Do we exist because the Universe exists or does it exist
because we do? Before you deride the question for its overbearing pomposity,
consider this age old question – If there were none one to comprehend this wondrous,
complex and infinite universe, would it have mattered if it existed or not?
Science theorizes that there could be other universes where
the “environmental conditions” (such as the mass of a Hydrogen atom or the
measure of electron volt or some such other constant that leaps out at you whenever
you open a physics book) are ever so slightly different. But even that slight
difference makes life as we understand it impossible there. So the Galaxies,
the nebulae, or whatever else one may find in those universes may spin, dance
or fox-trot around till end of time without having truly existed, since no
sentient eyes falls on them, no intelligent mind wonders at the creation.
Undervaluing our
place in the Universe
So far as we can conclusively tell in this infinite
universe, it is only our planet, that life and the capacity to look up at the
night and wonder who stuck those millions of twinkling candles up in the sky,
exists. The capacity to feel inspired by beauty exists, the capacity to hold
another in an embrace of pure love exists, and the capacity to bow down head in
reverence to the enormity of creation and its creator exists.
How lightly and with how much disdain then do we take our
charge? Ceaseless fighting, Greed for material wealth and hurting the nature
which gave us all have marked human kind since the time a misfit ape decided
that it could look further if it stood on its hind legs. And unless the little Gray or Green men show
up in their saucers one fine morning, Folks, we are it. We are the finest creation of Universe as far as we know,
since only we know it is there.
In my naivety I often asked some rather childish questions:
Should life not be spent in pursuit of knowledge? Would
greed for knowledge not be more fulfilling than making money by Spot fixing. Should
the aim of birth not be to seek a personal bond and intimacy with the creator?
Would that not be a more worthy goal then trying make others follow some dogma
that I call my religion and blowing them up when they brandish their own dogma.
Most of all is it not our right to be at peace and leave others at peace as we
try to establish our relationship with this universe?
For a long time I truly believed that all that was missing
today was someone to point out to people engaged in warmongering, corruption,
or religious intolerance, the wonder that is our Cosmos, the fragility of
nature and the uniqueness of mother earth. All people needed to see was Carl
Sagan’s touching piece on the pale blue dot that our planet is or listen to the thought provoking Rabindra Sangeet –
Tahare Aaarati Kore. With proliferation
of the Internet, youtube and inspiration seemed just a click away.
But that didn’t quite work out that way, did it? No Siree.
The Greedy Gene
Actually asking us humans to give up Greed is asking us to
go against our basic instinct, the behavior encoded in our DNA. Evolution
happened through eons of hoarding, consumption and gene propagation. After all,
the theory of the survival of the fittest doesn’t have self denial, altruism or
generosity as the highly sought after virtues.
Even today, in our basic nature, we are no different from
the apes that we descended from. We are cruel, territorial, greedy, and
xenophobic. We socialize, live in groups, love our young, and communicate. We terrorize those weaker than us and run away
from those that are stronger. We do everything that an ape with a bigger brain
would do.
But exactly because of the fact we have a bigger brain, we
can’t remain apes. If we do we shall finish ourselves and perhaps with us, the
only planet where life exists. And that sure would be a shame.
That’s where a need for Spirituality and a Spiritual Evolution
comes in. Not just as means establishing a connection with the divine, but also
as a way of surviving as a species. As a mean of making sure this earth
remains.
Spiritual Evolution
as the way of Survival
Spirituality in my books is the ability to be more than what
our DNA would allow us to be. It more than just praying to God seeking boons. That,
btw, is nothing bad. Many up us do it. I too pray to my Lord Krishna constantly
and I know He listens.
Spirituality is being able to establish a connection with
the divine and thereby raise oneself to a higher plane of consciousness. Being
able to break the shackles of the instincts encoded in our Gene. As a Hindu, Spirituality is the path that leads me to Moksha. Spirituality
is not about denying anger, greed, or envy. We are humans and it is in our
nature to feel these emotions time to time. However spirituality is about being
able to keep a check on these and not let them dictate our actions. It is
strengthening our spirit so that it can win the battle with the Gene. With that
comes Spiritual Evolution, a subject that has been spoken about in great
lengths by seers including Rishi Aurobindo.
The DNA cries – Hoard, the Spirit counters - Share, the world
survives. The DNA cries – Compete, the Spirit counters – Collaborate, the world
becomes a happier place. The DNA cries – My Way, the Spirit Counters, All paths
lead to the same goal, Joto mat tato path, the world doesn’t descend to a fiery
hell of people fighting to impose their dogma.
But the question of course is will we wake up? Will we feed
our spirit to strengthen it? Important questions, since our existence as a
species depends on it. Even
acknowledging these questions is a big step towards the Spiritual Evolution,
for by that act we start thinking of the interests of entire humankind and not
just ourselves.
The first step towards believing in – Loka Samatha SukhinoBhavantu.
A Collective Leap
Spiritual Evolution can’t be something that happens to a few
individuals or even a group. It is something that has to happen to the whole
species for it to make any sense. We have had Spiritual Giants like
Ramakrishna, Chaitanya, Buddha and Vivekananda who have come unto us. We For a while the lucky people in the proximity
were raised up, but soon after they departed the world went back to its old
ways. We need something a little longer lasting to fight our DNA until
Spirituality becomes part of our DNA, like using tools have become.
What is that cosmic event that would nudge our species
towards such an evolution? Will there even be one? Or will the Spiritual
Evolution see us being replaced by a more advanced species?
I don’t think we know the answer yet, this is a play that
still has to be played out.
For my part I repose my faith fully in Lord Krishna.
