The Theme of Shvetashvetara Upanishad

In the manifested universe all entities vie for influencing each other. The world is full of Gurus who want to capture the others as followers. Every significant presence we come across has something to tell us and is to be treated as a Guru. But, then, we are often confused because of the difficulties in reconciling the messages from the many Gurus. Deep within us we know that aligning with any one of these Gurus outside, to the exclusion of others, is going to make our world smaller. Such alignment affects one’s ability to assert oneself. It is a surrender that limits one’s freedom.

The true Guru is within oneself. The surrender to this Guru within is liberating. It reconciles all the conflicts and contradictions on account of the significant presences outside which try to impose their viewpoints.

‘Shvetashva’ means ‘white horse’. It represents the pure state of the sense organs where their transactions are substantial. The sense organs become impure when they get attached to the external objects which interest them. They retain their purity when the they are withdrawn from attachment to external objects and remain in the service of the inner spirit. When the sense organs are pure an entity remains connected to the inner spirit. This inner spirit itself is the ultimate Guru. In the presence of this Guru all the doubts created by the external Gurus vanish without a trace.

Development of the awareness where one remains perennially connected with the Guru within is the theme of Shevateshvetara Upanishad.