--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When agnan (ignorance) goes away, root…" description: "\"“When agnan (ignorance) goes away, root cause of worldy life. How does one know that ignorance of the Self (agnan) is gone? It is when one realizes the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/dada-bhagwan-31_identity_when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-caus_951061.jpg" --- # When agnan (ignorance) goes away, root cause of worldy… ![“When agnan (ignorance) goes away, root cause of worldy life. How does one know that ignorance of the Self (agnan) is gone? It is when one realizes the Self.” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/dada-bhagwan-31_identity_when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-caus_951061.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/dada-bhagwan-31_identity_when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-caus_951061.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/dada-bhagwan-31_identity_when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-caus_951061.jpg) > ““When agnan (ignorance) goes away, root cause of worldy life. How does one know that ignorance of the Self (agnan) is gone? It is when one realizes the Self.”” [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realizing the Self ends ignorance, which is the root of worldly suffering. **In simple terms:** Self‑realization ends ignorance. Key Takeaway Seek true self‑knowledge. Themes spirituality self‑realization ignorance Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Meditation - self‑inquiry - daily reflection Key Concepts Advaita non‑duality inner peace Questions to Reflect On - How do you know you have truly realized the Self? - What practices reveal inner truth? A Different Perspective Ignorance may persist despite intellectual understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Root cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/root-cause/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) ## Related quotes > [“Gnan (knowledge of the Self) can never become agnan (ignorance of the Self). It is considered agnan only when the upayog (applied awareness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/gnan-knowledge-of-the-self-can-never-become-agnan-ignorance-of-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“The one who attains the 'Akram' path, will have his spiritual work done. (On this path), you have neither been made to give up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-one-who-attains-the-akram-path-will-have-his-spiritual-work-done/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Worldly life is not an impediment, agnan (ignorance of the Self) is. Ignorance of the one's own Self is the impediment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/worldly-life-is-not-an-impediment-agnan-ignorance-of-the-self-is/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“To cause terrible harm to one’s own Self is known as ignorance of the Self (agnan). Knowledge of the Self (Gnan) is that which removes all that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/to-cause-terrible-harm-to-one-s-own-self-is-known-as-ignorance-of-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“God said that Moksha is in the palm of your hand, provided the ignorance of the Self (agnan) goes away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/god-said-that-moksha-is-in-the-palm-of-your-hand-provided-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“In worldly life, the difficulties are due to ignorance of the Self (aGnan). 'We' have never seen anything as a difficulty anywhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-worldly-life-the-difficulties-are-due-to-ignorance-of-the-self/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Agnan (ignorance of the Self) creates vibration, and the Gnan (Knowledge of the Self) stops the vibration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/agnan-ignorance-of-the-self-creates-vibration-and-the-gnan-knowledge/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Agnan (‘ignorance of the self’ based knowledge) takes one down and in that, the energies of the pudgal (non-Self complex, that which charges and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/agnan-ignorance-of-the-self-based-knowledge-takes-one-down-and-in/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“When kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed) do not result in punishment, it is called Gnan (Knowledge of the Self). When kashays result in punishment, it is called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-do-not-result-in-punishment-it/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Agnan (ignorance of the Self) too is a kind of a light. But it shows relative or worldly happiness, and Gnan (knowledge of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/agnan-ignorance-of-the-self-too-is-a-kind-of-a-light-but-it-shows/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“It is considered as becoming free from dehadhyas (the belief that, 'I am the body') when the atmabuddhi (the intellect oriented towards the Self)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/it-is-considered-as-becoming-free-from-dehadhyas-the-belief-that-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Some people claim, ‘I am the Knower-Seer (Gnata-Drashta)’. Hey! What do you mean you are ‘Knower-Seer’? ‘You’ are still ‘Chandubhai’? The Knower-Seer state begins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/some-people-claim-i-am-the-knower-seer-gnata-drashta-hey-what-do-you/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“The Knowledge (Gnan) is itself the absolute Self (Parmatma). Gnan (Knowledge) never becomes agnan (ignorance), but the applied awareness changes and that is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-knowledge-gnan-is-itself-the-absolute-self-parmatma-gnan/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Ignorance of one’s own Self’ is indeed the cause of the worldly life. No benefit is gained from one getting rid of his ignorance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/ignorance-of-one-s-own-self-is-indeed-the-cause-of-the-worldly-life/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Why can jiva (living being) not attain the self? It is because agnan is dear to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/why-can-jiva-living-being-not-attain-the-self-it-is-because-agnan-is/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## More by Dada Bhagwan > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [ “The worldly \[spiritual\] science is methodic (kramic) in nature; one progresses “step by step”; one has to ascent one step at a time. Whereas… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-worldly-spiritual-science-is-methodic-kramic-in-nature-one/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [ “Through the grace of a thief, one can become a thief and through the grace of a Gnani \[the enlightened one\], one can become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/through-the-grace-of-a-thief-one-can-become-a-thief-and-through-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“If one does not know how to read the account (karmic) book, then he will start to have doubts, and doubts lead to unhappiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-one-does-not-know-how-to-read-the-account-karmic-book-then-he-will/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [ “Skills (learning) or lack of skills is all egoistic knowledge (ego based knowledge). Ego-free Knowledge is called (true) Knowledge \[Gnan\].” