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Incomplete knowledge

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Preface and Introduction

There is complete facility for the small complete units, namely the living entities, to realize the complete, and all sorts of incompleteness are experienced due to incomplete knowledge of the complete.
BG Introduction: This phenomenal world or material world in which we are placed is also complete in itself because the twenty-four elements of which this material universe is a temporary manifestation, according to Sāṅkhya philosophy, are completely adjusted to produce complete resources which are necessary for the maintenance and subsistence of this universe. There is nothing extraneous, nor is there anything needed. This manifestation has its own time fixed by the energy of the supreme whole, and when its time is complete, these temporary manifestations will be annihilated by the complete arrangement of the complete. There is complete facility for the small complete units, namely the living entities, to realize the complete, and all sorts of incompleteness are experienced due to incomplete knowledge of the complete. So Bhagavad-gītā contains the complete knowledge of Vedic wisdom.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 5

The poor inhabitants of this earth, because of their incomplete knowledge, are captivated by a so-called bhagavān who can produce a small quantity of gold.
SB 5.16.20-21, Purport: By the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the rivers on some planets produce gold on their banks. The poor inhabitants of this earth, because of their incomplete knowledge, are captivated by a so-called bhagavān who can produce a small quantity of gold. However, it is understood that in a higher planetary system in this material world, the mud on the banks of the Jambū-nadī mixes with jambū juice, reacts with the sunshine in the air, and automatically produces huge quantities of gold. Thus the men and women are decorated there by various golden ornaments, and they look very nice.

SB Canto 6

Impersonalists sometimes show their incomplete knowledge by addressing the Lord as being nameless.
SB 6.9.47, Purport: Impersonalists cannot be purified, for they do not offer personal prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even though they sometimes offer prayers, the prayers are not directed toward the Supreme Person. Impersonalists sometimes show their incomplete knowledge by addressing the Lord as being nameless. They always offer prayers indirectly, saying, "You are this, You are that," but they do not know to whom they are praying. A devotee, however, always offers personal prayers. A devotee says, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **: "I offer my respectful obeisances unto Govinda, unto Kṛṣṇa." That is the way to offer prayers.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 11.13.30, Translation: According to My instructions, one should fix the mind on Me alone. If, however, one continues to see many different values and goals in life rather than seeing everything within Me, then although apparently awake, one is actually dreaming due to incomplete knowledge, just as one may dream that one has wakened from a dream.
SB 11.22.34, Translation: The speculative argument of philosophers—"This world is real," "No, it is not real"—is based upon incomplete knowledge of the Supreme Soul and is simply aimed at understanding material dualities. Although such argument is useless, persons who have turned their attention away from Me, their own true Self, are unable to give it up.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Sri Isopanisad

All forms of incompleteness are experienced due to incomplete knowledge of the Complete Whole.
Sri Isopanisad Invocation: All facilities are given to the small complete units (namely the living beings) to enable them to realize the Complete Whole. All forms of incompleteness are experienced due to incomplete knowledge of the Complete Whole. The human form of life is a complete manifestation of the consciousness of the living being, and it is obtained after evolving through 8,400,000 species of life in the cycle of birth and death. If in this human life of full consciousness the living entity does not realize his completeness in relation to the Complete Whole, he loses the chance to realize his completeness and is again put into the evolutionary cycle by the law of material nature.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

And all sorts of incompleteness is experienced on account of incomplete knowledge of the complete.
Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives): This phenomenal world, or the material world, where we are now put, is also complete by itself because pūrṇam idam [Īśopaniṣad, Invocation]. The 24 elements of which, according to Sāṅkhya philosophy, the 24 elements of which this material universe is a temporary manifestation, are completely adjusted to produce complete things which are necessary for the maintenance and subsistence of this universe. No extraneous effort by any other unit is required for the maintenance of the universe. It's at its own time, fixed up by the energy of the complete whole, and when the time is complete, these temporary manifestations will be annihilated by the complete arrangement of the complete. There is complete facility for the small complete units, namely, the living entities, to realize the complete. And all sorts of incompleteness is experienced on account of incomplete knowledge of the complete. So the Bhagavad-gītā is the complete knowledge of the Vedic wisdom.
Because God is complete in knowledge, therefore we have to take knowledge from Him, not from the persons who have got incomplete knowledge.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975: So there are so many things to learn and to understand what is God and what is Kṛṣṇa. God means Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. God means nobody is equal to Him and nobody is greater than Him. That is God. There is no completion that in this quarter there is one God and in another neighborhood there is another God. Just like it has become a fashion, so many Gods, competition is going on. No. There is no competition. God is one. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate, na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. That is God. So because God is complete in knowledge, therefore we have to take knowledge from Him, not from the persons who have got incomplete knowledge. That knowledge is not perfect. We must take knowledge from the person, we have to take knowledge from the person

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

"And all forms of incompleteness are experienced only on account of incomplete knowledge of the complete."
Lecture on Sri Isopanisad Invocation Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1970: So here it is stated, "There is complete facility for the small complete units, namely the living being, to realize the complete." To realize the complete, what is my relationship with the complete. "And all forms of incompleteness are experienced only on account of incomplete knowledge of the complete." We are thinking that "I am equal to God. I am God." This is incomplete knowledge. But if you know that "I am part and parcel of God," that is complete knowledge. The Māyāvādī philosophers, the atheists, they are claiming that "Who is God? I am God." That is incomplete knowledge. "The human form of life is a complete manifestation of the consciousness." Now, this complete consciousness you can revive in this human form of life. The cats and dogs, they cannot understand. So if you don't take the facility, then you are ātma-hanaḥ janāḥ. You are killing yourself, committing suicide.

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

One lit cigarette can cause a whole house to burn down, so incomplete knowledge of the whole Absolute Truth may not be able to save one from going to the darkest regions of ignorance.
Letter to Brahmananda -- Tittenhurst 15 October, 1969: Those who worship the Brahman and Paramatma aspect of the Absolute Truth are in a dangerous position because they have every chance of again falling down into the lowest regions. This is because they are not fully purified, and the least trace of contaminated desire can cause havoc to one's progress. Just like one lit cigarette can cause a whole house to burn down, so incomplete knowledge of the whole Absolute Truth may not be able to save one from going to the darkest regions of ignorance.
Page Title:Incomplete knowledge
Compiler:Aparajita Radhika, Laksmipriya
Created:22 of Nov, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=4, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=3, Con=0, Let=1
No. of Quotes:10