Your Wisdom Is Tested When You're Forever On The Scaffold Of Scrutiny
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
7 January
2023
Sanskrit,
like Persian, is a repertoire of knowledge and wisdom and both the great
languages have a treasure-trove of pithy sayings. One such pithy and profound
aphorism in Sanskrit is, ' Ushtraanaam Vivaheshu Geet Gayanti Gardabha '
(in the marriage of a camel, an ass sings the songs).
Got to say,
so apt and apposite, because if you read a fawning reader's hyperbolic eulogy
of a zealot's ridiculously preposterous interpretations of a flawed book,
called the Quran, you'll concur with me: " Naseer sb. has developed deep
insights into the meaning of the Quran and cleared misconceptions that other
scholars over the 14 centuries couldn't! " Marhaba! Marhaba!
In
classical Persian, there's a word rather strictly used in the realm of
mysticism. It's ' Milfazahat'. Some philologists are of the view that
it's actually an archaic Arabic word. But that's not an issue. It means, ' To
refrain from excessive praise that borders on boot-licking. ' Such praise is
indeed apple-polishing as some may dislike the term book-licking, which's more
appropriate.
When Rumi's
Shagird Farhan Isfahani praised Bayazid Bastami and called him the '
Fountainhead of divine wisdom and COMPLETE Quranic understanding, ' Rumi
admonished him and said, ' Excessive and cloying praise is a sign of sycophancy
which's not a desirable trait in Tasawwuf (Adhyatm/spirituality).'
The redoubtable Vachaspati Mishra questioned his supremely enlightened master
Mandan Mishra's philosophical treatise and tenets on the Expounded Advaita
Vedanta and he never went ga-ga over the exceptional metaphysical nous of
Mandana Mishra, who was defeated only once in his entire life and that too was
dishonestly. Vachaspati Mishra wrote, 'Chatukarita Baadhak Atva Darshanam'
(sycophancy is an impediment to philosophical wisdom).
So, this
type of Quid Pro Quo or 'Andha Baante Revari Khud Khaye Phir-Phir Apnon Ko
De,' must be avoided. This closes all the doors to further knowledge that
leads to wisdom and wisdom dissolves into self-realization (Brahma Gyan
or Irfaan).
A small
coterie of your own people and cohorts cannot see the truth that needs
criticism, vision, introspection and honesty to emerge. Your wisdom is tested
when you're forever on the scaffold of scrutiny. Don't make anyone complacent
by extolling him to the 9th clouds. At the same time, don't make cringe-worthy
claims and demean yourself.
----
A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul
is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He
has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several
languages including Persian.
URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/wisdom-scaffold-scrutiny/d/128821
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