Chandogya Upanishad 7.3Famous
intermediate
सोऽहं भगवो मन्त्रविदेवास्मि नात्मविच्छ्रुतं ह्येव मे भगवद्दृशेभ्यस्तरति शोकमात्मविदिति सोऽहं भगवः शोचामि तं मा भगवाञ्छोकस्य पारं तारयत्विति। तं होवाच यद्वै किंचैतदध्यगीष्ठा नामैवैतत्॥
so\'haṃ bhagavo mantravidevāsmi nātmavicchrutaṃ hyeva me bhagavaddṛśebhyastarati śokamātmaviditi so\'haṃ bhagavaḥ śocāmi taṃ mā bhagavāñchokasya pāraṃ tārayatviti | taṃ hovāca yadvai kiṃcaitadadhyagīṣṭhā nāmaivaitat ||
""I am only a knower of texts, not a knower of the Self. I have heard from teachers like you that one who knows the Self crosses over sorrow. I am in sorrow, sir. Please carry me across sorrow." Sanatkumara replied: "All that you have learned is merely name.""
What This Means:
Despite all learning, Narada is sorrowful because he lacks Self-knowledge. Sanatkumara says: What you've learned is just "name" (preliminary).
Going Deeper:
Mantra-knowledge (texts) is not atma-knowledge (Self). The crucial distinction between information and wisdom.
How To Apply This:
Book learning is just "name." Real knowledge crosses sorrow. Seek Self-knowledge, not merely text-knowledge.
#sorrow#Self-knowledge#name#limitation of learning