Truth is beginning less. The Upanishad word ‘Anadi’ means ‘beginning less’. Anadi means that which has no beginning. It does not mean ancient as many of us seems to think. However old and ancient a thing may be, it has a beginning, but truth has no beginning. And that which becomes old cannot be truth, because truth is now, in this moment and yet eternal. Or we can say that which is eternal, is truth. When Krishna says in Gita, “I teach the truth that is anadi,” it does not mean that he talking about some old and ancient. Krishna means to say that which is, is truth. He says, “I teach you the eternal truth.” Those who knew it in the past- knew the truth that is eternal. And those who know it today- know the same eternal truth. And those who will know it in future, if they really know, it will be the same truth that is without beginning and without end. Only falsehood can be old and new; truth cannot be old and new, it can only be eternal.
Of course, there are two
ways of saying the truth. When Buddha speaks of truth, he knows truth of his
own; he need not produce witnesses in his support. Witnesses are not going to
add any more value to it, even if thousand names of people who have known truth
will not add an iota to the measure of Buddha’s truth, nor will they add to the
glory and grandeur of truth itself. And throughout his life, Buddha insisted
his disciples who were seekers of truth, that unless someone knows truth on his
own, he should not accept it as true on the authority of others- including
Buddha. It is essential for a master to ask his disciples, the seekers of
truth, not to believe just because he says it. If they something as truth in
the beginning of the quest itself, they cannot go on the quest for truth.
And Buddha’s seekers are
very different from Krishna’s solitary listener, Arjuna. Yes, Krishna speaks to
an altogether different kind of person in Gita, his listener is not in an
adventure to seek truth, he is confused and deluded. The situation of imminent
war has overcome Arjuna with weakness and fear. So, Krishna is not interested
in unveiling and exposing truth to its roots- he only tells him what truth is.
Therefore Krishna says that, ‘what he is saying has been said by many others in
the past’. Arjuna wants only to understand what reality is; he is not prepared
to go in search of truth. That is why Krishna explains to him the long
tradition of truth so that Arujuna can grasp it properly. Truth will continue
to blossom in the weeks to come …
Let us understand Krishna
to Understand Gita!
Wishing you all good health
& happiness,
Dr. Dwaraka, Director,
Mitran foundation- the stress management people
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