Truth triumphs:
Truth alone is paramount! Truthfulness is bliss. Having accomplished Truthfulness, none would ever slip down. Persons who attain it are named as ‘Sat.’ The Self is achievable through the understanding as to what is truth and untruth as also tapasya (austerity with control of mind and senses). This samyak jnana (the knowledge), in surfeit as backed by tapasya is the gateway to Enlightenment.
Some of the essential inputs are brahmacharya (abstinence), straightforwardness, non-pretentiousness, a clean inner conscience leading to Atmajyoti (Self Illumination). That indeed is the path of Parama Nidhaana which truly is hiranmaya  (the golden hued)! The unique motto that Bharata Desha has adopted is ‘Satyameva Jayate’ or Truth triumphs. It is the path of Truth that the Devas tread and thus is called Devayana. It is again that very path that rishis and seekers of the Eternal Truth ascend to.

Brahman is attainable only through the disciplines of truthfulness and similar traits. It is Divya (self-resplendent); achintya rupam (of unimaginable form); sukshmantaram (subtle), like ‘antariksha’; ‘vibhaat’i or of such illumination of Surya Chandraadis; sudure (extremely distant to the ignorant); and guhaayam (deep in the cavity of everybody’s Self, but imperceptible to the blind and ignorant). Indeed, it is incomprehensible by the sensory organs and faculties of vision, speech, and so on except through the minds’ eye, that too by intense Dhyana, backed by Karma and Dharma. It is reachable by jnaana prasaadena vishuddha sattva and jnaanamaya (through the favourable medium of knowledge and purity of thought and deed). The subtle Self is within the heart where the Praana (life energy) enters the body of five forms of ‘praanaapaanodaana vyaana samaanas’ into the subtle Self hidden by the sensory organs but attainable clearly by the vision within.

Satyam (truthfulness) would be the basic principle leading to Moksha. Tapas (penance) is also an aid to attainment which Maharshis practised to attain bliss. Dama (forbearance and self-control) was often practised by sages seeking Eternal Joy. In fact,even Asuras too practised dama for several years to seek fulfilment of violent and virtue less desires. Shama (calmness of body and extreme control of the mind and psyche), verging on Ananda and tranquillity. Daana-dakshina in sacrificial contexts and in the spirit of philanthropy is also an aid to reach the gateway of fulfillment leading gradually the path of permanent joy!

Many feel that tapas or austerity is a sure gateway to liberation and thus follow this fully. Some others religiously follow the path of daana or detachment from the lure of  the pleasures of the sensory organs and  pursue this  principle of total withdrawal in the promise of liberation. Other hermits practice shama or calmness and peace of mind in the surroundings of forests and delight themselves in the prized aspiration of nirvana. Some rely on the precept of daana of food, money, housing, kanyas, nava dhaanyas, ghee, and also several valuables made of gold and precious stones. Such daana kartas  also aspire to the ultimate Paramananda!  Strict followers of Dharma live a virtuous life as is prescribed in the scriptures. They aim at the post life path of deva yaana (the celestial path) to finally accomplish Brahmatva.

There are three kind of disciplines of self-control possible and necessary prescriptions are given by Prajapati to three classes of his progeny viz. Devas, Manushyas and Asuras. After completing their Brahmacharya or student life, each of the three classes asked for his instruction. First, the Devas requested Prajapati for instructions as to which discipline should be pursued by them. Prajapati replied in a single letter word viz. Da! and asked the Deva Vidyarthis or student probationers whether they have understood. They nodded their heads and repeated the upadesha (sermon) as damayata (control or self-control). The then approached Prajapati who again gave the single word instruction of Da and queried them whether they had correctly understood the instruction. They too nodded their heads and replied that the teaching commanded by Prajapati as Daana (charity)! ‘da, da, da, iti/ damyata, dutta, dayaadhvam iti/ damam daanam damayam iti/ Finally, the Asura probationers requested Prajapati to instruct them before they would assume the profession of asuratwa and once again Prajapati gave the same single expression Da. But he was not sure whether the Asuras being fat minded they had readily understood the import of the word, however there were thunderous reverberations saying Control, Charity and Compassion!

