Miscellaneous - Religion   

Truth as effulgence

CHENNAI: The direct experience of the truth supersedes intellect, intelligence, etc. It is for this reason that philosophical discussions and arguments that try to establish the nature of the Supreme Brahman in rational terms invariably fall short of their purpose. At the same time the fact that all devotees express similar sentiments when they experience the infinite greatness of the Supreme Brahman stands testimony to the boundless grace of the Lord who has chosen to reveal His form, nature and truth to them, said Sri T. V. Venkataraman in a lecture. Saint Tirumular equates this grace to Knowledge (Jnana) and like the other saints and Nayanmars recognises this blessing unquestioningly and with absolute humility. The devout thus remain humble servants of the Lord and wish only for the opportunity to serve Him forever.

This saint’s work Tirumandiram comprises the essence of the Vedas, the Agamas, Yoga, Tantra and many other disciplines and captures the esoteric nature of the Supreme Brahman. The Lord alone can remove the ignorance that makes the individual trust the physical and the material world because its compelling force easily masks its ephemeral nature. Knowledge of the Lord and of the immortal nature of one’s Atma can alone help us counter this attraction.

The Lord lives within each one of us in the most subtle form in the core of our being. He is the one without beginning or end and is always eternal. He created the Vedas to reveal His nature. His motivating force has enlightened the devout who have composed hymns to celebrate His glory.

He is the embodiment of grace and He enables human beings to reach Him through Jnana. As long as we look at the world as filled with differences, we tend to miss His all pervading, all knowing and all powerful presence. We have to overcome the ignorance and get the strength to lead life fearlessly.

Though man’s intellect can explore knowledge endlessly, it is not going to bring home the experience of the Supreme Brahman. His presence is an effulgence that one has to perceive and recognise in one’s inner eye. One has to probe inwards and see His infinite pervasiveness through His grace.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cartoonscape
The Hindu Crossword No. 9365
Solution No. 9364
Truth as effulgence
dated October 30, 1958: Universal Time Clock
dated October 30, 1958: Indo-Pak understanding
dated October 30, 1958: New Pope’s message
Weather

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu