Curiosity in Hinduism

Sutras

In Indian philosophy, the word Jijñāsā (the desire to know/curiosity) acts as the formal “opening” for several foundational systems of thought. Here are the primary Jijñāsā phrases found in the classical Sanskrit Sūtras:

1. Dharma-Jijñāsā (अथातो धर्मजिज्ञासा)

• Source: Mīmāṃsā Sūtras 1.1.1 (Jaimini).

• Meaning: “Now, therefore, the inquiry into Dharma.”

• Focus: This curiosity is directed at right action. It explores rituals, duties, and social/ethical conduct. It is about the “Active” side of life—how to align our actions with the cosmic order.

2. Brahma-Jijñāsā (अथातो ब्रह्मजिज्ञासा)

• Source: Brahma Sūtras 1.1.1 (Bādarāyaṇa).

• Meaning: “Now, therefore, the inquiry into Brahman.”

• Focus: This curiosity is directed at Ultimate Reality. It moves beyond action into the nature of consciousness and the Self. This is the quest for “Awareness” and “Insight” (Vipassanā/Viveka).

3. Bhakti-Jijñāsā (अथातो भक्तिजिज्ञासा)

• Source: Śāṇḍilya Bhakti Sūtras 1.1.1.

• Meaning: “Now, therefore, the inquiry into Bhakti (Devotion).”

• Focus: This curiosity is directed at the heart. It explores the nature of supreme love and emotional surrender to the Divine.

---

Rig Veda

Gayatri Mantra

In the Rig Veda, curiosity is often linked to the term Dhī (visionary thought/insight). The most famous mantra in the world, the Gayatri Mantra, is an expression of this:

धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥ (dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt)

“May He stimulate/inspire our intellect (visionary thoughts).” (RV 3.62.10)

This is a request for the “Active” quality of Awareness. It isn’t just asking for information; it’s a prayer for the curiosity and clarity to see the truth directly.

Hiranyagarbha Sukta

In the Hiranyagarbha sutkta (Rig Veda 10.121), every verse describes the majesty of the “Golden Embryo” (the source of creation) and ends with the haunting, curious refrain:

कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥ | (kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema) “Who is the God to whom we shall offer our oblation?”

Nasadiya Sukta

इ॒यं विसृ॑ष्टि॒र्यत॑ आब॒भूव॒ यदि॑ वा द॒धे यदि॑ वा॒ न । यो अ॒स्याध्य॑क्षः पर॒मे व्यो॑म॒न्त्सो अ॒ङ्ग वे॑द॒ यदि॑ वा॒ न वेद॑ ॥

इयं (this) विसृष्टिः (creation) यतः (whence) आबभूव (arose) यदि (whether) वा (or) दधे (fashioned) यदि (whether) वा (or) न (not) यः (who) अस्य (its) अध्यक्षः (overseer) परमे (highest) व्योमन् (heaven) सः (he) अङ्ग (surely) वेद (knows) यदि (whether) वा (or) न (not) वेद (knows).

Overall Translation: Whence this creation arose—whether it was fashioned or whether it was not—He who is its overseer in the highest heaven, He surely knows, or perhaps even He knows not.

This is the final, breathtaking verse of the Nāsadīya Sūkta (10.129.7). It represents the absolute peak of Jijñāsā (Curiosity) in the Vedic tradition.

---

Chandogya Upanishad

In the Chandogya Upanishad (7.16.1 – 7.23.1), Narada acts as the perfect seeker. Each time Sanatkumara points to a higher rung of the ladder, Narada responds with a specific formula of Jijñāsā (the desire to know).

Here is the ladder of Narada’s inquiries, leading from Truth to the Infinite (Bhūmā).

Step	Verbatim Response & Translation	Sanatkumara’s Reasoning (The Prerequisite)
1. Truth	सत्यं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति । “Venerable Sir, I desire to know the Truth.”	To speak the Truth, one must first Understand it (Vijānāti). Without understanding, Truth is mere words.
2. Understanding	विज्ञानं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति । “Venerable Sir, I desire to know Understanding.”	To understand, one must first Reflect/Think (Manute). Without reflection, information is not integrated.
3. Reflection	मतिं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति । “Venerable Sir, I desire to know Reflection.”	To reflect, one must first have Faith (Śraddadhāti). Without faith/trust in the subject, the mind will not dwell on it.
4. Faith	श्रद्धां भगवो विजिज्ञास इति । “Venerable Sir, I desire to know Faith.”	To have faith, one must first be Steadfast (Nitiṣṭhati). One must “attend” or serve the truth to believe in its weight.
5. Steadfastness	निष्ठां भगवो विजिज्ञास इति । “Venerable Sir, I desire to know Steadfastness.”	To be steadfast, one must first make an Effort (Karoti). Without the act of doing, there is no place to stand firm.
6. Effort	कृतिं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति । “Venerable Sir, I desire to know Effort.”	To make an effort, one must first experience Joy (Sukham). No one exerts themselves for that which brings no joy.
7. Joy	सुखं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति । “Venerable Sir, I desire to know Joy.”	To find true joy, one must know the Infinite (Bhūmā). There is no lasting joy in the finite; only the Infinite is Bliss. “यो वै भूमा तत्सुखं नाल्पे सुखमस्ति भूमैव सुखं”
8. The Infinite	भूमानं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति ॥ “Venerable Sir, I desire to know the Infinite.”	The Infinite is where one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, and knows nothing else. It is the Substratum of all. यत्र नान्यत्पश्यति नान्यच्छृणोति नान्यद्विजानाति स भूमाथ यत्रान्यत्पश्यत्यन्यच्छृणोत्यन्यद्विजानाति तदल्पं यो वै भूमा तदमृतमथ यदल्पं तन्मर्त्य्ं