ISAVASYA UPANISHAD: “The All-Pervading Reality”: 13 - Swami Gurubhaktananda.

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Friday 08, May 2026, 20:50.
ISAVASYA UPANISHAD:
MEDITATIONS on the Self
18 Mantras on: “The All-Pervading Reality” 
Wave 4: Mantras 15-17 (3 No.) - “The VISION of TRUTH”
on the 12 Lectures delivered: Swami Tejomayananda:  to the 15th Batch Vedanta Course:   at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Powai, Mumbai July 11th – July 16th, 2012
Reflections: Swami Gurubhaktananda 
B. SAMBHOOTI & ASAMBHOOTI
Mantram -15: The Face of Truth 
Post-13.

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Wave 4: Mantras 15-17 (3 No.) - “The VISION of TRUTH”

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Mantram -15: The Face of Truth:

1. 

Hiranmayena paatrena, = By a golden vessel or lid  

2. 

satyasya apihitam mukham; = is the face of Truth covered;  

3. 

tat twam pooshan apaavrinu, = O Sun, remove the covering (or open the lid) 

4. 

satya dharmaaya drishtaye. = so that I may behold the Truth I am striving for

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Comments:

[This mantram forms the Theme Song of the Upanishad Ganga TV series produced by the  Chinmaya Mission screened weekly on DD2 since 12th March 2012, over one year. At  Sandeepany, the class was availed the opportunity of seeing each episode live on TV.]

This mantram pairs up well with the opening verse which stated that the whole world  was “covered” or “enveloped” by the Truth. Here, in a prayer addressed to the Divine, the seeker prays to the Sun (the deity of the physical sun) to remove that covering so that he may be behold the Truth. The similarity of the two verses is in conformity with the scriptural practice of Upakrama-Upasamhara, to convey the subject essence at the beginning and the end of the text. For this reason, Maadhyandina considers this to be the last verse of the Upanishad. Rishi Kanva considers mantras 15-18 to form one concluding prayer to the whole Upanishad. In both cases the idea of the scriptural practice is accepted. 

The Covering of Truth:

1-2.

We cannot look at the sun due to its brilliance; the very brilliance of the sun acts  as a screen to shield it from our view. The Truth also has a “golden disc” shielding it from our vision. We cannot see the Truth because it is too brilliant. The brilliance can be thought of as an Upadhi which hides the Truth. An Upadhi, like our body and mind, is a de-limiter; it limits the the appearance of a thing; it attenuates the intensity of a thing by making the thing appear less intense than the original. 

We can take an ordinary example of the country’s President. If we are asked to go and meet the President, we make special arrangements to do so. We are awed by the  greatness of the ‘Upadhi’ of the President’s Office. His status far exceeds that of our own and so we stand in awe of him. But the family members of the President do not see his  ‘Office’. They are quite at ease with him, even when he is in his office.  

When we actually meet the President, we say, “Oh, he is such a simple person. He even shook my hand! And he smiled at me!” Every little act of his fills us with wonder. So, too, it is with Truth, whose Upadhis are enormous. It is so well hidden. It cannot be seen just for a song. One has to become worthy of seeing It.

Some commentators interpret the disc or cover to mean Maya Herself. This is slightly  different from seeing it as an Upadhi. Upadhis are a product of Maya. With reference to Truth, the Upadhi is Maya.

 The Expanded Meaning of Truth:

3a

Pooshan: 

In Vedic times, the Personal Gods were the Deities of the respective  elements. The Puranic Deities came at a later period. The Sun Deity is addressed by many names, according to the aspect of it being invoked. Here the name Pooshan is being used. 

‘Pooshan’ means “nourisher or sustainer”. The Sun, though it remains still, is the source of the energy which makes the whole universe dynamic and powerful. The Sun provides the driving force. In the Vedic scriptures, the Sun is the perfect symbol for the Atman or Self within eachindividual. The Atman, too, fulfils the same function as Pooshan, the Sun. 

Pooshan is a very appropriate choice of word in another context. ‘Pooshan’ expands the scope of meaning for Truth. It not only means the Sun, but it is also a name for Ishwara,  the supreme Creator. It is also a name for Consciousness or Existence itself, which is the supreme Reality, the Absolute Brahman. Thus, by using the word Pooshan, the Truth could be interpreted to mean relative truth or Absolute Truth; meaning that the Truth is both transcendental (beyond creation) as well as imminent (within creation).  

The Prayer of the Seeker:

3-4

The seeker of Truth, the devotee, asks Pooshan to uncover the disc. The conversation between devotee and Pooshan can be imagined as follows: 

Pooshan: “Why, what do you want to see?” 

Devotee:  Pooshan: your sake?” 

Devotee: “O Sun, I wish to behold the face of Truth.” 

“But what is so special about you that I should uncover the Truth for “Believe me, Sun, I am a Satya Dharmaaya, a practitioner of Truth. I 

do the Upasana for Truth daily. Can you not please grant me my heart’s desire?” 

Pooshan: “Well, let me check out your records first to see if your request is valid. I will get back to you by email.” 

Devotee: “O, don’t check too thoroughly, please! I know I have made many  errors in my Upasana. Be a little lenient with me if you do find anything wrong.”  

The devotee leaves, only to trouble Pooshan again the next day at the first crack of dawn. Still no email. He goes the next day, and the next….until his wish is finally granted. 

Truly, Guruji’s subtle ways to get the message through to us has to be commended! 

Guruji followed this with a delightful story of a little boy who asked Santa Claus for some special gifts on Christmas. 

“Santa, will you give me a video-game machine, a laptop, an i-pad, a cellphone with lots of games in it, and…”  Santa said, “Wait a minute. I will check out what good deeds you have done for the current year.” 

The boy quickly replied, “Oh, Santa, just the video-game machine will do!” 

***** 

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Mantram - 16: The Vision of Truth:
Continue

on the 12 Lectures delivered: Swami Tejomayananda:  to the 15th Batch Vedanta Course:   at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Powai, Mumbai July 11th – July 16th, 2012

Reflections: Swami Gurubhaktananda(near arrow mark)

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