Progress in Self-Knowledge: Part Two

Know thyself! In the first part of this article, the meaning of self-knowledge was looked at from a psychological point of view, with examples from literature, both comic and tragic. We also examined the idea, elucidated by the psychologist, Alfred Adler, that human beings have a fundamental need for significance and to overcome restrictions. This urge can lead to selfishness, or it can be transmuted into ‘social feeling’—in which case ‘man would develop in a direction that furthered universal welfare’ (Adler). This promise of expansion was also made by Shri Dada of Aligarh when he told his disciples: ‘My children, every human being has fellow-feeling and, if he exercises this virtue selflessly every day, it will create the flame of love in his heart.’