Science of Knowledge & Wisdom

From The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi,   At first sight Sri Ramana Maharshi’s statements on God appear to be riddled with contradictions: on one occasion he might say that God never does anything, on another that nothing happens except by God’s will. Sometimes he would say that God is just an idea in the mind, while at other times he would say that God is the only existing reality.  The contradictory statements are largely a reflection of the differing levels of understanding he encountered in his questioners. Those who worshiped personal Gods would often be given anthropomorphic explanations. They would be told that God created the world, that he sustains it by his divine power, that he looks after the needs of all its inhabitants and that nothing happens that is contrary to God’s will. On the other hand, those who were not attracted to such a theory would be told that all such ideas about God and his power were mental creations, which only obscured the real experience

From Svetasvatara Upanishad Translations by Swami Prabhavananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math. The Rishis (seers of truth) inquire within themselves: What is the cause of this universe? Is it Brahman (the Supreme Reality)? Whence do we come? Why do we live? Where shall we at last find rest? Under whose command are we bound by the law of happiness and its opposite?  Time, space, law, chance, matter, primal energy, intelligence- none of these, nor a combination of these, can be the final cause of the universe, for they are effects, and exist to serve the soul. Nor can the individual soul be the cause, for being subject to the law of happiness and misery, it is not free.  The Rishis (seers of truth), absorbed in meditation, saw within themselves the ultimate Reality, the self-luminous Being, the one God, who dwells as the self-conscious power in all creatures. He is one without a second. Deep within all beings He dwells, hidden from sight by the coverings of the gunas – sat

From The Mahabharata "There is no condition that deserves permanently the name either of friendship or hostility. Both friends and foes arise from considerations of interest and gain. Friendship becomes changed into enmity in the course of time. A foe also becomes a friend. Self-interest is very powerful."  "The highest truth of all treatises on policy is mistrust. For this reason, mistrust of all persons is productive of the greatest good. However weak people may be, if they mistrust their foes, the latter, even if strong, never succeed in getting them under power." "There is no such thing as a foe. There is no such thing in existence as a friend. It is force of circumstances that creates friends and foes." Friend and foe  The course of Kshatriya duties – kingly duties,  Duties that should be practised in seasons of distress From The Mahabharata, Santi parva, Section CXXXVIII Yudhishthira said: Thou hast, O bull of Bharata’s r