PEARLISHKA BURRUN
Knowing and understanding are the two most fundamental aspects inscribed for decades in human life. It is solely through knowing that people have been able to counter different life experiences through centuries, thereby forming a certain sense of understanding in order to serve the world for future generations. Now, when we say knowing, we are not talking about knowledge but knowing as a whole perception of realization, while knowledge is acquired over time through understanding what has already been known for decades. Knowledge has been defined across centuries and civilization by many scholars and great civilians. As a consequence, Knowledge from the Collins dictionaries states that “the facts, feelings, or experiences known by a person or group of people, or the state of knowing and being aware of something gained through experience or learning.”
While in Hinduism, it has been realized by the Saptarishis (seven sages) the first Brahmins to have realized and experienced the science of Yoga form the very first Guru Adiyogi (Shiva). Now, when we say Brahmins, we are not referring to any sort of caste systems within the society but rather to an oldest civilization, the privilege to be called a Brahmin as the initial characteristics of being known as a Brahmin means the one who has realized “Brahman’’ unbounded by social structural and physical limitations, fused with the ultimate truth of the universe known as the source that does not exist.
Thus, knowledge from the Hindu way of life has been inscribed since centuries that knowledge is “a multifaceted concept, with its highest form being jñāna, an intuitive, experiential wisdom that leads to self-realization.” This is therefore supported by taking a closer look at the Vedas written by the great sage Vysa. This includes the Rig Veda (a collection of hymns (suktas) in a poetic form). The Sama Veda: (melodic chanting for rituals), The Yajur Veda: (prosmantras and instructions for religious rites) and the Atharva Veda: (curing diseases and warding off enemies).
Furthermore, the relationship between knowing and understanding is very subtle and deep. While knowing is the acquisition of existing knowledge and information, understanding consists of engaging in deeper meaning of that knowledge followed by different perceptions and significance involving different perspectives due to various factors. Therefore, to interpret contrast of the relationship between knowledge and understanding, we will dive into History on Hinduism, an ancient and complex civilization with a blend of culture, tradition and mysticism, philosophies, beliefs and practices. Knowing in religion is simply to be aware of rituals, texts, rules and some of the teachings, while understanding brings out a profound experience of having had encounters with the spiritual truths, internalizing symbolic meanings and interpretation of deep ethical teachings. Therefore to know and understand a historical event classified as a religious belief, contains various perceptions leading to different perspectives of many interpretations through centuries. To get more in depth, we will analyze the story of Shiva and Shakti.
In contrast, most of the religious texts describe Shiva and Shakti in a personified way in order for generations to understand the symbolic depth of the meaning of creation, preservation, karma and destruction. The Puranas, the Shiva sutras and the Tantras books on Shiva and Shakti put forward divinity in the form of energy and pure consciousness. However, in Shaivism, they argue that Shiva is the supreme being, while in Vaishnavism, they argue that Vishnu or Krishna are considered to be supremacy while in Shaktism, they state that the divine feminine is above all supremacy as only through her magnificent grace of fire and love that this universe may operate out of her sacred womb. “She alone exists before creation and after dissolution. All this is pervaded by Her.” Devi Bhagavata Purana (Book 1, Chapter 4)
According to those religious texts and the yogic lore, Shiva has always been there as a formless, unchanging state of pure divine consciousness known as “Shava”, a corpse lying in the stillness of the unboundedness while Shakti is that divine energy full of dynamism to create and initiate inertia for movement to happen. “Without Shakti, Shiva is unable to act.”(Śiva Purāṇa, Vāyavīya Saṁhitā, Chapter 9)-Shiva Purana. It is said that only when Shakti dances around “Shava” that the stillness of the center of the universe comes into life evoking the form of Shiva. When Shiva and Shakti come together, only then can harmony and balance be maintained throughout this galaxy. This divine play becomes the source of the very creation and destruction of this universe, engaging in the cosmic dance of Nataraja (Shiva as the Lord of dance). “The creation proceeds from the union of Shiva and Shakti.”
(Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṁhitā, Section 1, Chapter 6) Shiva Purana.
Moreover, following the relationship between knowing and understanding that shiva and shakti are not just deities but pure consciousness and dynamic energies. Therefore knowing about this philosophy is the learning of the personified theory of Shiva as the destroyer and Shakti embodying the role of the divine feminine. That is indulging in metaphorical practices and iconography, leading to learning about mythology. Whilst understanding the concept of shiva and Shakti takes a whole lot of stance. It is the way out realising that all those metaphorical practices were only designed to help understand and bring to realisation that Shiva is the pure consciousness and Shakti is the dynamic energy, both omnipresent. Shiva together with Shakti represents the duality and unity of the whole universe irrespective of the spectrum of other galaxies or undiscovered mysteries of the entire existence. However, the tantric philosophy implies that true understanding of this way of life comes from direct experience of meditation and not only knowledge taken from books no matter their age. Thus, showing that knowledge and understanding stands on two separate stances although they have some shared characteristics.
In conclusion, the relationship of knowing and understanding varies from different aspects in life. In the history of religion, pertaining to a story that occurred centuries back of Shiva and Shakti with philosophical, religious and mystical interpretation, the relationship between knowing and understanding have both their own qualities in amplifying the account. Knowing about the metaphorical practices and personification creates a whole perception of the story while understanding the symbolic meaning and divergence creates different perspectives, hypotheses and theories on a subtle truth. Therefore in the particular case, knowing an understanding stands on two different stances whilst here the essence of it brings out more clarity in just experiencing a certain dimension of truth that has always been there in order to understand the spirit of this very existence.
