Wisdom of the rishis

The Upanishads are often in the form of a dialogue between the teacher and the disciple and they are profoundly clear after explanation. But, somewhere along the way, there has come about a misunderstanding, that since the Upanishads are in the Jnana Kanda, the intellectual part of the scriptures, one can find the truth, in the Upanishads, through intellectual acrobatics.

The Upanishads do not claim that one can find the Supreme Being through intellectual analysis. In fact, the entire purport of the Upanishads is to make one understand that there is ‘something’ beyond the thinking brain, beyond the intellect, something which is much wider and larger in scope than our limited brains can ever comprehend.

The Upanishads tell us how to open up the channels of communication with the Supreme. The Keno Upanishad from the Sama Veda, declares in unequivocal terms, “That Supreme Being which you are seeking, cannot be reached even by the mind”, meaning, our normal, logical mind. Seeking That, is something that comes about when the mind has completely settled down and understood, that no amount of intellectual acrobatics is going to help. Then begins the journey.

Much of our thinking and understanding is prejudiced. We are so caught up in the attraction of the world and our senses, that though we believe that we think clearly, our thinking is always prejudiced by our desires. So we have to watch our minds carefully and proceed.

To believe that by learning the Upanishads one has understood the Supreme Being, is far from the truth. If that were so, then no sadhana would be prescribed. Sadhana is the preparation, the movement towards making the mind steady, quiet, peaceful and still. This preparation is necessary to understand the subtle truths in the Upanishads. Sadhana helps us to achieve that by sitting quietly, closing our eyes and watching our thoughts. This is necessary.

Some might feel that as the understanding of the Supreme Being comes in a flash, is all this required? But we must ask ourselves, are we ready to see the flash when it comes? So that is one of the teachings. This understanding of Brahman or the Supreme Being, is like a ‘flash of lightning’ or like ‘the blink of an eye’, for which one must prepare oneself when it comes.