10) in one paper. I had bitterly failed. One who always stood second in class had become an utter failure overnight. Why?

Almost 38 years have passed since then but I had not the opportunity to tell anyone why such a thing happened. I only disclosed the intricate details to my two daughters. I practically enforced upon them that it was not mugging... not getting good marks in class that mattered in life... all that mattered was how much wisdom we gain in the journey of life.

By mugging things up, I always used to score better and stood second in class... but to what avail! Whatever I had mugged up in class four vanished from my memory in class five. Whatever I mugged up in class five vanished from my memory in class six.

I did not want that to continue forever. At the end of standard eight I firmed up my resolve to learn real wisdom in each and every class (subject)... come whatever may!

Initially, I was a bitter failure! No level of coaxing or pursuing from my class teacher, other teachers and the principal bore any result. I stood for Wisdom henceforth... I was not to go after bookish knowledge henceforth.

I just could not gather enough strength to spill the beans to my class teacher, other teachers and the principal. Slowly, as I learnt the wisdom of every subject, I started gaining better marks. Finally I scored average and gained second division in final exams.

I continued in the journey of my life. How I entered into engineering... passed in first division... entered into a profession of my fathers choosing is not what I plan to tell now in detail... what is of importance is that leaving the process of mugging altogether was the biggest achievement of my life.

After passing ninth standard... I never ran after gaining good marks... what was important to me was gaining an in-depth knowledge of the subject.

When I took a resolve to search for God in this very life... my goal was firm. Come whatever may... I shall unveil whoever God Almighty is in this very life. 25 years of patience, persistence and perseverance finally paid off. At 37 years of age I realized God... the ultimate in the life of a human being!

I had a reached the end of cosmic life. This was my last... the 8.4 millionth manifestation. Henceforth after leaving the mortal frame... I shall gain entry into the kingdom of God (aka Vaikunth in Hinduism).

Wisdom plays a very vital role in the life of every human being... Why run after things ephemeral!

Essay by: Kaivalya Jnani ... One who realized self in his life time! Send your query!

 
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