Meaning of religion and religious life — Philosophy STD 12 Arts — Question
Gujarat BoardEnglish MediumSTD 12 ArtsPhilosophyMeaning of religion and religious life5 Marks
Question
Explain the relation of knowledge, devotion, asceticism and policy.
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Answer
Knowledge, devotion, asceticism and morality should be fully developed in the life of anyone who leads a religious life.
This truth is realized in the lives of the great religions and theologians of the world.
These four aspects are mentioned in the characteristics of a devotee mentioned by Narasimha Mehta in the ‘Vaishnavajan’ bhajan.
A religious person is wise but if he does not have devotion to God, he cannot experience the bliss of the love affair with God and the bliss associated with it.
Thus, Gyannishtha without devotion becomes dry.
Just as in the absence of knowledge, knowledge alone cannot bring about the realization of bliss and bliss, so in the absence of knowledge, devotion alone cannot fully manifest.
Because a person who does not have the knowledge that he is a soul, the devotee falls into body pride at any time.
Thus, devotion and knowledge complement each other.
If a religious person is a devotee and a sage but does not have asceticism in the happiness and enjoyment of the world, then in some circumstances he becomes blind to the attachment to this happiness.
As a result, he is likely to become impure in his Gnana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.
Thus, knowledge and devotion are expected of asceticism.
Policy is the foundation of knowledge, devotion and asceticism.
Only a person who is righteous can be a sage, a devotee or an ascetic.
None of these three would be achieved without policy.
However, being moral alone is not enough.
Only by following virtue can man attain worldly and perishable happiness as well as peace, but the attainment of supernatural and eternal bliss and peace is possible only if virtue is combined with knowledge, devotion and asceticism to live a full religious life.
Thus, knowledge, devotion, asceticism and policy are expected of each other.
One's shortcomings also make religious life flawed.
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