Miscellaneous - Religion   

Truth remains hidden

CHENNAI: The truth of the Supreme Brahman is not easy to realise though the entire creation is devised and controlled by the Absolute Power. The Kena Upanishad makes it clear that this truth cannot be grasped by the senses, mind or intellect — functions available to individuals to understand the universe, world, etc. — though ironically enough it is the truth of the Brahman that activates the mind, senses or intellect.

Dr. Sudha Seshaiyan drew attention to the story in this Upanishad that illustrates the way of the world when the experience of ownership over wealth, possessions, scholarship, attainments, etc., easily hides the Supreme Being from one’s consciousness. Even the celestials who are endowed with superior powers were once unable to recognise the Supreme Truth when they came face to face with It. They celebrated their victory over the evil forces and attributed it entirely to their own prowess without acknowledging the truth that all their greatness was derived from the Almighty.

To teach them the truth, the Lord appeared before them in the form of a Yaksha but they did not recognise the Absolute Being. Indra sent Agni (the wise one) to find out the identity of the Yaksha. Before Agni could question the Yaksha, he was asked to identify himself. Agni sang his own praises, and was asked to burn a blade of grass. Try as he could, he was unable to do this apparently simple task. Similarly, Vayu, who boasted of his powers to blow anything, was unable to blow this blade of grass. Both told Indra of the strange Yaksha and their failure to do his simple bidding.

When Indra went to find out, the Yaksha had disappeared. But Goddess Uma appeared before him. She instructed Indra on the Atma Tatva and made it clear that every individual should realise that whatever each one of us possesses (material, intellectual attainments) are God given and remain ever grateful to Him without any sense of ego. It is by the practice of Bhakti and worship that one can clear the veil of Maya that hides the truth from our perception. The Upanishad’s method of enquiry shows that to understand the Supreme Spirit one has to transcend the human faculties to reach for the divine experience.

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