As apara vidya and avidya can both be used without reference to God what is the essential difference between them?

They can also be used without God in the picture.
Like any subject for astronomy or astrology, there is no need of God in the picture. So, at the same time, technology also, there is no God in the picture. So, what is the essential difference between these two, which makes Aparavidya separate from Avidya? Aparavidya actually integrates God quite centrally within.
To divorce God from it is a modern misappropriation. If we look at astrology, the whole concept of planetary influence on human minds and human destiny, that cannot be understood very easily without considering the fact that there are higher powers involved. And ultimately there is a supreme power called God.
So, to use these fields without their spiritual connection is a sort of misappropriation or distortion. But if we study those originally, they are quite theistic fields. Certainly, they may not be used by transcendentalists only.
They may be used by materialists also. But actually the materialists remain pious materialists. So, whereas much of modern science, it is used with atheistic ideology.
So, in essence, there is no difference. Actually, Prabhupada says that modern technology and yogic siddhis are similar. Yogic siddhis say that you have a siddhi for entering into, walking through walls and unique tunnels.
Prabhupada talks about it in the Nodi. So, there is essentially no difference. But still the difference is that, when a yogi is doing a meditation, he understands that there is a higher being and by his grace I am getting these powers.
Whereas, there is no such understanding in technology. So, in general, the overall culture involved in practicing Aparavidya prompts a person towards at least a theistic understanding of the universe. It may not be exclusively an emotional object that motivates a person, but there is at least a broad theistic understanding.
So, that is not the case with modern technology. Allopathy says, there is no concept of soul, there is no concept of body, just the interaction of the biochemicals within the body according to certain systems. But in Ayurveda, there is an understanding about it.
That may not be the focus in the way Ayurveda is talking about this today, but there is an understanding about it. And in general, Ayurvedic colleges, they are quite receptive to the spiritual knowledge because the overall culture creates a respect for spirituality, even if it doesn’t directly promote spirituality. Also, even in this practice, for example, we see in Bhagavad Gita that there is cooperation among demigods and human beings and all.
So, in that way there is a balance, there is harmony and balance. But if technology is practiced, then there is no balance, it produces only harm. So, apart from its conceptual understanding, there is also the effects.
When Ravana was flying in Pushpaka, there was no tail of smoke following his airplane. Whereas in modern airplanes, there is a tail of smoke which causes pollution. So, certainly, when we use Aparavidya to manipulate nature, because we are not doing it according to natural harmonious principles, there are going to be a lot of side effects which are destructive.
But when we use Avidya, there are going to be negative effects. But when we use Aparavidya, all these negative effects will not be there because it is according to the principles which God has set, ultimately. Whereas, much of modern technology is using principles that are often in defiance of it.
Surely, there will be harmful consequences which are not presented in Aparavidya. This Avidya is not found in Vedas as such. How did they came into existence because Vedas are supposed to have all kinds of knowledge.
Well, when we say Vedas contain all kinds of knowledge, there is a slight confusion in what is being referred to. Krishna Prabhupada uses the word Veda sometimes in a generic sense to refer to all knowledge. Other times, he uses the word Veda to refer to the Vedic literature.
So, now, when in a generic sense, Veda contains all knowledge. But in a specific sense, in a narrower sense, when we use the word Veda to refer to the Vedic literature, the Vedic literature as they exist today, they do contain hints of fascinating aspects, ideas of knowledge. There are hints towards advanced technology, flying and submarines and interplanetary travel.
But there are no details in that. So, the broad principles are hinted at, but the details are not explicated. So, there could be two explanations of that.
One is that all that knowledge is lost today because of the effects of Kali Yuga and because of the destruction caused by foreign inventions and everything, the scriptures got lost. So, the scriptures, the books could have got lost or the technology could have become inaccessible because of the disqualification of the people of Kali Yuga. But we shouldn’t mix the two senses, the broad generic sense of the word Veda and the specific sense of the Vedic literature.
So, it’s not that the Vedic literature that we have contains all possible bodies of knowledge. Because the Bhagavad Gita itself, the Vedic scriptures themselves say that the material world also is achintya. So, if material world is achintya, then no body of knowledge about the material nature or material world can be exhausted.
So, when Srila Prabhupada talks about it, he is using it in the sense of the generic word of Veda. So, in that broad sense, even scientism would be included in Veda only. But it is not Vedic in the sense that it does not directly include Vedic literature and it is not Vedic in the sense that it doesn’t serve the purpose of the Vedic literature.
So, certainly human beings can also develop science and technology in all systems. The broad principles remain the same. Specifics will vary.
By practicing technology, we get some benefits. Though it has a long term lot of disasters. So, these benefits are also given in Vedas or? No.
So, for example, I said airplanes are there, flying is there. So, that was there. The airplanes were there.
Now, we have cell phones by which we communicate. But earlier there were insticts by which people could read each other’s minds. And you don’t have to be physically present to read each other’s mind also.
Just like Vyasadeva told the Pandavas and he told Satyavati, his mother. He said that anytime you need me, just think about me, I will come. Now, how is it possible? He is somewhere far away.
Just by his thinking. So, actually even with a mobile call, if you tell the person please come, it will take some time for him to connect the mobile call and for that to come. But there was a mystical vision, mystical connection, communication was there.
So, the essential benefits that are there, they were available through Aparavidya also. Now, what is available to Avidya, that is available at that time also.