Looking at the Cultural Background 89

Indra, and all other demigods. He has not mentioned, however, the
name of Visnu because Visnu is identical with Krsna. The Vedas and the
Upanisads are meant for understanding the process by which one can sur-
render unto Krsna. The yogis try to see Him (Krsna) within themselves
by meditation. In other words, it is for all the demigods and demons who
do not know where the ultimate end is that Sankara teaches, and he
especially instructs the demons and the fools to offer salutations to Krsna
and His words, the Bhagavad-gita, by following in his footsteps. Only by
such acts will the demons be benefited, not by misleading their innocent
followers by so-called mental speculations or showbottle meditations.
Sankara directly offers salutations to Krsna, as if to show the fools, who
are searching after light, that here is light like the sun. But the fallen
demons are like owls that will not open their eyes on account of their fear
of the sunlight itself. These owls will never open their eyes to see the
sublime light of Krsna and His words the Bhagavad-gita. They will,
however, comment on the Gitd with their closed owl-eyes to mislead
their unfortunate readers and followers. Sankara, however, discloses the
light to his less intelligent followers and shows that the Bhagavad-gitda and
Krsna are the only source of light. This is all to teach the sincere seekers
of truth to offer salutation to Lord Krsna and thus surrender unto Him
without misgivings. That is the highest perfection of life, and that is the
highest teaching of Sankara, the great learned scholar whose teachings
drove the voidist philosophy of Buddha out of India, the land of
knowledge. Om tat sat.
