Quotes About Wisdom

Arjuna, in age after age, whenever humanity forgets its potential and functions as it should not, I manifest to inspire those with faith and shake up those without faith, so that humanity never ever forgets what it is capable of.'—Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4, verses 7 and 8 (paraphrased).

Only the truly enlightened know the world as it truly is; the rest construct a reality that comforts the ego. The

Thus, showing does not guarantee seeing. Telling does not guarantee hearing. Gyana is not vi-gyana.

Thus a decision taken to please the ego turns out to be dear in the long run.

Within infinite myths lies the eternal truth, Who sees it all? Varuna has but a thousand eyes Indra a hundred And I, only two.

Travel, realized the wise men, was an important way to widen the outlook of otherwise inward-looking communities.

No lesson is permanent. Wisdom thus is always work in progress.

knowledge of the world is imperfect based on perceptions and false information.

Only the truly enlightened know the world as it truly is; the rest construct a reality that comforts the

Only the truly enlightened know the world as it truly is; the rest construct a reality that comforts the ego. The enlightened are therefore always at peace while

Arjuna, the senses exist beyond the physical; mind beyond the senses; intelligence beyond the mind. Beyond intelligence is your sense of self. By knowing who you really are you will conquer all yearning.—Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3, verses 42 and 43 (paraphrased).

To let our potential be realized without deriving our identity from it, or without denying its existence, is the hallmark of wisdom.

Let go of your self-pity and your rage, noble sage. Let the knots of your mind unbind until aham gives way to atma. Only then will you be able to restore your hermitage and bring back joy to your world,' said Ram with the demeanour of a king. Gautama

If she is wise, she will accommodate the inadequacy. If he is wise, he will strive to grow,' said Sita, still looking at Ahilya and the hesitant tenderness of Gautama. Kushadhvaja

I realize the futility of rage and know the power of forgiveness.' Enlightened

Overhearing The Gita I

How does one know the true path?' 'Not through arguments—they never reach a conclusion; not from teachers— they can only give their opinions; to know the true path one must, in silence and solitude, reflect on one's own life.

The Gita itself values subjectivity: after concluding his counsel, Krishna tells Arjuna to reflect on what has been said, and then do as he feels (yatha-ichasi-tatha-kuru). Even

Indian sages avoided the written word as they realized ideas were never definitive; they were transformed depending on the intellectual and emotional abilities of the giver as well as the receiver.

Mighty brawn is no match for a nimble brain.

Life is like a river. You can struggle to change its course but ultimately it will go its own way. Bathe in it, drink it, be refreshed by it, share it with everyone, but never fight it, never be swept away by its flow, and never get attached to it. Observe it. Learn from it.

Truth can terrify. But there are many who face truth fearlessly.

A world created based on judgement evokes rage, A world created by observation invokes insight.

The gentle wisdom of Ram as he goes into exile is what transforms him from an ordinary hero into a divine being. He does not see himself as the victim. It is significant, however, that when Sita is later banished into the forest, the authors of the epic do not grant her the same gentle wisdom. They prefer visualizing her as victim, not sage. The gender bias continues even in the most modern writings.