Ignorance is the characteristic of the Pasu (animal). What is a Pasu? "Pasyathi ithi pasuh," "That which sees is the Pasu." That is to say, that which has the outward vision and accepts what the external vision conveys is the Pasu. The inward vision will lead a person to Pasupathi, the Lord of all living beings, the master of Pasus. He who has not mastered the senses is the Pasu. The Pasu has harmful qualities born along with it. However hard one may try to eliminate them, they cannot be transformed soon. The Pasu cannot get free from them. It has no capacity to understand the meaning of the advice given. For example, we may bring up a tiger cub with affectionate care and train it to be gentle and obedient. But when it is hungry, it will relish only raw meat; it will not eat puri and potato! But man can be educated into better ways. Hence, the statement in the scriptures: "For all animate beings, birth as man is a rare achievement." Man is indeed the most fortunate and the most holy among animals, for his inborn qualities can be sublimated. He who is born as a Pasu can elevate himself through self-effort and training into Pasupathi. The beast is born 'cruel' and dies 'cruel'.

A life lived without mastering one's senses does not deserve the name. Man has been endowed with many capabilities and if, with them, he does not control his senses and direct them properly the years he spends alive are wasted. Vidya or valid education helps man to achieve success in this process of mastery. Vidya confers Vinaya. Education promotes humility. Through humility, one acquires the right to engage in professions. That authority confers prosperity. A prosperous person has the capacity for charity and right living. Right living can confer happiness here and hereafter.