"Not Everything Real Is Visible": A Timeless Lesson from Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar
Recently, I came across a powerful speech by Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, a revered leader and philosopher whose words resonated deeply with me. One particular reflection caught my attention—it explored how our perception is often limited, and how truth and divinity cannot always be comprehended with the naked eye.
In a world obsessed with evidence, speed, and logic, Thevar’s words are a reminder that what we see is not always all that is. His analogy is as poetic as it is profound:
“நட்ச்சத்திரம் இருக்கிறது என்பது எல்லோருக்கும் தெரியும்,
ஆனால் பகலிலே பார்க்கிற ஒருவருக்கு நட்ச்சத்திரம் தெரியாது…”
🌌 The Illusion of Absence
We all know stars exist. But during the day, we don’t see them. Does that mean they’ve disappeared? No. They’re simply outshined by sunlight. Similarly, the sun exists at night, though it’s not visible to our eyes then.
If someone were to argue that stars don’t exist because they can’t see them at noon, or that the sun isn’t real because it’s not present at midnight, we’d call that shallow thinking. Yet, we often apply the same flawed reasoning in deeper matters—assuming something is false merely because we haven't personally seen or experienced it.
Visibility is not proof of existence.
🧠 The Dangers of Rushed Judgement
Thevar cautions against this:
"அவ்வளவு அவசர புத்திதான் தனக்கு நேரில் தெரியாதது
அத்தனையும் இல்லை என வாதிக்க முன்வருவது."
This reflects a common human tendency: we jump to conclusions based on incomplete data. In doing so, we dismiss vast truths that simply aren’t yet visible or understandable to us.
The world is not designed for everything to be evident to everyone, all the time. Truth often hides in silence, in shadows, in patience.
👁️ Seeing the Self: A Metaphor in the Mirror
The speech also explores how our own bodies reflect this paradox of perception. You can see your hands, legs, and face—but can you see your eyes without a mirror?
Just because you can’t see your eyes directly doesn't mean they don’t exist. It means you need a mirror. Likewise, in matters of the self, soul, or the divine, we may require inner stillness, devotion, or philosophical inquiry to perceive what’s otherwise hidden.
🪞 Symbolism and Divinity: The Role of Idols
"விக்ரஹங்கள் கடவுளின் பிம்பமாக இருக்கிறது."
Thevar reminds us that idols are not the divine themselves—but symbols, mirrors through which we glimpse the ineffable. Dismissing them because they’re material is like rejecting a mirror because it’s not an eye. The representation is not the reality—but it reflects it.
🌹 Truth Must Be Experienced, Not Just Explained
In a brilliant analogy, he likens it to a rose:
- You can describe its color.
- You can name its species.
- You can say where it grows.
But when asked, "How does it smell?", your answer must be:
"Smell it yourself."
Likewise, when someone asks, “What is God like?”, the honest and humble response is:
"Feel it yourself. Experience it."
Some truths cannot be reduced to language or logic. They must be felt, lived, and realized.
🧘🏽♂️ Conclusion: A Call to Deeper Understanding
Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar’s message is timeless:
- Don’t rush to deny what you don’t yet understand.
- Recognize that the limits of your perception are not the limits of reality.
- Seek experience—not just explanation.
In an age of instant opinions and visible metrics, this is a call to step back, reflect, and embrace the unseen with humility.
"Not everything real is visible, and not everything visible is understood."
Attribution:
This blog post was inspired by a speech from Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, whose words continue to enlighten minds and elevate souls.