How do you know that YOUR understanding of the Scritures- Bible,Gita,Koran ect is the Correct one?

Question

"both read Bible day and night thou see's black whereas I see white"
it could refer to any holy book or even a commentary on a book. Two people read but come to diff conclution
So how will you know you've understood properly.
for example-
One day you thought an answer was good and logical and you accpted it but the next day a better answer came so you changed your idea
SO HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR INTERPETATION IS BONAFIDE????????????
This question is for ALL people







'

jayasri and other had said nice things but the question remains intact -many people read prabhupads book but have differnt opinions as to the teachings

Answer 1

Haribol!

Sorry I am late.

This is a good question. There is a check system described by the gaudiya vaisnava acharyas- I think you know- sadhu (saint), guru (spiritual master) and sastra (scripture). Since this question pertains to sastra then we need to approach the living Spiritual master to guide us.

tad viddhi praëipätena
paripraçnena sevayä
upadekñyanti te jïänaà
jïäninas tattva-darçinaù

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Gita 4.34)

So we inquire scriptural truths from him. Only a sadhu can be guru. So to get guru, we must understand the sadhu.
This should also be in keeping sastra, actually sastra describes the activities of God and the sadhu. So, who is sadhu? We should seek guidance from sastra and guru. If a person is not in keeping to scriptural injunctions and speaks against them then is not sadhu. Sadhu displays scriptural truths in action and His symptoms are described in sastra.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O son of Päëòu, he who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present or long for them when they disappear; who is unwavering and undisturbed through all these reactions of the material qualities, remaining neutral and transcendental, knowing that the modes alone are active; who is situated in the self and regards alike happiness and distress; who looks upon a lump of earth, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is equal toward the desirable and the undesirable; who is steady, situated equally well in praise and blame, honor and dishonor; who treats alike both friend and enemy; and who has renounced all material activities—such a person is said to have transcended the modes of nature. (Gita 14.22-25)

As Krishna then explains in next verse- that such a person attains pure devotional service to Him. So a true sadhu is a devotee of God. This is the swarupa lakshana or primary quality- all else is marginal or secondary but helpful to for the conditioned soul to understand a sadhu.

This is the check system, so we notice sometimes there is controversy after a great acharya leaves the planet as to the truth (tattva) of certain conclusions. How do we resolve these conflicts. The truth is explained by the living sadhu through the eye of scripture. Scripture can only realy be understood by a saintly person. A conditioned soul cant grasp the purport. This is why there is controvesy. So the siddhanta is there in scripture and in the works of the acharya, himself and previous acharyas. Sometimes an acharya may speak according to time, place and circumstance and only a tattva-vit (one who know the truth) can understand the purport and underlying truth. So we have to check these controversies through the eye of scripture and previous sadhu mahajanas (great personalities). In many systems there is no such check system- therefore there are many different opinions. In vedic siddhanta however, we must follow the acharyas, only by following in the footsteps of the previous acharyas is success guaranteed.

The eternal truth remains one. Therefore Guru is one.

säkñäd-dharitvena samasta-çästrair
uktas tathä bhävyata eva sadbhiù
kintu prabhor yaù priya eva tasya
vande guroù çré-caraëäravindam

The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Çré Hari [Kåñëa].

Answer 2

Ur own life is the best testimony of ur understanding of whatever u read and follow. When u r at crossroads, u look for further knowledge for a way out. We listen to other orators on the subject and try to experiment what we have not done so far so as to tide over the situation. If we seek answer to any predicament then nature does show u a way thru someone or the other. Sometimes ur domestic help, gardner, milkman in their casual utterance show u the way of life. U ve to be open and receptive and nature will unfold itself. I was always curious to know why there is blockage in my progress though earlier the same rituals granted me my wish. I was at a loss. Then one of my colleagues pointed out the error in me. U cannot remain at the same platform all the time. Once u r pursuing spirituality then God also raises ur level of comprehension. When we were small our little prayers were granted either by continuous attendance in a temple for 21 or forty days, thru fasting for particular no. of days on specific days. Now all these things do not help. Now I have to monitor my thoughts and words all the time. I do not know what is further plan of God. So our interpretations depend on our own mind set and the more we learn the more we change our opinion as we r on the path to progress. Learning is a continuous process till we receive inner silence and thereafter help and serve others so that at the end we can say " I have done my best"

Answer 3

I was in an art gallery in NYC many years ago, and me and about four other people were all standing and looking at the same piece of abstract art (a sculpture), that had no real discernible geometry to it, and the idea was that the interpretation was left open to the observer(s). Although all of us saw something completely different, we agreed that each of us saw certain same elements within it, but all knew implicitly that what we were looking at really existed. It not only engaged our physical senses, but our mental faculties as well. On all these points we agreed, even though each of saw something a little different than our fellow observers.
It's called individuality and from what I read in here alot of times, that's a liability in our modern, "enlightened" times we live in. That makes me so glad I don't follow the herd.

