ज्ञान विना प्रवृत्तिर्न हिते
By पं. बालचन्द्र सिद्धांतशास्त्र
Summary
The text discusses the essential role of knowledge (jñāna) in human life, asserting that without it, one cannot refrain from harmful actions nor engage in beneficial ones. It states that without knowledge, there is no cessation of past accumulated karma, and without the end of worldly suffering, the ultimate desired eternal happiness cannot be attained. The text compares the difficulty of controlling a mad elephant, an angry lion, or a king to the impossibility of guiding a person devoid of knowledge and discernment. It emphasizes that wise people never distance themselves from knowledge and never turn away from its acquisition. The passage further declares that liberation (moksha), characterized by freedom from obstacles and pure eternal happiness, is achievable only through the power of great wisdom (mahābodha). It concludes that even the three traditional aims of life—righteousness (dharma), wealth (artha), and pleasure (kāma)—cannot be attained without knowledge, and therefore knowledge is to be revered. The text is attributed to the Subhāṣitaratnasaṃdoha and is presented by Paṇḍita Bālacandra Siddhāntaśāstra.
Conclusion
The text underscores that without true knowledge (jñāna), neither righteous action nor spiritual liberation is possible. It argues that ignorance prevents detachment from harmful deeds and blocks engagement in beneficial conduct, thereby perpetuating the cycle of suffering and karmic accumulation. Even worldly goals like dharma, artha, and kama remain unattainable without wisdom. The document implies that knowledge is the essential foundation for all meaningful outcomes—whether ethical living, karmic purification, or the ultimate goal of moksha. It warns that those devoid of discernment cannot be guided onto the right path, unlike even a mad elephant or angry lion, which can be controlled. Thus, the central outcome is that the pursuit of knowledge is not optional but mandatory for any genuine progress, and the wise never abandon it.