View source for Beyond Speculation and Absurdity

The pursuit of absolute truth requires a methodology that is free from the flaws of human speculation. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that many modern approaches to religion and philosophy are rooted in ignorance, leading to conclusions that are both unauthentic and absurd. By setting aside mental concoctions and approaching the spiritual science through the authorized channel of the spiritual master, one can move beyond absurdity toward factual realization.

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=== Condemnation of Blind Following and Absurd Inquiries ===

In the ''Bhagavad-gītā'', the path of knowledge is protected by a specific etiquette of inquiry. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. Blind following occurs when a person accepts a leader without understanding the philosophy, while absurd inquiries are those made without a submissive spirit. To truly learn the science, one must approach a real spiritual master, render service, and inquire with the intent to get a clear understanding. Only through this submissive process can one gradually learn the science and avoid the pitfall of nonsensical questioning.

* [[Vaniquotes:Absurd inquiries are condemned herewith. One must approach to the real spiritual master in submission. Inquire from him by rendering service. Then, gradually, you learn the science|Absurd inquiries are condemned herewith. One must approach to the real spiritual master in submission. Inquire from him by rendering service. Then, gradually, you learn the science.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Blind following and absurd inquiries. These things are condemned in this verse. Blind following means, "Oh, there is a svami. So many thousands of people are following. Let me become his disciple." This is called blind following|Blind following and absurd inquiries. These things are condemned in this verse. Blind following means, "Oh, there is a svami. So many thousands of people are following. Let me become his disciple." This is called blind following.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:In this verse (BG 4.34), both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. One should not only hear submissively from the spiritual master; but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries. BG 1972 pur|In this verse (BG 4.34), both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. One should not only hear submissively from the spiritual master; but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Following without knowing - that is absurd. You must know the order of God. And if you follow that, then that is honesty|Following without knowing - that is absurd. You must know the order of God. And if you follow that, then that is honesty.]]

=== Absurd Distortions of the Bhagavad-gītā ===

The ''Bhagavad-gītā'' is often subjected to the interpretations of nondevotees, which Śrīla Prabhupāda categorizes as absurd distortions. There are hundreds of editions of the ''Gītā'' that study the text from various unauthorized angles of vision, but because they do not accept Kṛṣṇa as He is, their commentaries are considered absurd and nonsense. For example, some commentators attempt to prove that Kṛṣṇa is not violent, which is an absurd denial of the Lord's actions against demons. Without knowing the actual order of God, any attempt to follow or interpret His words becomes an absurdity.

* [[Vaniquotes:Nondevotees cannot understand even the preliminary study of transcendental knowledge, Bhagavad-gita. They simply speculate and present commentaries with absurd distortions|Nondevotees cannot understand even the preliminary study of transcendental knowledge, Bhagavad-gita. They simply speculate and present commentaries with absurd distortions.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Krsna is violent to demons, and to attempt to prove that Krsna is not violent is ultimately to deny Krsna. As such explanations of the Bhagavad-gita are absurd|Krsna is violent to demons, and to attempt to prove that Krsna is not violent is ultimately to deny Krsna. As such explanations of the Bhagavad-gita are absurd.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:There are about six hundred different types of editions commenting on Bhagavad-gita. But according to Bhagavad-gita, all these six hundred editions in different, studied from different angle of vision, they are all absurd and nonsense|There are about six hundred different types of editions commenting on Bhagavad-gita. But according to Bhagavad-gita, all these six hundred editions in different, studied from different angle of vision, they are all absurd and nonsense.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Without knowing, following, that is absurd. You must know that this is the order of God. And if you follow that, then that is honesty|Without knowing, following, that is absurd. You must know that this is the order of God. And if you follow that, then that is honesty.]]

=== Ignorance in Mental Speculation ===

Mental speculators often project their own limitations onto Lord Kṛṣṇa, leading to unauthentic conclusions. Śrīla Prabhupāda states that thinking of the Lord as being just like a common human being is an absurdity born of ignorance. This same ignorance leads to the "cheating business" of claiming that a man can become God. Such speculators are puffed up with false pride, yet they have created nothing, unlike the Supreme Lord who has created the entire material universe. Any conclusion that deviates from the authorized version of the ''Srimad-Bhagavatam'' is dismissed as unauthentic and absurd.

