Question 1: I have a question about nescience. I understand what the word means but I do not understand it in the context that it is used in His Divine Graces books. If you think I might understand could you give me the mercy of some explanation.
Answer by Romapada Swami: Perfect knowledge is to know Krishna. When one knows Krishna, who is the ultimate source of all things, one comes to the position where one can know everything. So any conception that eclipses the proper understanding of Krishna as the Supreme enjoyer, the Cause of all causes, and any knowledge which fails to acknowledge the spirit soul as His eternal servant, is said to be nescience, or ignorance. Prabhupada also uses the word nescience sometimes in the sense of ‘maya’ (which is also just an energy of the Lord that covers our knowledge of Him).
Question 2: My main concern is that I am being disrespectful by having knowledge of the correct way to live and not following it. I do what I can, but at present I do not have the skills to follow perfectly. Please advise.
Answer by Romapada Swami: Prabhupada writes in Bhagavad-gita (Bg 3.31 purport) that if one has firm faith in the injunctions of the Lord and doesn’t resent them, even if he is unable to execute all the injunctions in the beginning, he will be promoted to the stage of pure Krishna consciousness. We certainly have to work sincerely and seek out the means by which we can execute these principles better. Part of that sincere effort is to seek the help of those who are able to execute them properly. Under the guidance of realized devotees, gradually that position can be achieved.
