Once a group
of blind men heard a strange animal called an elephant from some elderly
people. Naturally they had a very strong urge to have first-hand experience of
such an animal through their sense of touch.
They decided
' Oh, nice ! We should go to have an experience of what this animal is all
about . Let us go to the stable.'
They decided
' Oh, nice ! We should go to have an experience of what this animal is all
about . Let us go to the stable.'
Then they
went to stable and requested the elephant keepers to permit them to touch the
elephant.
The blind
person who touched the trunk of the elephant , decided that the elephant must
be an animal in the form of a large serpent.
Another who
touched the elephant's ear thought that it must be something like hand fan.
Another who
touched the elephant's belly thought that it must be an animal like a big wall.
The one who
touched the legs assumed that it was just like a pillar.
The one who
touched the tusk assumed that it was just like a sword.
The one who
touched the tail assumed that it was just like a rope.
Thus , the
understanding of the elephant was not perfect to any of the blind persons.
Purport :
Those who arrive at their own conclusion about the constitutional form of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead by applying their materialistic knowledge , so-called
mundane education or objective observation also suffer from such imperfect and
concocted conception of the truth.
It is because
of this kind of endeavor for realization of the Supreme Godhead through one's
direct observation and speculation that various atheistic philosophies like
illusionism, skepticism etc. have become established. But when one is
enlightened which means, got transcendental knowledge from a real devotee of
the supreme Lord, and is fortunate enough to enjoy a vision of the Lord, then ,
only , the perfect constitutional form and position of the Lord can be properly
realized.
