There is a general misconception that intellectuals ignore the importance of faith. It is not so. Faith has a distinct role to play in human life. In truth, humanity cannot survive without the element of faith….

…..Goldsmith defines faith as: A belief in a thing I do not know until I come to know what I believe in. Tagore poetises: Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings while the dawn is still dark. These two definitions have well captured the concept of faith.

….The closest word for faith in Indian language is shraddha. But shraddha encompasses more than mere faith. In shraddha, the mind starts with faith in something but it does not end there. The intellect thereafter pursues it until it is assimilated, made one’s own. For example, a person may have faith in God but not be truly spiritual. But shraddha makes him pursue spiritual truths, study and reflect upon them until he is transformed into a divine person.

……With faith you gain mere knowledge of a subject. While shraddha provides you with wisdom to live it. When your intellect examines, reflects upon the knowledge gained, it metamorphoses into wisdom. Knowledge provides you with information. Wisdom brings about your transformation.