Falsehood Thrives on Truth

As we know, this world is composed of both truth and falsehood. Careful examination reveals that, either due to our circumstances or due to the limitations of our senses and mind, falsehood is nothing but a misinterpretation of truth. In the famous rope and snake analogy, the rope is truth and the snake is falsehood that could not exist without the rope. But, until this realization is achieved, all our thoughts and actions will be based on falsehood. Some such falsehoods are likely to persist in this world for generations. Similarly, if we consider any technology to be “true,” then its harmful use is “false.” Loudspeakers can be used to promote good or, conversely, to incite innocent people to violence. Similarly, today’s social media becomes false when used maliciously. This understanding of truth and untruth is essential and useful for understanding verse 4.13 where Sri Krishna says, “I have created four varnas based on the distinction of qualities and actions, but know Me as the nondoer and the imperishable.” Sri Krishna clearly states that such division is based on qualities but not on birth and is not hierarchical, that is, there is no high and no low. The three gunas are present in all of us in varying proportions, and these give rise to four broad divisions in terms of karma. When we look around us, we find that some people are oriented towards knowledge and research; some into politics and administration; some into agriculture and business; and some into service and employment. This division brings together in the material world such diverse ideas as Einstein, Alexander, Picasso, and Mother Teresa, like the colors in a rainbow. However, the truth is that there are four types of human beings due to gunas and karma, and it is untrue that the division is hierarchical and based on birth.