Sharing Sanjivani (Sanjivani - Life Saving Herb)

Chapter (64)How does this cycle of nature work for the universe?

(64) How does this cycle of nature work for the universe?

Lord Krishna explains Arjun that the birth as a man is the first and the last birth of all the eighty four lacs kinds of births of livings on this earth .If a person tries to get liberation from the bondage of karma and if he could find realization ,it could be the last birth on the earth and he would get salvation and if he does not try to surrender Almighty's abode, he would be in the cycle of birth and death forever. Whatever is eaten for the existence of this life on earth is considered as a 'food'.

JIVO JIVASYA BHOJANAM .Every livings has to depend on other .This 'food' is essential for the birth and growth, nourishment and life on this earth. If a creature eats up sand for his living on this earth 'sand-mitti 'is considered as his food.

There are four types of creatures who take birth from different types of 'food' (Anna) first Jarayuj; Man and animals, second Ubhdajja; plants and trees ,third Andaj;birds,snakes, reptiles, ants etc and fourth Swedaj; lices etc. But all the 'food' or eating materials is produced by water. Grass, plants and grains can be produced with water ,sand- mitti is also produced with the help of water. Our food, clothing, need water and home building and maintenances everything is depended on water and water is depended on the rain. Here Lord Krishna insists man on doing his kartavya karma yagna. By doing this karma yagna a man can ask God to give him reward and fruit of his karmaand God would give us rain. The word 'yagna' is used for hindu rituals of doing HAVAN and offering AAHUTI .Aahuti means to give back everything to God. We offer Aahuti of grain and ghee to Lord Agni-fire .This Aahuti is a symbol of offering those things which we need most for our existence to God. Just as we offer ghee and grain to Agni though we need them .When we offer our rest and comforts , luxury and selfishness in accumulating things and taking services from other and then offer everything to 'others' is considered as yagna according to Bhagavat Gita .

According to Bruhadaranyak Lord Brahma who is a creator of the universe and who has created Gods, men and devils ordered and advice everybody 'to give everything back to nature' by the word DA in devnagari fonts. But all the Gods have lots of resources of luxuries under their control and ownership, they understood the word DA in the meaning of BE KIND .a man is greedy by nature hence ,men considered the word DA as DO CHARITY while the devils are full of violence and hence they thought that the meaning of the word DA as DO torturing .It is said in Bruhadaaranyak that when the clouds even today roar with the sound of DA ,it is to remind everyone about their kartavya karma.

A nice story is told for the sense of duties. Once there was no rain for a long time .the sons of farmer thought that though the month of Aashadha -June is about to complete and no sign of rain is seen, let's do our duty and they plough the whole field. When peacock saw them ploughing fields, they too perform their duties and sings welcome songs for the clouds full of water. When clouds heard them singing the sounds reminds their duties and they started roaring and the Lord Indra, the God of rain reminded his duty and he ordered clouds to shower rain on the earth. Hence it is said that don't think about the good deeds only just do it. Don't think that it is not your duty to do this work it is somebody else duty. But if you do your duty selflessly and it is a good work for the welfare of the mankind thousands of hands would join in your task. This type of duty is known as yagna. It is said in Manusmruti that for a married woman to perform homely duties are her 'yagnopavit' her husband's service is like her service to Guru and veda adhyana and her homely work is her 'Agnihotra yagna'. If a Vaidya knowing Aayurveda serves sick people, it is a yagna for him and if a student study shastra, it is considered as a yagna for him and if a businessman serves society for the wellbeing of people, it is considered as a yagna. Hence all the karma in which a Sadhak does his karma selflessly, it becomes yagna and every yagna are related with kriya.

Poison of a snake is converted to the medicine by vaidya just like that all the vices of desire and greed, attachment and selflessness, favor and unfavor for one another, pride and ego all are like poison .When we discard this poison from our karma we would see nectar and we would be free from the bondage of birth and death .if we can do our karma selflessly for the welfare of others without nurturing any vices in our mind and determine our intellect firmly in the welfare of mankind with all our capabilities and abilities we would be able to free from the bondage of rebirth.

Our Vedas show us the path of doing all the karma Four Vedas include all the books named Smruti, Purans, Historical epics Ramayan and Mahabharat and all the religious books of the world. God has created Vedas. Vedas show us rituals of doing our duty. When we perform our duty regularly, it is considered as karma Yagna.Yagna creates rain. Rain produces food for all. Food and grains create and nurture animals and birds .Men is also included in them. This is known as cycle of nature.

Wherever a 'karmayagna' is done selflessly God stays there. When anyone wants to reach Almighty, he could reach him by his performing his duties only. The question is when Almighty is everywhere why we considered his presence only in the yagna always. Is it not possible that he could be seen anywhere else also?

Actually speaking God is everywhere but we can find him only where he could be found 24*7*366.Just as water covers most of the part of earth but we could not find it in desert. We can find water in wells and lakes, oceans and pipes of water that have holes to make it flow outside for us. When we do our karma for ourselves only ,we would be unable to keep away all the obstacles .Hence here Lord Krishna insists Arjun on doing his kartavya karma and not to avoid doing his duty as it is duty of all the varna;Brahman,Kshyatriya,Vaishya and Shudra to perform their 'destined role' according to their past deeds and find God always with them on the path of selfless duties for the welfare of others.

To live and to perform duty in harmony with nature and according to the destined role is allotted to human beings only. When a person does not perform his duties and live against the law of nature, remains busy in enjoying worldly luxuries through his senses and body would naturally live the sinful life. His living on this earth is useless. Every living on this earth creature and animals perform their roles. Trees and rivers serve everybody but they do not have sense of serving followed by pride and ego or knowledge to understand their act of charity. Only a person have senses to know religion because only a human being has been given mind to think, intellect to decide good and bad and heart to feel mercy on others. What would happen if a person does not do his kartavya and break the cycle of nature?

Let's understand from Lord Shri Krishna.