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/skills-learning-or-lack-of-skills-is-all-egoistic-knowledge-ego-based/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Continue with whatever it is that you have been doing, except for attachment-abhorrence. If ‘we’ stay in our state of Pure Soul, attachment-abhorrence will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/continue-with-whatever-it-is-that-you-have-been-doing-except-for/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“A variety of difficulties will come your way. But at the time of difficulty, you will be able to find a ready made medicine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/a-variety-of-difficulties-will-come-your-way-but-at-the-time-of/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Suppose you want to go to Juhu (suburb in Mumbai) from here, and you come across two paths, which of the two paths is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/suppose-you-want-to-go-to-juhu-suburb-in-mumbai-from-here-and-you/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“The Soul (our true Self) has to be experienced, the Soul known through scriptures will not do. Work will not be completed through scriptural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-soul-our-true-self-has-to-be-experienced-the-soul-known-through/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“If God were the doer, when will there be an end?! (If) God is the creator and he made us, we become his toys,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-god-were-the-doer-when-will-there-be-an-end-if-god-is-the-creator/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“For those people whose association is harmful to the Self (kusangi), there is no better respectful fear (taap) than that of satsang (spiritual company).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/for-those-people-whose-association-is-harmful-to-the-self-kusangi/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Forgiveness is not to be given by speaking. Forgiveness is natural and spontaneously there. Spontaneous forgiveness is a sign of having attained the Self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/forgiveness-is-not-to-be-given-by-speaking-forgiveness-is-natural-and/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Remaining absolutely non-acquisitive (aparigrahi) amidst all possessions is the ultimate ‘test examination’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/remaining-absolutely-non-acquisitive-aparigrahi-amidst-all/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Explore all 2,468 Dada Bhagwan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## More Identity quotes > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think everybody, or the great majority of human beings, have this aspiration to become other: to live a different identity, at least for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-everybody-or-the-great-majority-of-human-beings-have-this/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) > [Tell me how much a nation knows about its own language, and I will tell you how much that nation knows about its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ciardi/tell-me-how-much-a-nation-knows-about-its-own-language-and-i-will/) [John Ciardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ciardi/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [“Self-realization or self-knowing or awakening is about knowing/ becoming conscious of our true nature and living in harmony with the universe in an ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-vazhakunnathu/self-realization-or-self-knowing-or-awakening-is-about-knowing/) [Thomas Vazhakunnathu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-vazhakunnathu/) > [“There are some things that one individual can do for another, and there are some things that one race can do for another. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/there-are-some-things-that-one-individual-can-do-for-another-and/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“Why were there no words that spoke positively about being concerned about the self? Why was there only negative connotation in terms like "selfish",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-dalton/why-were-there-no-words-that-spoke-positively-about-being-concerned/) A.J. Dalton [Browse all 11,949 Identity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When agnan (ignorance) goes away, root cause of worldy life. How does one know that ignorance of the Self (agnan) is gone? It is when one realizes the Self.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dada Bhagwan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-cause-of-worldy-life-how-does-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Identity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-cause-of-worldy-life-how-does-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/dada-bhagwan-31_identity_when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-caus_951061.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/dada-bhagwan-31_identity_when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-caus_951061.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/dada-bhagwan-31_identity_when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-caus_951061.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When agnan (ignorance) goes away, root cause of worldy life. How does one know that ignorance of the Self…” — Dada Bhagwan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dada Bhagwan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When agnan (ignorance) goes away, root...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-cause-of-worldy-life-how-does-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-agnan-ignorance-goes-away-root-cause-of-worldy-life-how-does-one/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```