Comprehending the meaning of the Upanishad Mantras.

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Dear Members,

 

Pranams to you all.

 

When I commenced my study of the Upanishads my Guru conveyed to me how

the mantras pertaining to the SwarUpalakshana of Brahman or Atman or to put it

in other words one's own true nature are to be related to oneself . I am

culling out an excerpt from an article written by a sage of the 20th century,

which gives out in a very clear and precise way the methodology.

 

Quote:

Interpretation of scripture is no doubt necessary and helpful to

comprehension, but its guiding principle must be furnished by Life, not by

scripture. Otherwise we shall be involved in the fallacy of mutual dependence.

One part of the scripture cannot be reconciled with another part, apparently

opposed to it, except by subjecting both to interpretation. Surely there must be

an external standard by which we judge the statements. We are not unthinking

machines to accept the arbitrary doles from the hands of the interpreter who, as

a man, ought also to depend on some objective criterion on which he relies for

common acceptance.

WHICH IS THE OBJECTIVE STANDARD?

It cannot be tradition which is many- tongued , being subjected to change

by time and social contingencies and divisions. It cannot be individual

predilection which will not appeal to all minds. It cannot be perception or

inference, as these are confined to a narrow part of life, while the Truths

disclosed by the scriptures relate to all Life.

The only trustworhy point of reference, the only basis on which all

interpretations must take their stand, if they are not to be merely scholastic

sort, must be Life and Experience as a whole. The dicta of texts must be checked

by experience which includes our intuition of the three states viz. waking,

dream and dreamless sleep. A harmony between these two terms of the equation

establishes the authority of the scriptures, whose service in enabling us to

realize the highest Truth becomes thereby invaluable and incontrivertible.

UNQUOTE:

 

This was the basis on which my Guru taught me the Upanishads.

 

The purpose of posting this letter is that it may help the mumukshus who are

yearning to realize THE ULTIMATE TRUTH beyond which there is nothing more left

to realize or comprehend.

 

With warm and respectful regards,

Sreenivasa Murthy

 

 

 

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