Reason and Truth

Reason and Truth
(Vinod Anand)

Dogmatic thinking and abdication of reason in their innumerable forms remain as great obstacles to human advancement leading to suffering and ignorance, according to Swami Dayananda.

So strongly was he guided by the supremacy of reason that he proclaimed that one should spurn dogmas even if inherited from people of wisdom, if such beliefs fail to withstand the supremacy of reasoning and truth in the light of new revelations.

Then, these should be discarded without hesitation. All human progress is based on reason. Reason need not necessarily mean arid concepts equated with narrow intellectualism but rather, the application of systematic thinking based on facts revealed from time to time with countless new revelations emerging from continuous research.

It is reason which helps us to decide which objectives and ends are worth embracing and which ought to be given up. It is reason which revealed that earth is round and not flat.

Swamiji was not the first nor is he the last to be guided by supremacy of reason. Reason has always played a crucial role in our understanding of belief systems and theologies. Sage Vasishta instructs Rama, “The remark of even a child is to be accepted, if it is in accordance with reason while the remark of even Brahma the Creator is to be rejected like a piece of straw if it does riot accord with reason.”

The Bhagwad Gita recognizes that nothing can give one fulfillment unless it satisfies his reason, ethical conscience and, above all, it must be personally experienced.

The one who does not doubt or raise questions is not truly alive. Knowledge is valid only if it withstands the test of reasoning. The Arjuna-Krishna dialogue at Kurukshetra annihilates all doubts in Arjuna’s mind by the element of sound reasoning that Krishna presents. Gautama Buddha and Guru Nanak gave new direction to religions prevailing in their times by reasoning out various beliefs which were seen by them to be regressive for human development.

Buddha said, “Do not accept any word out of regard for me; accept them after testing them by logic and putting them to the test of life, then it is that you should discover whether there is any absolute reality in the world or not.” Dayananda laid maximum thrust on dispelling ignorance and spreading knowledge because he believed that capacity to reason out what is right and what is wrong comes from education.

Education is what trains us in thinking rationally and objectively. No wonder that educational institutions — the DAV schools, colleges and gurukuls have been in the forefront for the last 125 years, in spreading literacy in India.

To Dayananda, Vedas are scriptures of all true knowledge since he believed these to be the revelations of God after creating the universe and human life. As we can’t operate any machine without its manual, likewise, Dayananda believed that in his all mercy, God gave Vedic knowledge to us as guide for leading g life which may lead us to ultimate bliss of moksha or liberation.

Swamiji’s concept of God arose out of his capacity and ability to reason based on his interpretation of the Vedas. He believed that the Supreme is formless, being incorporeal and infinite.

Whatever we see in the world only reflects His greatness. The universe created by Him may be allegorically regarded as a means for allaying our mental thirst for the sight of the Supreme Truth.