The Govardhan principle is necessary for life
By Vivek Sharma
We are so stupid. We are so wise. These qualities only relate to human beings that we are. The wise are proved stupid and the stupid wise. In each case the transformation sparks the quest to know what we don’t and that quest is a thrust for human evolution, to Krishna-hood.
Had we known everything, we would have gone off the earth surface within no time. Because, then the purpose of living would have been ‘what else to know—staying here on earth is waste of time!’
But, there are a few who know everything, but choose to know that they know it at the right time. Till then they remain as if they don’t know a bit. Life happens because of such people—those who know and know not! It is like the honeybee comb. The honey is not on the surface though the honeycomb has it all inside. Only an outside knock in time, makes it ooze honey inside out from the knock hole, which the system partners (bees) wax up in time and there is no honey out again till the next knock. This is the beautiful way the Buddhas live on the earth—they know everything, yet wait for the knock to reveal what they know!
So let’s know what Govardhan really means.
Govardhan: Great Science
Whatever the stories people have been telling you for ages about the Govardhan episode, Krishna lifting the Parvat on His pinky finger and saving the people from the wrath of the Indra.
We go through the story over and over again but fail to get into the science behind it. No problems. Let’s understand the episode today and become wise from stupid (no offence intended!).
Pinky finger represents the water element. Parvat, literally means the mass of land or time which has many divisions of measure. It simply means a piece of land which is fertile, full of trees, green pasture and a favourite place of cows, where they engage in reproductive process during their season—that means choose a land where all such factors are combined.
Go means cows and their males and that is how Govardhan, a Sanskrit term, becomes important. Cow has been the centre of economic activities in Bharat. Every aspect of a cow contributes to economic wellbeing. Cows give milk, the milk produces ghritam—Ghri means energy of the sun. So ghritam of the cow is the source of solar energy too. Both milk and ghritam are good for health and economy. If you have ghritam, you don’t require anything else—it is so full of nutritions and so is the milk fit for human consumption and is like a mother’s milk. In the times of crises, you can survive on cow milk alone. Now comes the cow dung. It is used for making homes and produce fire. The fire is required to cook food and get warmth. You need it . Without food and shelter you cannot survive. Gaumritam (gau mootra) is a strong disinfectant. It is like a phenil you use nowadays, in fact much more powerful than it. You know how important it is to keep your home and colony clean and free from bacteria and viruses. You can also use male cows to plough the field, carry luggage and run oil mills….the core of being atmanirbhar. These are small activities which are the centre of human existence.
So when there is a calamity, like ativrishti (excessive rain) or anavrishti (no rain, no grain), you can very well depend on the cows and sustain your economy and preserve life. Krishna’s Govardhan fete is a great revealer. He is keeping aloft a piece of land (loved by cowherd and villagers) on His pinky finger and saving the people from excessive rain and its dangerous fallout—-death, disease and destruction, both economic and personal. But, how? Krishna is telling the humanity that you can use the water force by channelising it the right way. How? water always flows from a higher level to the lower level. The message is clear—keep your living and activity areas above the normal level of the ground. How? Parva-vat, as the mountains run from peaks to valleys but they remain in continuity with each other. Therefore, the science to keep the valleys connected with the peaks. This is the natural way to channelise rain water. It will course down from the higher level to the lower level in the form of a stream. The stream course should end in a huge collection area. You can store water and use it for irrigation and drinking. If you visit Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and even down south, you will find this being followed to some extent by villagers. Every human settlement had huge rainwater collection centres with different channels—they either fed the existing rivers or irrigating canals. In all these arrangements, we are naturally using the water element to lift up our economies.
Two factors are important for the Govardhan principle to work perfectly and save life during natural calamities, even during a nuclear holocaust.
- Respect cows, make them the centre of human activity and build development around it. Because, cow is the centre of harmonic economic activity and a healthy lifestyle. Cow milk is like mother’s milk. Cow dung has qualities to ban bacteria and nuclear radiations, modern science has proved it all. Cow urine is a great purifier outside and inside.
- Use rain water by understanding its force dynamics fully. Water is the basic element required for life. And hence Krishna is shown lifting up Govardhan (a healthy centre of economy and lifestyle) on His pinky finger. The pinky finger represents the water element.
Why these diseases?
Now, I draw your attention to some basic health issues faced by the people today. Kidney problem, blood impurities, hormonal disbalance, drying up of eye, brain and ear fluids, loss of interest in life (can call it clinical depression)….All these happen due to suppression of the water element in and outside human settlements. Through water element alone can you revive yourself. Drinking more water is no option. Respecting water systems, water bodies and wisely using rain water for overall benefit can help us. Whatever is happening outside on the planet is happening within us. We are suffering from diseases caused by water impurities and deficiencies. Hormonal problems, kidney, stones, urination problems, all finally relate to the water flow in our bodies, which only represents what is happening outside. Therefore, the message of Govardhan is how you can lift your economy and life by intensifying activities in cow culture development and water channelisation on the planet.
Don’t you still get it? Excessive rain is no curse. It is an opportunity to channelise excessive water for over all development. Nature is not stupid. But, we are. Admit it and try to know how to convert an excess or shortage in Nature by following Her simple life-giving principles.