#3 Knowledge is power...

                     
Knowledge is power

                     Knowledge, according to Oxford Dictionary, means ‘information or awareness gained through experience or education’. In other words, it is the sum total of what we know. According to English grammar, it is the noun derivative of the verb ‘know’. Knowing refers to the state of gathering or collecting information on something. Knowledge is acquired through different experiences in life and from sources like books, internet etc. It can be thought as the preconception on certain matter. In the words of Christopher Morley, “There are three ingredients in the good life: learning, earning and yearning.”  Hence, learning can achieve other necessities of life.

                

            Knowledge can have different manifestations such as technical knowledge, business knowledge, general knowledge, knowledge on manners and social etiquettes and spiritual knowledge. Some knowledge is bookish which are obtained by reading the books thoroughly and mindfully. Another kind of knowledge is acquired through different experiences in life. Worldly knowledge gets accumulated through different situations faced in life. Manners and etiquettes are important sphere of knowledge as they decide our social behavior. Proper use of manners and etiquettes makes one to get recognized socially and helps him in gaining enough social acquaintances. Spiritual knowledge gets built up during the last stages of life when a man develops enough understanding some typical aspects of life at depth. Till that stage, he has attained maturity to look at some of the complicacies of life.

               

           There is no proper age of learning. Aristotle, on reflecting upon the natural instinct of man, once said, “All men by nature desire knowledge”. Man, being a social animal, learns in every stage of his life. His learning process begins from the very moment he takes birth and continues till his last breath. He learns from his mistakes and tries to rectify them. At the early stage of his life, parents act as first teachers and the house serves as the primary school for him. Parents impart the primary knowledge. When he grows a bit older, he is sent to the school where he learns through competing with his peers. After attaining a certain age and qualification, he is left on his own to face the prevalent challenges and endeavors of life. He then learns to adapt to different situations of life.

              

             Knowledge is limitless. It has no boundary. More the exposure, greater will be its attainment. He enjoys his journey most who manages to sail through the vast sea of knowledge intelligently. Knowledge is gained only when there is a hunger for it. As appropriately quoted by Benjamin Franklin,“To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge”. Books act as the light house in the never ending arena of knowledge. There is a well-known saying that incomplete knowledge is very dangerous. It is so because it creates a lot of confusions. A wise man is respected everywhere than a rich man. The given topic is the quote of Sir Francis Bacon- “Knowledge is power”. A man gains his confidence through knowledge. Confidence is the driving force behind all the actions. The power of knowledge is evident in the religious books and scriptures. There have been numerous anecdotes and rumors about various people and saints renunciating the world in search of true knowledge of life and death. It was that invisible power of knowledge which produced an irresistible urge in Gautam Buddha to give up his kingdom and lavish life style. The power of knowledge created a similar impact on Swami Vivekananda who later sought the guidance of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa in his journey for the search of knowledge about the cycle of life.

                             Knowledge is immortal and something divine. It is a mystery to man because the more he explores the more he gets every time he does so. The knowledge is like a well which is immeasurable. It is because the depth of knowledge is unattainable. It is a non perishable entity because it gets replenished every time we try to share it with others. An anonymous through his humbled words has very beautifully emphasized on the importance of learning- “Learning is the beginning of wealth. Leaning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where miracle process begins”. The attainment of true knowledge makes one feel powerful, energetic and confident. It is something whose possession makes one worthy. In Mahabharat, Yaksha questioned Yudhishtir, “What stays with a person even after his death?” Yudhishtir’s answer to the above question was ‘knowledge’. It is very true that the power of knowledge is supreme. So, its experience brings complete bliss, mental peace and satisfaction. In the words of Margaret Fuller, “If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it”. Hence, everyone must try to expand his sphere of knowledge and at the same time he must also learn to share it with others.             

Swati Sarangi