One path or many paths?

[Anand Hudli]

  >Yet we find the idea of multiple paths being proclaimed by many.
  >I also find it difficult to understand the Shruthi vakyam Ekam Sat Vipro
  >Bahudha Vadanti.

   "ekaM sadvipraa bahudhaa vadanti" does not assert that there are
    multiple paths to Sat or Reality. Rather it says  that the sages call
    the one Reality by different _names_. This becomes clear if you look at
    the context of the mantra from the Rg Veda:

     indraM mitraM varuNamagnimaahuratho divyaH sa suparNo garutmaan.h |
     ekaM sadvipraa bahudhaa vadantyagniM yamaM maatarishvaanamaahuH ||

     Sages speak of the one Reality in different ways; they call It Indra,
     Mitra, Varuna, Agni, the heavenly bird Garutman, Yama, and Matarishvan
     (wind).


   Anand