The cause and effect manifestation is discussed since the gigantic peepul tree with its root emerging of Brahman the immortal and the worlds emerging therefrom. The sprawling tree is replete with innumerable extensions of features ranging from Pancha Bhutas of the Five Elements, Devas, Dishas, and Virtues on one side even along with defending energies of the Universe as relieving points and on the other hand a huge multitude of evils, births and deaths, old age, sorrows , diseases, struggles, besides material attractions all over! Yet Brahman puts the lid on the totality of situations, alike on the pluses and minuses, yet within the defined boundaries and the ground regulations well in place! It is due to the overall control of the universe by Brahman that the latter is existent, emergent and ever active. He is an awe-inspiring phenomenon of the nature of a vajramudyatam (an upraised thunderbolt). Those who knows of this reality are appreciated and blessed. It is a truism that owing to Brahman’s dread fire burns, sun shines, Indra, air, fire and also Dharma Raja (death) assume their responsibilities Having thus referred to the command of the universe by Brahma,  there is no escape from the inevitable cause and effect syndrome and whatever deeds are performed are wholly accountable before the body falls off and retributions and rewards are to follow inevitably. Hence efforts ought to be made for the realisation of the Self before the tenure of the body ends, considering the that human life is the best opportunity for this. Who knows whether this boon might recur or not! Presuming that the intellectual level and the purity of mind of the body encasing the Self is fair and further considering that the degree of transparency or haziness of the mirror of the Self looking into, the person concerned could, as in the state of a dream,  vision the images of pitru loka, gandharva loka, and even Brahma Loka in the Self’s  mirror!

The Ultimate Truth
At the time of achieving Mukti or deliverance, the fifteen body constituents headed by Praana are merged into the respective divinities, and the karmas and the resultant fruits get unified into the Supreme! The unification process involves absorption of the Pancha-Panchendriyas viz. the five each of the jnaanendriyas and karmendriyas or Jneya-Karma sensory organs.  The person gets transformed to create prana, the vital energy; from praana the faith, the pancha-bhutas (the five basic elements of nature) viz. Prithivi-Aapas-Tejo-Vaayu-Akashsa; the resultant organs, mind, food, from food the vigour, tapas or Self Restraint, mantras, karma or sacrificial deeds, worlds and the names of the respective worlds. Hence the process of unification of the Self with the Supreme. The state of Nirvana is that of a closed account of what one loosely call is that of Fate and the submerger of the Inner conciousness and the Reality. This denotes that ‘sarvam ekeebhavanti’ or everything becomes indistinguishable; and that is ‘pare avyaye’ or the Infinite, Undecaying, Unknown yet Right Within! Just as rivers merge with seas, totally losing their names, origins and their courses, so do the individual selves merge completely in Paraatparam Purusham Divyam as these rivers become ‘naamarupa vihaya’ and ‘naama rupat vimuktah’; the ‘Param’ is the Supreme while ‘Paraat’ as stated as the fleeting flashes of Maya the forces of Illusion.

Indeed, Maya is no doubt of Paratah nature as it is uncontrollable by mortal beings normally but in the context of the merger of the Self and the Supreme, Maya is pushed down and overcome as Truth gets vindicated and Reality prevails in the context of emancipation! As the rivers merge with the seas, they lose their identity and are called the seas, similarly the body constituents disappear as they see the Parama Purusha. Just as the spokes of a chariot wheel are fixed to hub, the body limbs are aligned to the axis named mind, but collapse of the wheel or death of the Being is unaffected by the driving force of the Unknown Purusha! A great accomplisher of the Supreme Brahman hardly realises his status as indeed he is already merged in that flood of Radiance. None in his erstwhile clan would ever be aware of that position. Even while alive, he would be as: tarati shokam (overcomes grief of mind), tarati paamaanam (in the state of a blemishlessness) or as of the state of a Sthitaprajna, guhaagrandhibhyaha vimuktah (freed from the knots of ignorance and Maya of existence) and as Amartah (the Immortal and Eternal).

The quintessence of Satyam the Eternal Truth:
Satyam param parah Satyah Satyena na suvargaat lokaan kadaachana nachyavante sataah hi Satyam tasmaat satye ramante/ Truthfulness is par excellence! Truth alone is paramount! Truthfulness is bliss. Having accomplished Truthfulness, none would ever slip down. Persons who attain it are named as Sat or persons who reach the pinnacle and they indeed are of Satyam or Truthfulness!
( Maha Narayana Upanishad - Section 78)