Miscellaneous - Religion   

Teaching higher truths

CHENNAI: The difficulty in comprehending the truths of the scriptures makes them formidable to many. That is why Jivatmas, through countless generations, have kept themselves away from knowing these truths and continue to be caught in Samsara. For the uplift and enlightenment of humanity thus caught in the web of ignorance, the Lord assumed the role of a preceptor during His incarnation as Lord Krishna and gifted humanity with the invaluable Bhagavad Gita that is the very essence of the scriptures. Even the Mahabhrata war is a pretext and the main purpose of Krishna Avatar is to make the Jivatma aware of higher truths, since the Jivatma seeks an Acharya for enlightenment, said Sri M. V. Anantapadmanabhachariar in a lecture.

In the Daya Sataka, Vedanta Desika considers the Vedas as an exquisite and well constructed palace with all facilities and structures intact. But all this grand and intricate glory remains out of reach because of lack of proper lighting.

The Bhagavad Gita is the lamp whose light illuminates the truths of the Vedas. The Lord did not have any weapons (conch, discus, mace, etc.,) when He instructed Arjuna. His mission in this incarnation was to highlight the value of Sastras, dispel doubts in the scriptures and propagate the right way of life that can lead to salvation. The Lord inspires poets and Acharyas with divine grace to help Him in this mission.

The Lord teaches the value of the immortal soul as more important than that of the perishable body. The path that is beneficial, superior and worthy (Sreyas) is shown to be the beacon light to be adopted rather than the easy way of life driven by desires, wishes and passions (Preyas). The practical aspects of Karma, Jnana and Bhakti yogas are explained in detail to suit the lifestyles of all. The common problems of doubt, confusion and paradoxes continue to baffle many. Are the Sastras reliable and worthy to believe? What is the purpose of human life and endeavour? How is one to make one’s short span of life meaningful? Arjuna’s confusion in the battlefield is symbolic of the plight of every individual who is unable to make the right choice in the spiritual path.

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