When our ignorance is exposed – Because we are tiny beings living in a huge and complex world, what we know will always be dwarfed by what we don’t know. Whenever we encounter something we don’t know, especially in an area in which we absolutely need to know for functioning in our life, we feel paralyzed; our ignorance seems like a thick mist surrounding and blinding us. 

How can we deal with such situations? By articulating our ignorance in terms of specific questions whose answers we need. Through such articulation, our ignorance condenses from a pervasive mist to a concrete snow block in front of us. And as we start getting answers to those questions, that snow block starts melting away and our path ahead becomes clearer. 

In the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna demonstrates how to encounter ignorance positively. When confronted with the impending fratricidal war at Kurukshetra, he realized that his ethical compass just didn’t work — all paths seemed to lead only to distress (02.06). But rather than just lamenting his ignorance, he concretized it as a specific question: what is dharma, the right thing to do? (02.07). And the Gita’s answers raised his consciousness from confusion to clarity — he gained profound knowledge that comprised an unwavering spiritual compass. 

When we feel lost in some situation, we can ask ourselves what exactly we need to know right then. By thus knowing better what we need to know, we can find our way, even if by small steps, from ignorance toward knowledge. 

One-sentence summary: 

Knowledge of our ignorance doesn’t have to put us in a state of ignorance; it can lead us to a state of knowledge if we articulate our ignorance as specific questions whose answers we can seek. 

Think it over:

  • When does ignorance paralyze us?
  • How does concretizing our ignorance help us to deal with it?
  • Do you feel overwhelmed by ignorance in any area? How can Arjuna’s example help you deal with it?

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02.07: Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.

When our ignorance is exposed

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