According to the Bhagavad Gita, what is truth?
What do you think? That you can use your intellect, your computers etc etc to understand the final truth? Sorry to say you are way off the track! Do I sound like I know the whole Truth ? No way, maybe a few glimpses like others, maybe like you. But one think is assured the answer you will read on will give you new perspectives. So go ahead be my guest.
Firstly, Truth cannot be confined to only a particular chapter or a particular verse of the Bhagvad Gita BG. There is nothing like the biggest truth or a smaller truth, as understood by some while perceiving Chapter 2 verse 22 or as in other chapters or verses. SEE THERE IS A unique BG HAPPENING IN ALL OUR LIVES. In your life too, are you waging a battle now or later on? Haven’t you fought your way up to what you are now? We are fighting to survive or get more of what we like. That is the significance of why a truth so calm a thing was taught to a warrior right in the middle of the battle field.
vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayambrahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate.
“The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases of understanding by the knower of the Absolute Truth, and all of them are identical. Such phases of the Absolute Truth are expressed as Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān.” (Bhāg. 1.2.11)
Answer:
So, WHAT IS TRUTH?
Truth is Truth. Truth is eternal and is the same to all. For deliberations we may say this is the highest Truth OR we may say these are the 3 greatest truths etc. etc The whole of BG is a representation of Truth. If you still can’t get a grip on the query than please Consider these questions:
How is Truth perceived vs how we choose to perceive truth?
Who is perceiving the Truth? A man or an animal?
Why should one perceive the truth?
Where is Truth? When do we say it is the truth? Is truth Time bound?
What creates Truth? What are the components of Truth? [These question have a 1H5W management science approach to make the executive think deeply.]
Ok read on… here is a story to help you get the grip on Truth…
One of the ancient anecdotes or story is on how Lord Dakshinamoorthy under a Peepul tree revealed the Truth to the Ancient Rishis. Actually they had a doubt, and that one one doubt lead to many questions or doubts, just like how we get foxed in business management, and the questions were: Is Truth One or Dual? which is True Dwaitham [or duality of existence ie individual soul and God] or Adwaitham [Only God exists everything and all is God – Unity] Can truth help solve all problems?
[some love affair or work area truths create more problems]
The story says the Lord appeared as a young splendid dazzling Guru under the tree [look out for the descriptions in other links on Lord Dakshinamoorthy who is non other than Krishna, that should make our ISKCON bros sis happy.. No? YES! ] HE did NOT speak a word, but his presence made all the Rishis 7 in number [now don’t bother about the number or you will miss the Truth] to sit in SILENCE or in meditation doing nothing.. absolutely nothing at any plane or level of physiology or consciousness. And Lo!! after some time they all got up and dispersed to do their duties with a serene smile on their faces their smile was the same as the Lord D. Inference: Truth was revealed in utter silence.
Ramana maharishi [the Thiruvanamalai silent rishi], Ramakrishna, the Mother of Pondicherry, Vadalur Vallalar Ramalingham, Madam Blavaksky of the Theosophical Society, Buddha, Mahavira, Mahavatar Babaji, All Siddhars from Aghastiyar to Bhogar … Shiridi Baba et al
All of them advocated silence. What what are we doing? See how much nonsense stuff I have type with my Human intelligence. 🙂 Yes it is non sense, one of our Tamil Saints calls it “philosophical garbage” and sings in his song to God, asking God to help him forget all this garbage. Tatuva kuppai marundida seithidappa… [Tamil]
In conclusion we may infer as follows:
Truth is free and not bound by anything. Truth is the highest belief and experience system. Truth will set you free!
Anything spoken or written about Truth is only a model or a representation of Truth. Truth is as it is. That which is That. I am That I am. Tat vam Asi ……. Aham Bhramaasmi.
