Miscellaneous - Religion   

Basis of faith

CHENNAI : The Isavasya Upanishad states that the entire visible universe and all else is the abode of the Lord, the creator. It is the Lord who abides in each and every aspect of the universe. Since all belongs to Him and there is nothing that is ours, nothing should be coveted by us. One should wish to live a full hundred years by doing one's ordained duties, and being involved in action in such a way that one is not bound by it. The lesson taught in this Upanishad is the way to enjoy through renouncing attachment and that is the only path beneficial to the Atma. In this manner, the Self can be united with the Supreme Being, its source.

In a lecture, Swami Dayananda Saraswati drew attention to the subtle manner in which the truth of this Upanishad exists in the consciousness of even an unlearned simple villager with no scholarship in the Vedas or the philosophical texts, who finds the presence of the Supreme Being in every aspect of daily living — in the land he tills, the rain that supports the crop, and the sun that shines, etc.

To him the Almighty is always present in all the varieties of life and if one were to question him about God's existence, he would merely ask "What is there that is not Iswara?" Somehow the truth of Vedanta that all are connected to the Supreme Being in one way or another has been imbibed in his way of life.

He has a healthy relationship with God and the world. He lives and breathes God who is both personal and impersonal and who can be worshipped in many forms or ways.

The habit by which one perceives God in all aspects of creation engenders a sense of togetherness and security. Staying connected with Nature, the universe and the Lord, brings all under the care and concern of our creator.

This cognitive connection of the physical, biological and spiritual aspects eschews the perception of the differences characterising the universe.

The truth of God is to be understood. It is God who can create this understanding by revealing His omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence. This understanding is the basis of unshakable belief.

When it is rooted in one's inner vision an automatic change is effected in one's perception of the value structure that dictates one's conduct, attitude and behaviour.

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