* [[Vaniquotes:Due to ignorance only mental speculators always think of Lord Krsna as like themselves and make their own conclusions, which are absurd and unauthentic from the version of the Srimad-Bhagavatam|Due to ignorance only mental speculators always think of Lord Krsna as like themselves and make their own conclusions, which are absurd and unauthentic from the version of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Due to ignorance only they always think of Lord Krsna as like themselves and make their own conclusions, which are absurd and unauthentic from the version of the Srimad-Bhagavatam|Due to ignorance only they always think of Lord Krsna as like themselves and make their own conclusions, which are absurd and unauthentic from the version of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:You should not inquire that "How I become God?" We learn from scripture, God has created this material universe. Oh, what I have created? And still I am puffed-up - "I am God"? So this cheating business is going on. So these are absurd|You should not inquire that "How I become God?" We learn from scripture, God has created this material universe. Oh, what I have created? And still I am puffed-up - "I am God"? So this cheating business is going on. So these are absurd.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Christian philosophers who do not believe in the law of karma put forward the argument that it is absurd to say one must accept the results of past deeds of which he has no consciousness|Christian philosophers who do not believe in the law of karma put forward the argument that it is absurd to say one must accept the results of past deeds of which he has no consciousness.]]

=== Absurdity in Denying Universal Realities ===

Certain social and physical realities are persistent throughout the universe, yet some people absurdly attempt to deny them. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that the four social orders, or castes, exist in every country and at all times because they are products of the three modes of nature. To say they do not exist in a particular part of the world is an absurdity. Similarly, our "ocular vanity"—the idea that our eyes can perceive everything perfectly—is reduced to absurdity every morning by the sun, which is much larger than the earth yet appears small to our limited vision.

* [[Vaniquotes:How can one say that the four castes do not exist in a particular part of the world? This is absurd. In every country and at all times there have been, there are, and there will be the four social orders, according to the modes of nature|How can one say that the four castes do not exist in a particular part of the world? This is absurd. In every country and at all times there have been, there are, and there will be the four social orders, according to the modes of nature.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Modes of nature are persistent in every corner of the universe, and since brahmanas, ksatriyas, and so forth are simply products of the modes of nature, how can one say that the four castes do not exist in a particular part of the world? This is absurd|Modes of nature are persistent in every corner of the universe, and since brahmanas, ksatriyas, and so forth are simply products of the modes of nature, how can one say that the four castes do not exist in a particular part of the world? This is absurd.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Of course, the sun is much larger than the earth on which we live, and thus every morning of every day our self-reliant ocular vanity is put to the test and reduced to absurdity|Of course, the sun is much larger than the earth on which we live, and thus every morning of every day our self-reliant ocular vanity is put to the test and reduced to absurdity.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The entire cosmic manifestation is a gigantic body, but if we accept that it always exists, there can be no question of annihilation. Therefore the attempt to annihilate everything in order to attain zero is an absurdity|The attempt to annihilate everything in order to attain zero is an absurdity.]]

=== Conclusion ===

Absurdity is the natural result of trying to understand the infinite with a finite and conditioned mind. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that spiritual life is a science that must be approached through the proper channel of disciplic succession. By rejecting blind following and absurd inquiries, and instead choosing to hear submissively from an authorized spiritual master, a person can gain a clear and factual understanding of the Lord. The many absurd interpretations of the scriptures that circulate today only serve to bewilder the public and deny the true nature of Kṛṣṇa. Whether it is the denial of the law of ''karma'', the false claim of becoming God, or the misunderstanding of the Lord's spiritual form, these absurdities are all rooted in ignorance. To move beyond them, one must accept the version of the ''Srimad-Bhagavatam'' and the ''Bhagavad-gītā'' as they are, without the interference of mental speculators. Ultimately, the path to perfection is found in submission, service, and authorized inquiry, which lead the soul from the night of material ignorance to the light of transcendental realization.

=== Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani ===

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category [[Vaniquotes:Category:Absurd|Absurd]]. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

(See our [[Vanipedia:Methodology for AI-Assisted Articles|Vanipedia:Methodology for AI-Assisted Articles]])

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