By Abdhesh Jha
“Shraddhāvān labhate jñānam” — Katha Upanishad (1.2.23)
“The one endowed with faith attains true knowledge.”
The repeated message found in the Upanishads is that Brahmajnana — the knowledge of the Supreme Reality — cannot be attained merely through logic or intellect. Rather, it is realized through faith and devotion. When this faith becomes unwavering, the realization of Brahman becomes inevitable.
The Upanishads — the concluding and most profound portion of the Vedas — are a supreme dialogue for seekers of truth. They address the deepest existential questions related to the soul (ātman), God (paramātman), death, consciousness, and liberation. And what is the key to unlocking these answers? The key is faith — unwavering faith.
Faith draws one closer to the truth, and belief stabilizes the mind upon it. As Justice Rajendra Prasad, former Judge of the Patna High Court, rightly said:
“Faith is the proof of the meaning and purpose of your entire life and personality. Faith is truth. Even when someone lies or deceives, they do so by first winning the faith of the other. Therefore, faith is truth — faith is Brahman. It is essential for both worldly and spiritual life. A life based on distrust leads to instability, while a life full of faith brings peace and steadiness.”
This principle is reflected vividly in the Katha Upanishad, in the dialogue between Nachiketa and Yamaraj. Before revealing the knowledge of Brahman, Yamaraj tempts Nachiketa with heaven, pleasure, wealth, and longevity. But Nachiketa, with firm conviction, responds:
“Na vittena moha, na kaṇyābhiḥ… na cānyam varam Nachiketā vṛṇe”
– “I am not attracted to these temptations; I desire only the truth.”
This firm faith alone makes Nachiketa worthy of Brahmavidyā — the supreme knowledge.
The entire story of Katha Upanishad is a testimony to the power of faith. When Nachiketa, out of discontent with his father’s actions, reaches the abode of death, Lord Yama grants him three boons. For the third boon, Nachiketa asks:
“Some say the soul exists; others say it does not. O Yama, teach me the truth.”
(Katha Upanishad 1.1.20)
This inquiry itself is rooted in faith. Yama replies:
“Shraddhāvān labhate jñānam”
– “Only a person endowed with faith attains true knowledge.”
This teaching is echoed in the Mundaka Upanishad, where Sage Shaunaka approaches Rishi Angira to learn Brahmavidya. Angira replies:
“To understand that Supreme Knowledge, approach a Guru who is well-versed in the scriptures and established in Brahman.”
(Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.12)
Here, the Upanishad clearly emphasizes: Faith in the Guru is indispensable. If there is no faith in the teacher, the knowledge becomes fruitless. Moreover, without faith in the subject of knowledge — Brahman — the pursuit itself remains hollow.
The Shvetashvatara Upanishad further affirms:
“Shraddhā–bhakti–dhyāna–yogād avaihi” (Shv. Up. 6.23)
– “Realization of the Supreme is possible only through faith, devotion, and meditative discipline.”
This shows that faith is not just a method, but a qualification for true spiritual experience. When the Upanishads declare:
“Satyam jñānam anantam brahma”
– “Brahman is truth, knowledge, and infinite,”
they clarify that Brahman is not an object of sensory perception, but a subject of inner realization, born not from doubt but from deep faith.
The Upanishads proclaim:
“Brahmavid brahmaiva bhavati” (Mundaka Up. 3.2.9)
– “The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman.”
Here, faith is the path to becoming one with the Infinite. And this is not blind belief — it is a harmony of reason, experience, and inner conviction. Faith is the inner flame that dispels darkness and connects us with the divine light —
the Brahman that “pervades all that exists.”
Therefore, we say:
Faith is Brahman!
When faith is unwavering, the realization of the Self — of God — is certain.
