Restoring Spiritual Vision - Rescuing the Blind from Material Bondage
In Vedic terminology, a person who sees the body as the self is considered a "blind man" (andha). Śrīla Prabhupāda explained that such blindness is the root cause of all social and personal chaos. While modern civilization prides itself on scientific advancement, Śrīla Prabhupāda argued that without transcendental vision, these advancements are merely "blind men guiding other blind men." This article examines the necessity of spiritual sight and the process by which one’s vision is restored.
Peril of the Dark Well
Śrīla Prabhupāda often described the material world as a "dark well" or a "ditch." A blind man, having no sense of direction, inevitably falls into these dangers. Similarly, a person who identifies with the material body and its desires loses their intelligence and becomes "perpetually like a blind man" trapped in the darkness of ignorance.
- As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords.
- Being anxious, he cannot even sleep properly. He thus becomes more and more unhappy, and he gradually loses his intelligence and consciousness. In that state he becomes almost perpetually like a blind man who has fallen into a dark well of ignorance.
- If one who is blind takes instruction from a blind man, it will not be possible for him to be liberated from material bondage.
Elephant Story: The Failure of Touch and Logic
One of the most famous analogies Śrīla Prabhupāda used to illustrate the limits of material research is the story of the blind men and the elephant. Each blind man touched a different part of the animal—the leg, the trunk, the ear—and claimed they knew the whole truth. However, their descriptions were all mistaken because they lacked the complete vision of the creature.
- There is a story, some blind men studying the elephant.
- Even if we get some knowledge by touch or otherwise, it is all either mistaken or incomplete. It is just like the group of blind men who had encountered an elephant and tried to describe the strange new creature to one another.
- If you remain foolish like that, then andha yathandhair upaniyamanah (SB 7.5.31), that means you are being led by some blind leaders. You do not know what is what.
Blind Man and the Lame Man
Śrīla Prabhupāda presented a visionary solution to the world's problems through the "Blind Man and Lame Man" analogy. He compared the Western world to a blind man (having wealth and legs, but no spiritual vision) and India to a lame man (possessing the eyes of spiritual knowledge, but lacking the material means to move). If they combine, the blind man can carry the lame man, and together they can lead the world successfully.
- The blind man of the Western countries and the lame man of India should combine together in this Krsna consciousness movement.
- At the present moment, India may be compared to the lame man and the Western countries to the blind man. For the past two thousand years India has been subjugated by the rule of foreigners, and the legs of progress have been broken.
- The blind man may take the lame man over his shoulder, and as he walks the lame man may give him directions. Thus combined they may work, but individually neither the blind man nor the lame man can walk successfully.
Restoring the Eyes through Mercy
The cure for spiritual blindness is not more material research, but the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and His representatives. Śrīla Prabhupāda taught that by following the directions of the Vedas and the Spiritual Master—who possesses "eyes to see" (darśī)—one can be liberated from the "unseen ditch" of material life.
- Caksusmatandha iva niyamanah: one should follow the Lord the way a blind man follows a person who has eyes. If we follow the Supreme Personality of Godhead by following the directions He gives in the Vedas and Bhagavad-gita, our lives will be successful.
- By remembering the lotus feet of the Panca-tattva, a dumb man can become a poet, a lame man can cross mountains, and a blind man can see the stars in the sky.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "I saw in a dream that you were coming, and so this is very auspicious. I have been like a blind man, but your coming here restores My vision."
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s message to a blind civilization is one of hope and transformation. By acknowledging the limitations of material perception and surrendering to the guidance of one who has spiritual sight, any person can escape the "dark well" of ignorance. The restoration of spiritual vision allows us to see Kṛṣṇa in everything and find our true destination. By understanding and addressing these concerns, his followers can ensure that the sacred mission he established continues to stand strong for generations to come.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Blind Men. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.