Knowing the Knower by Swami Tyagananda
Published by Secretary, RMIC.,Gol Park, Kolkata - 700 029. E-mail: rmicsale@gmail.com. 2017, paperback, pp. 153+x, Rs.60.
January 2020
T
The Vedanta Kesari
40
Book Reviews
his is a meticulously orgainised handbook of five chapters along with a preface and end notes section. ‘Preface’ presents a crisp synopsis that facilitates easier grasp of the concepts and instructions in the book. The source citations, mainly drawn from Swami Vivekananda’s lectures, authenticate the argument of course; but their greater significance lies in their potency to inspire the reader to passionately engage herself/ himself with yoga. The manual opens with the Upanishadic sage Saunaka’s query, ‘What is that by knowing which everything becomes known?’ This question sets the tone for the whole book. It is termed as the ‘master key’ or ‘master password’ that opens all passwords. Chapter one reflects on the origin, nature and possibilities of knowledge, and distinguishes between indirect/lower knowledge (paroksha/ apara vidya) that is merely informative, and direct/higher knowledge (aparoksha/para vidya) that is revelatory. The relation between the knower and the known is discussed without the burden of technical, epistemological jargon. The rendering of the abstract in clear, concrete terms is an obvious strategy adopted in manualwriting; yet it is a surprising feature of Knowing the Knower, because the substance and the material instruments to be handled (the mind and the senses) here are of a subtle category. And, the goal, the objective is attainment of the highest knowledge, awareness of atman, the non-material aspect of self. Chapter two pertains to ‘ignorance’ which is what thwarts knowledge. It is described as not just ‘absence of knowledge’ but as a ‘presence
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that exists and doesn’t’. The concept of maya introduced at this appropriate point is explained as that ‘translucent screen’ with power to conceal (avarana shakti) and to project (vikshepa shakti). One’s real identity as atman is concealed and a new, false identity gets projected due to the power of this veil. Maya is comprised of space, time and causality (desha, kala and nimitta). Since all our knowledge is framed or conditioned by these three categories, the challenge for the jnana yogi is to go beyond this frame. The chapter also traces samsara-chakra, the cycle of death and ephemeral life: desire that prompts karma which in turn gives scope to birth and sorrow and so on. The cycle elucidates the manner in which the identity of self as the undifferentiated ‘One’ descends to assume multiple identities. The best way to get out of this Karmic cycle is to strike at the weakest link—the desire-karma link—in the chain, which can be done, according to the manual, by fearlessly questioning every assumption. The argument at this stage ushers in the notion of discernment which is the title of chapter three. ‘Discrimination’ is defined as the practice of looking ‘carefully and deeply’ and not accepting anything at face value. Every idea, notion, concept, regarding the self, the world and god, every assumption including reason is to be examined thoroughly. One understands to an extent why the handbook takes the reader through paradoxical statements (‘Knowing the Knower’, ignorance
