Ayurveda preaches and aims for holistic health in its offerings to the world. It proclaims that bodily health alone is not enough. We also need psychological satisfaction, along with social health in the form of many friends, some fame, success and finally, contentment at the level of the atma. These are all essential pillars of our overall health.
With this aim in mind, it is our prime duty to protect our Praanic force, or life force, at all times. The Vedas hold the key to the understanding of Praan, which sustains all living beings. But it is difficult for the common man to grasp the knowledge encoded into the Vedas. The Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta, the song narrated by Shri Krishna to Arjuna, in the midst of the battlefield, is the essence of the Vedas and Upanishads, and thus, helps us understand the basis of life and life force.
In praise of the Shrimad BHagawad Geeta, it is written…
‘Sarvo-upanishad gaawo dogdhaa Gopaala-nandanaha’
Meaning: The Vedas and Upanishads are like a cow, and the cowherd, Gopal Nandana (Shri Krishna) brings us the nectar-milk (the essence and crux) from that cow of knowledge.
Now, given that it is a manual of life itself, it abounds in counsel to remain fit and healthy, and it is interesting to learn what the Geeta says on this topic. Shri Krishna tells us how the energy cycle of the whole universe works.
Annad bhavanti bhootaani parjanyaat annasambhavaha|
Yadnyaat bhavati parjanyo yadnya karmasamudbhavaha||
Here, it is explained that all the living beings arise from food. Food arises from rainfall, rainfall comes from yadnya (the process of transformation of energy by fire), and yadnya arises from (authorized) karma. In the next verse, Shri Krishna says that Karma comes from Veda. Veda has arisen from the indestructible Brahma or Source. This Brahma is all-pervading and is present as principle in all of the above. This great yadnya goes on constantly.
There is a food-energy cycle in nature which is how we get our energy too. The Sun God offers his energy through the medium of food to all living beings. There would be no life on earth without the energy given by the Sun. We have learnt to collect and store energy to some extent in our bodies. This is easy to understand with the example of a battery. The energy is stored in the battery for a limited period of time and can be tapped and used as per need. Once exhausted, the battery needs to be re-charged over and over again. We need to recharge our system with food-energy at regular intervals every day. Trees and plants keep on collecting and storing energy and get re-charged and in turn provide us the energy in the form of fruits, leaves, seeds and grain etc. along with medicines that help to treat diseases and keep us healthy. Thus, the Geeta shows what is the cycle of energy, and how to maintain it.
The Geeta also talks about revering the trees and nature. Taking care of the lungs of the planet earth, the rich forests abounding in diverse fauna and flora, honouring and worshipping the Sun, all these are an integral part of holistic health. In this manner the Geeta helps us imbibe the quality of sustainability and eco-friendly behaviour to live in parallel, and in tune with Nature. When our entire lifestyle is enriched with this attitude, we will also find fulfilment at the emotional, intellectual and spiritual level.
While living in sync with Nature, we need to keep in mind two very important doctrines given by the Geeta that help us achieve the aim of complete health. The words are ‘nirantar’ and ‘tattvataha’.
In our attempts to get healthy, many of us, join a gym, but quit in four days. We start to fast to increase health and devotion, but give up after a couple of tries. We begin a strict diet, bt it hardly lasts. We take rasayans for a days in winter and then forget about it. Many of us do these things. Starting and quitting things so often will give us no benefits. We need to become ‘Nirantar’ (without break) in our practice i.e. practice every day is a must for an experience of holistic health. Nirantar means to practice or live a philosophy with discipline and sincerity.
‘Tattvataha’ means to understand the underlying principle or philosophy, not just the word by word meaning. Not everything can be proven by material and logic. Even modern science now sees, with the advent of quantum physics, that what we know and understand materially is but the tip of the iceberg. It is proven beyond doubt that there is a lot more going on than what the eye can see. The core essence of all life, i.e. pranic energy is beyond the understanding and scope of science today. We must try to perceive things with experience beyond the senses, by looking at the principles behind them – ‘Tattvataha’.
A repeated enquiry and search that is ‘nirantar’ and ‘tattvataha’, to understand the universal principles of life, while also taking care of Nature we must seek to perceive the eternal truth. This will give us the holistic health and satisfaction that we so ardently seek.
December 3, 2022 is Geeta Jayanti. Let us honour this great manual of life, heath, prosperity, satisfaction and unification with Shri Krishna, and try and follow His message in our everyday lives.
Shatshaha Pranam