SB 2.9.34 and Plato's Allegory of the Cave

(written on April 17, 2020)

The allegory of the cave, also known as Plato’s cave, was a concept used by the philosopher Plato to discuss the negative effects of education on nature. In its proper context, it was primarily used to explain what it is like being a philosopher and trying to explain things to the layman. The cave is set up as shown in the picture below:

In this allegory, there are prisoners facing the wall of the cave, away from the sunlight. Their backs are facing the opening of the cave, unable to turn around. Instead, they are able to see a glimpse of the light on the wall of the cave which they are facing. Shadows are cast on the wall by the puppet-show performers. After being stuck in the cave for the entirety of their lives, the prisoners associate all knowledge with the shadows on the wall. For example, they think that what is actually the shadow of a dog is really the dog.

Now, this story comes alive when one of the prisoners is unshackled. The prisoner is turned around and taken out of the cave by the philosopher, who tries to explain that everything outside is real. The philosopher shows the prisoner the real perfect forms of the world. In the real world, he showed the perfect bird, the perfect man, the perfect tree, etc. The prisoner, however, being accustomed to the shadows on the wall, could not believe his eyes and actually prefered to go back into the cave. Plato’s cave is a great example which proves that many people are comfortable in their own ignorance and are accustomed to it.

Although they were definitely not complete in their philosophy, the allegory of the cave shows how Plato and Socrates almost had the full picture. In Srimad Bhagavatam, however, the full picture is explained. Verse 2.9.34, one of the four nutshell verses of SB explains how one should act under such an event. The translation of the verse states, “O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.” This verse perfectly captures the concept of material creation in relation to the spiritual world. Everything is created and maintained and destroyed by Krsna. He is the cause of all causes and he has no beginning or end. Therefore everything in existence exists only due to its prime relation with the Lord. When one forgets this relationship, and begins to think that things are real without the connection with the Lord, they become deluded.

When one becomes deluded, they fall under the control of mahamaya, who throws them into the darkness of illusion, and covers the eyes of the living entity. Falling under this illusion put forth by the Lord’s external energy, those with a poor fund of knowledge try to come up with theories to describe the order of the universe. In the end, they do not realize that all of their scientific studies are just the effects of the illusion they have been put under. Srila Prabhupada said in the purport, “These scientific studies of the cosmic manifestation or the bodily construction independent of the Supreme Lord are different reflective intellectual gymnastics only, but at the end they are all illusion and nothing more.” This is exactly the same as the allegory of the cave presented by Plato. The prisoners are under illusion and they believe the shadow counterparts are reality.

Through the help of a pure devotee, sometimes those who are in illusion are able to be brought from the clutches of maya to see the light of the day. This is described by the philosopher bringing out the prisoner and helping them realize the real world. There are two main faults with the allegory of the cave. Mainly, it does not have the concept of God, and secondly, all of the beings in the real world are perfect, non-changing entities. This is actually false because in the spiritual world, all the entities are constantly, exponentially increasing in beauty. This is explained beautifully in the Krsna book many times. One example is explained in the Chaitanya Charitamrita Adi 4.192, “The beauty of Lord Kṛṣṇa increases at the sight of the beauty of the gopīs. And the more the gopīs see Lord Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, the more their beauty increases.” Beauty is always evolving and exponentially increasing in the spiritual world.

More important than this difference, however, Plato’s cave leaves out the most important part of the puzzle: the Lord is the origin of everything. In SB 2.9.33, the Lord says, “Brahmā, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.” Without the Lord, this illusory energy would not exist. Therefore, even though there are many similarities between the concept of the cave and the contents of SB 2.9.34, Plato and Socrates’ philosophy is lacking the complete picture and is therefore not correct.