‘shradha’ is traditionally understood as ‘faith’ but when one ponders (anupeha) deeply, faith is the cause for violence, the stronger the faith, the more one is violent. One should be able to perceive this as a matter of fact because a strong faith causes agitation and intolerance. People are willing to kill themselves and others in the name of faith.One can perceive this in the modern world.Moreover faith produces attachment and the resultant consequences arising thereof. One may use best adjectives or euphemistically use clever words.One must perceive this totally,the positive and negative aspects. It is inconceivable to the intelligent that a Vitraag or a Nirgranth(the unattached) will subject one or profess one to have ‘faith’. So now what is  ‘Shradha’ ??

Shradha is coming from two words, shr is coming from shravan(to listen) wa dha is coming from the word ‘darshan’, which means to learn and observe (peha paasa or pashya) these words are very common in acharanga sutra, now, how to listen and observe correctly  is entirely a different subject to ponder… The word Shravak Eaavak means the one who listens (to be explained later),in other words the nearest meaning given by Shrimad Rajchandraji (jovu ane janvu or Jnata drashta avastha) which is a state of mind or complete attention with mind speech and body. The word shradha in the Dravidian language even today means -attention.Attention (jagruthi,jatna) inside, attention outside. Inside means being aware of your mind, speech and body, and outside means being aware of the external circumstances and happenings. This will lead to samyak darshan, when there is total acceptance of ‘what is’, ‘as is’, without any resistance from inside and outside, that in other words is sahajta purvak. This is what darshan is all about….it is very difficult to explain and describe in words (for words are only pudgal or matter) this state of self is highly abstract, subtle and metaphysical….now ponder.