Vedanta deals with the knowledge of the Truth, the knowledge of that which is our essence, the Self. The scriptures clearly point out that we naturally and constantly seek what we already are. In nature too, we find that when a thing is taken away from its natural state, due to some external factor, it spontaneously seeks to return to its own original state, just as water, after being heated by a heat source, naturally cools down when the heat source is removed. Much in the same way, the great rsis discovered that every living being primarily, helplessly seeks to exist forever. Nobody wants to perish or become non-existent. It is for that purpose that people desire progeny. As much as one may say, 'I do not want to live forever, I have accepted death', one desires to continue to exist even after death whether it be through children or through having their names engraved on walls. We all naturally seek immortality and resist change.
Secondly, we constantly seek knowledge. The moment someone asks you, 'Do you know what happened last night?' your mind immediately wants to know what happened! We shun ignorance. Thirdly, in every moment, in everything we do, in everything we seek and in every goal we aspire for, the end result we strive for is happiness. According to Vedanta, we already are what we seek. However, the fact that we are seeking it externally is due to false notions about ourselves. These false notions stem from our own non-apprehension, that is, not knowing who we truly are, which subsequently leads to mis-apprehension, mis-identification and mis-association with that which we are not.
All our sorrows, our limitations, insecurities, bondage and mortality are because of our ignorance. Ignorance cannot be removed by any means other than knowledge. The whole room may be shrouded in darkness, yet one cannot sweep out the darkness nor throw out buckets of it. The moment there is light, the darkness is eliminated; there are no other means of removing darkness. In the same way, in order to end our bondage and sorrow, there is no way other than knowing the Truth.
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