Isha Upanishad (3)

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Seen in this light, the first mantra's

declaration that the Supreme Lord is the ultimate owner and

controller also declares Him to be the ultimate rightful

enjoyer of everything and everyone. Everything that

exists is meant to please Him. He is the center around

which everything revolves. <br><br>Unfortunately, a

person who is materialistic, greedy, and

self-worshipping wants to take the place of God; he sees himself

as the center of the universe. He sees everything

and everyone-the world, people, his family, animals,

plants, the environment-as revolving around him. He sees

everything and everyone as meant for his enjoyment. The

world is full of such exploitative people, and they

cause so many problems. If a person sees himself as the

Supreme Enjoyer, he will automatically live a life of

exploitation. He will not respect others or the environment,

nor will he care for the well-being of others. He

will lead a hedonistic life of unrestricted sense

enjoyment, lording over everything and everyone. Although

human in form, he will be no more than an animal who

lives by the philosophy, "might makes right." However,

serious students of the Sri Ishopanishad will know these

truths: <br><br>1) I am spirit soul, not matter. I am a

spark of God.<br><br>2) Although my essence is

non-different from God's (i.e., spirit), I am not the Supreme

Spirit. I am the dominated part and parcel of God. I am

not God.<br><br>3) As a dominated part and parcel of

the Supreme Spirit, my natural function is to be

engaged in loving service to Him. I cannot find complete

happiness in material sense gratification because I am

spirit, not matter. I need spiritual food-loving service

to God. Since my position is dominated-I am not the

supreme controller-my natural activity is to render

loving service to the Supreme Lord. To try to be the

lord and enjoyer is unnatural and leads only to

frustration and misery.<br><br>On a practical level, if

people lived by the first mantra of the Sri

Ishopanishad, the effect would be great. These enlightened

people would live as caretakers, not exploiters. Since

they would see everyone as God's children, they would

see the inalienable right of all God's children to

partake in God's bounties. God's property is rightfully

meant for the well-being and sustenance of all His

children. Once individuals understand this, they will not

see their private property-including their own bodies

-as really theirs. They will see themselves as

caretakers, not owners, of God's property. They will use what

is in their possession in a manner that is

consistent with the Absolute Truth of God's ownership.