Answer 4

Fact is when we read a scripture we get some inspiration, we get a new dimension of life. If we are not able use that knowledge in real life then it is as good as we have not read them, But if we do use them then that knowledge transforms itself into wisdom.

Again on second reading we will discover something new and if we use it in life then we are more wiser.

As many times we read a scriture if we are able to find new, new and new dimensions then we are indeed transforming from a fool to wise. If we are not feeling this transformation in us then we are really wasting our times. Whats the use oif reading a scirpture which cant transform , enlighten us.

God,Sages, Godmens, Apostels, Prophets say lot of things in their scripture, but ultimatly what is entering into our head should enligten us else there is a mistake in us in our understanding. In that case only a master who is enlighten can shed us light .

To find those masters its not easy and is only by grace of God.

Answer 5

All those great scriptures you have mentioned above are not made by any ordinary men.These were given by the God through a family chain or Master & disciple chain.
So when we get these scriptures from any of thse family without adultration as it is.
For this we should find the bonofied parampara or family to get the message of godhead as it is.
There are somany versions of those scriptures,but all will not yield the result.Eg.we have hundred of Bhagavad Gita versions,but all most of them are commented by non bonofied people which does not give the specified result.Means Message of God will not be given to the reader.Eg.When Lord Krishna gave the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna,Arjuna surrendered to Him.So when a person gets the Bhagavad Gita,he should also surrender to Krishna,as Arjuna did.But most of the cases it will not happen.Because of adultration in the matter or commentry.
We should get the message of Godhead As it Is.So the simptom of the understood properly is becoming the devotee of God or surrender to God,otherwise it means the scripture is adultrated,its simple.
In Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna mentions about the parampara starts from Him & one should understand from this parampara only.(BG chap.4 "evam parampara praptam....")

Answer 6

We all have a lot inside of us, and we live like ice bergs, each one of us pick and choose those things from the external world that match our inner world, this is when we say ..wow this is the best, the same way when we interpret some scripture we interpret based on our own understanding and frame work of thinking, those with a wider thinking patterns think wide and those who see things through a pin hole may not give a good interpretations.
Since something suits us we believe it is the best.

Answer 7

When you have not attempted to read the scriptures, but have got to know the essence through a saint, without you even asking for it. The scriptures are the authority- true, but we do not have power to comprehend those.

Like a kinder garten tot attempting to read law books, is only a waste of time, and not only that, it will definitely instill in him a misplaced sense of understanding the law, if he is adamant in his opinion, that he has understood it.

We dont have to , but we automatically learn all the scriptures when we approach a saint who is theoretically adept in the knowledge of the scriptures, and who is face to face with God( Samitpani shrotriyam brahmanishtham).

Answer 8

I don't know. I can only know through my spiritual master. I understand that because he is an eternal associate of God, He therefore knows exactly and firsthandedly what the books mean. If I do happen to misunderstand something, my Gurudev my bonafide Spiritual Master, will correct me. I think therefore that being a diciple means living on the path of constant correction until we are perfect.
Three Bhagavats are in sync and then you know it is true. Otherwise using your own brain, you are bound to have the four human defects come into play.
Supersoul Bhagavan, (God guiding us in our heart)

Spiritual master Bhagavan, (God's personal servant representitive who is free of the four human defects, namely the propensity to cheat, to be cheated, to make mistakes, or to fall under illusion.)

3, and Book Bhagavat...bonafide scriptures supreme evidences or praman like Srimad Bhagavatam.

When these three things are in sync, then you know that is true.

Answer 9

The difference in matters of God as in any other mundane matter lies in perception of men about God. Scriptures are also expressions of God as perceived by the seer. By and large, the earlier writings about God, were free from prejudices and they had no propagandist intention while expostulating their spiritual ideas. A truly spiritual person will be able to see the Oneness of God and the universal nature of the teachings of the Great Seers. One who believes in the universal brotherhood and the universal application of spirituality is truly a perceptive seer. Such spiritual teachers were common in the past. Now, all we have are sectarian and self-conceited mortals who masquerade in the name of religion.

Answer 10

According to Krishna In the Gita that Transcendental knowledge (knowledge about the Absolute Truth) must be taken in a pure disciplic lineage handed down from one bonafide spiritual master to the next, originally steaming from Krishna Himself. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada is in that pure disciplic lineage. Once this is established (generally through those who know for certain the pure lineage has not been broken) then one can know for certain it is The Absolute Truth. No one is qualified to speculate or speak on the Holy Scripture unless they are within this pure lineage. The Bhagavad Gita has hundreds of versions that have been speculated upon by unqualified so called scholars. They certainly do not know the true meaning of the Vedas. For Myself being I know Prabhupada is in that pure lineage and has all of the qualities of a bonafide spiritual master. I play it safe and accept his teachings and any truth that is in alignment with that. For example if Prabhupadas Gita says there was creation then we can accept from any source that says there was creation. Thank you.