What is Knowledge : Ch-5-9.

Chapter 5: Maintaining One's Position-9.


What is the solution, finally?

Know yourself first, and then you will know how to know other things.

But, as I mentioned at the outset, how would you know yourself?

To know anything, the knowledge has to stand as the subject of another object.

You are not the object of knowledge of yourself, because you are the subject of knowledge.

You are the knower. If you are the knower, how will you know yourself?

If you can grasp some sense out of this peculiar position – that you have to know yourself, in spite of your not being an object of yourself – you would know what yoga is.


However, here comes the meaning of what I started saying: yoga is the maintenance of a position.

And all that I told you now in a few words is a preparatory introduction to what 'position' can mean in yoga. It is the position that you maintain, and you have to know what 'you' are in order that you may maintain the requisite position in yoga.


You may be content with saying, "I am only what the photographic camera can see in me"; and you know what it sees.

But, on a little analysis of your own position during leisure hours, you will realise that you have values in your own self; and your physical features, which alone are seen in a photograph, cannot be regarded as exhausting the characters of yourself.

Swami Krishnananda
To be continued  .....