A mistaken identity

The Sanskrit word ‘avidya’ cannot be translated precisely in English language because it has a religious connotation of ancient India. I use the word ‘mistaken identity’ to represent a closer meaning of this word. But the following example should be able to convey the meaning to the readers. India is known for deadly snakes like ‘cobra’ and even now, many Westerners think India is a country full of snakes and snake charmers. It is true that snakes are even worshipped as ‘God’ in some parts of India, and for that matter, any living creatures are treated as some form of God in India. But a common man has a grave fear for such snakes and they are very careful and avoid any direct encounter with snakes. On one evening, when the sun has already set, a man was walking on a street. Suddenly he noticed a snake lying, curled up in the middle of the road. The man had a grave fear for the snakes and he was hesitant to go past the snake. He was in dilemma, and he was overwhelmed with a fear of death by a snake bite. He waited for some time to see whether the snake will move away but the snake was lying in the same place without the slightest movement. He then started wondering whether it was really a snake or something else. He became little bolder and pelted a small stone at the snake hoping to chase it away. But the snake remained unmoved. Then he was convinced that it was a not a snake and he took a closer look at it. It was just a rope! It was a ‘mistaken identity’, described by the word ‘avidya’ in Sanskrit. The man identified a ‘rope’ for a ‘snake’. It was an incorrect identification that set the mind of the man racing with fear of death. The purpose of ‘Yoga’ is to remove such ‘avidya’, which causes suffering in life. This avidya is the fundamental cause for all forms of suffereings.Patanjali explains in Yoga sutra about five causes of sufferings beautifully in Sanskrit “ “Avidya,Asmita,Ragha,Dvesha,Abinivesha-klesa” Avidya is an ignorance, a mistaken identity; Asmita is a sense of “I” ness or ego; Ragha is a desire, passion or attachment; Dvesha is aversion, hatred; Abinivesha is clinging to life or self-preservation from death.Klesha is the cause of suffering, a hindarance.The purpose of yoga is to release a human being from all sufferings by removing ‘avidya’ and instill ‘wisdom’ in him. Due to lack of this wisdom one mistake impermanent for permanent, impure for pure, distress for happiness and emptiness for self. Any action based on ' avidya’ cause enormous sufferings and by removing this ‘avidya’, man can relieve of his impending sufferings. These wrongful actions due to ‘avidly’ leaves latent impressions deep in the mind, to be activated and experienced later in this birth or lie hidden awaiting a future one. So long as this root source exists, its content will ripen into birth, a life and experience. Such ‘avidya’ can be subdued or completely eliminated by the deep absorption and integration with “pure awareness” which is the purpose of ‘Yoga’. One can avoid such ‘avidya’ by carefully examining each and every thought and action by discriminative knowledge. A wise see suffering in all forms of worldly life.