Shloka 21
आत्यन्तिक-लयहेतुः: तापत्रय-विवेचनम् तथा ‘भगवान्/वासुदेव’ शब्दार्थः
Threefold Suffering and the Path to Final Liberation; Meaning of Bhagavān and Vāsudeva
अज्ञानतमसाच्छन्नो मूढान्तःकरणो नरः न जानाति कुतः को ऽहं क्वाहं गन्ता किमात्मकः
ajñānatamasācchanno mūḍhāntaḥkaraṇo naraḥ na jānāti kutaḥ ko 'haṃ kvāhaṃ gantā kimātmakaḥ
Veiled by the darkness of ignorance, with the inner faculty bewildered, a man does not know: “From where have I come? Who am I? Where am I? Where am I going? What, in truth, is my real nature?”
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya in the broader narrative frame)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: The condition of the ignorant jiva and the root of existential confusion
Teaching: Philosophical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: Avidyā darkens the antaḥkaraṇa so the jīva cannot discern origin, identity, destiny, or its true nature.
Vedantic Theme: Atman
Application: Use steady self-inquiry supported by śāstra and a guru to replace confused questioning with right knowledge.
Vishishtadvaita: The jīva’s true nature is knowable only in relation to the Supreme (Viṣṇu) as its inner ruler and goal, not as an isolated self-definition.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse presents ajñāna as a darkness that covers the self, producing existential confusion and preventing true knowledge of one’s origin, purpose, and nature.
He describes the antaḥkaraṇa (inner faculty) as becoming “mūḍha” (bewildered) under ignorance, so the person cannot discern identity, location in the moral-spiritual journey, or the soul’s destination.
By implication, liberation from this confusion comes through right knowledge and devotion oriented to Vishnu as the Supreme Reality, who dispels ignorance and restores true self-understanding.