Miscellaneous - Religion   

Higher truths

CHENNAI: The Kathopanishad, while revealing the inner essence of many subtle truths of existence, also illustrates the extraordinary persistence and infinite patience required to comprehend them. When he confronted Yama face-to-face, young Nachiketa's resoluteness to learn the truths of human life and death was redoubled as he saw the opportunity of learning from the best-qualified teacher. Yama showed hesitation to instruct the boy since he knew the esoteric value of the truths, and posed tough questions to test not only Nachiketa's sincerity but also the dispassionate state of his mind.

The crux of the Katopanishad is that knowledge of the Self is attainable only with the help of Sastras and the instruction of preceptors, pointed out Swamini Satyavratananda in a lecture. Yama clarifies notions of the human mind and its role. The brilliant and subtle analysis sees the mind as the locus where knowledge is gained, and not as the instrument that helps to gain knowledge.

The nature of knowledge gained can pertain to worldly affairs and objects, or to self-knowledge. The sense organs, the mind, reasoning power etc. serve as instruments to get external knowledge. To gain knowledge of the Self, these alone cannot help. It cannot come through mere study and learned discussions. It can come only through deep introspection, keen involvement, and an earnest desire to know. It is through the grace of the divine that this perennial and genuine yearning for self-realisation gradually awakens the individual to the Supreme spirit that dwells within.

It is the perplexities of joy and sorrow, and the attractions of worldly life that engender attachment distracting the individual from the pursuit of the Self within. Spiritual enlightenment is the ability to behold the greatness of the Self that is undying and unborn, and has existed and will exist regardless of the perishable forms in which it is wrapped temporarily in every birth.

It is divine in origin, and is not altered by the qualities of the mind in which it is embodied. Only a clear perception of the crucial distinction between the self and the body can avoid the mistake of equating the two that can make the individual deviate from the path to higher knowledge and liberation.

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