How Democratic Is Truth? (With Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi)

Sunday Service at Ananda Village

Sunday Service with Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi at Ananda Village, recorded July 31st 2022. This week's reading from Swami Kriyananda's book "Rays of the One Light" is: How Democratic Is Truth? Truth is one and eternal. Realize oneness with it in your deathless Self, within. The following commentary is based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda. We live in an age when people assume that knowledge should be available equally to all. In matters susceptible of judgment by normal common sense, however, everyone knows there are exceptions. Access to a control room for intercontinental missiles is limited, by universal consent, to a very few. Access to the controls of a passenger airliner is limited to those with the necessary knowledge for operating them, and also to those with the proper authorization. If people don’t see the disadvantages of making more subtle knowledge universally available, it is only because they are ignorant of the risks involved. In the case of subtle knowledge, the main disadvantage in making it universally available is the harm it might do to the person himself. True, by mocking truth he might undermine the faith of a few truth seekers. But then, such tests can also be beneficial, as a means of strengthening faith. Again true, the clever doubter’s misrepresentation of those truths may dissuade a few seekers from following the spiritual path. But if a seeker really is sincere, he will recognize the truth eventually because it resonates with his own being. No, the greatest problem accrues to the shallow doubter himself. To give him an opportunity to affirm his ignorance might only estrange him even more from the truth, delaying the time when he will turn – as all people must, eventually – to the light. Thus, the Scriptures advise, not secrecy, but discretion in the sharing of truth. Jesus Christ says in the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 7: Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. And Sri Krishna says in the eighteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita: Never speak of these truths to one who is without self-control or devotion, who renders no service, who does not care to hear, or who speaks ill of Me. Thus, through holy Scripture, God has spoken to mankind.