Page 377 - Complete Works of Dr. KCV Volume 1
P. 377

 "Bhaktya Tvananyaaya ........"
So he asked me to practice real Devotion. It does not come by mere repetition or chanting of mantras, or by Nama-japa; nor does it come by the acquisition of knowledge. It can come by none of these things but only by surrender. I am willing to see the end, therefore one must surrender to the ultimate. If the ultimate is to be described as Love, then I am prepared to attempt the challenge of its acceptance. I agree that God is Love. I agree that I do not know whom to love, and that I want of God the capacity to love. This has been my main objective in the study of European Philosophy and also of Indian Philosophy. I have read all the different Philosophers, both Indian and European. I have also taught Philosophy to students to enable them to pass their examinations, to acquire higher degrees. But I also know that to absorb the Highest mind you must have humility and the ability to penetrate the inner rather than the outer garments. It was with that approach that I read and studied every philosophy, but none fully satisfied me.
Yet the world is full of Grace. So when I began to study the western philosophers, and when I found people criticized even a Descartes, a Spinoza, then it has been surprising to me to see the degree of ignorance of the people who wrote, and the spirit of their writing. I do not understand Law or Engineering; and so you cannot understand Philosophy! Every science and every subject has a technique of expression. You are sincerely plunged with me into the use of words. Now philosophy, or rather a philosopher, has been described as a lover of words without knowing their meaning! But that is not the right way. Long ago the Mimamsakas and the Naiyayikas knew the use of words. The great Panini has definitely stated that the words must be known by their roots and their usage. You will see this if you look at the Sanskrit language, the meaning of what Panini said. The words are built around roots, 'Dhatus' and there are some words which may have as many as a hundred different meanings. Therefore multivocality seems to be the basic thing. So you must define every word. The meaning of every word you use must be fixed first. If you read Descartes, or Spinoza, you will find that they first lay down a broad vocabulary, that is they define specifically the words they use. You will see therefore that we have to be guided in the meaning of words in philosophy. So I can
































































































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