Hare Krsna,
“First of all, Brahmā created from his shadow the coverings of ignorance of the conditioned souls. They are five in number and are called tāmisra, andha-tāmisra, tamas, moha and mahā-moha.” (SB 3.20.18)
A similar verse is also given in SB 3.12.2 that we studied earlier in the summer.
“Brahmā first created the nescient engagements like self-deception, the sense of death, anger after frustration, the sense of false ownership, and the illusory bodily conception, or forgetfulness of one’s real identity.” (SB 3.12.2)
We understand from scriptures that the conditioned living entities (like myself) are struggling for existence in this material world due to their revolt against the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is believed that that we wanted to enjoy separately from the Lord. Since there is only one Purusa (Supreme Enjoyer) in the whole creation, we cannot be factually the enjoyers – and especially in the spiritual world. Just like a loving mother creates a dummy kitchen for her child to play, the Lord created this material world for the revolting souls to enjoy. In order to enjoy in this temporary world, we must forget our real identity. Our real identity is that we all are servants of Krsna.
“It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṇa and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Kṛṣṇa has three varieties of energy.” (CC Madhya 20.108-109)
Therefore Lord Brahma is first entrusted with the task to create the conditions under which a living being in the material world has to live. Unless a living entity forgets his real identity, it is impossible for him to live in the material conditions of life. Therefore the first condition of material existence is forgetfulness of one’s real identity. This is called tamas.
“The condition of not knowing anything about the spirit soul is called tamas. This material world is also generally called tamas because ninety-nine percent of its living entities are ignorant of their identity as soul.” (SB 3.20.18 P)
Once we forget our real spiritual identity, we develop illusory bodily concept of life. Guided by this misconception, we start to think in terms of ‘I’ and ‘Mine’ (aham mameti). We start thinking in terms of my body, my wife, my children, my property, my country, my society, my relatives, etc. This is called moha.
Gradually this attachment to bodily platform extends to things and objects of this world. Due to false identification, the conditioned soul becomes entrapped by the sense of false ownership of the property of the Supreme Lord, thereby violating the isavasyam idam sarvam principle. We develop possessiveness of enjoyable objects. We become mad after material enjoyment and burn with the intense greed to acquire more and more to the point of exploiting nature, people, and resources. This state is called maha-moha.
When the conditioned soul is not able to attain the objects of his material desire, intense frustration and anger develops in him. This condition is called tamisra. The forgetfulness of his constitutional position is due to this anger or envy.
“The living entity, being eternally a part-and-parcel servitor of the Supreme Lord, can never, by constitution, be an equal enjoyer with the Lord. When he forgets this, however, and tries to be one with Him, his condition is called tāmisra. Even in the field of spiritual realization, this tāmisra mentality of the living entity is hard to overcome. In trying to get out of the entanglement of material life, there are many who want to be one with the Supreme. Even in their transcendental activities, this lower-grade mentality of tāmisra continues.” (SB 3.20.18 P)
Finally, one reaches the ultimate condition of fear of death. When the conditioned soul realizes that his lifetime is not enough to enjoy everything and he still have material desires to fulfill, he wants to live longer to fulfill his desires. This naturally leads to a sense of fear of death. This condition is called andha-tamisra.
“The atheists generally think that the body is the self and that everything is therefore ended with the end of the body. Thus, they want to enjoy material life as far as possible during the existence of the body…This atheistic conception of life is killing human civilization, for it is without knowledge of the continuation of eternal life.” (SB 3.20.18 P)
Therefore, what is the remedy to get free from these five kinds of ignorance?
The remedy is provided by our very dear Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda. There is a very beautiful prayer glorifying the two Lords.
CC Adi 1.84
vande śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-
nityānandau sahoditau
gauḍodaye puṣpavantau
citrau śan-dau tamo-nudau
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauḍa to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.”
“Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu drive away the five kinds of ignorance of the conditioned souls. In the Mahābhārata, Udyoga-parva, Forty-third Chapter, these five kinds of ignorance are described. They are (1) accepting the body to be the self, (2) making material sense gratification one’s standard of enjoyment, (3) being anxious due to material identification, (4) lamenting and (5) thinking that there is anything beyond the Absolute Truth. The teachings of Lord Caitanya eradicate these five kinds of ignorance. Whatever one sees or otherwise experiences one should know to be simply an exhibition of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s energy. Everything is a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa.” (CC Adi 1.103 P)
Therefore, simply by following the instructions of Lord Caitanya – the chief among which is chanting the Holy Name of Krsna – one will gradually come out of the five kinds of nescience or ignorance.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare | Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 