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half of the month. There is no possibility of self-knowledge in that condition.
Animals have no knowledge of self-existence, there is no alternative for them, there is no freedom to know themselves, there is no possibility for this. So it cannot be said that animals are responsible for self-ignorance. They are in a dark night and are not responsible for the darkness. That is why no fault can be attributed to them if they do not go in search of self-knowledge; but man has passed through that journey of animal world and has entered the world of consciousness where there is Sun's bright light, and if any man remains in darkness then no one but he alone is responsible for it.
lf we are ignorant of self-knowledge it is due to our eyes being closed. It is not our natural state, it is our choice. There is light on all sides. In the journey of his evolution, man is standing at that place from where he can know himself. In spite of this, if he does not know himself who else but him is responsible for it? This does not mean that man is the creator of self-ignorance. No, self-ignorance is there, but if man does not try to destroy it, then the responsibility is his. He is not the creator of self-ignorance, but can become its destroyer; does not try to become so, so the responsibility lies on his head. If man prefers to remain self-ignorant, it will be his decision, he has kept his eyes closed. There is now no dearth of light.
I just now remembered a very famous and rare statement of Sartre. Sartre's sentence is 'Man is condemned to be free'. Man is not free. He is helpless in this matter. Man has got all kinds of freedom except one choice and that is to choose not to choose'. He cannot choose at all 'not to choose'. Except this, he will have to make all other choices. That is why he cannot choose not to choose, because that also will be a choice. Man has to make choices every moment. Manhood has a journey. Man is outside the responsibility of God. Man is out of this circle from where he is free to make a choice. Now if I am ignorant of the knowledge of self it is my choice, and if I have the knowledge of self it is also my choice. If I am miserable or happy
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