As we sink back to our routined lives, let this pandemic be remembered as a ‘Nature’s Envoy’ who brought us together.
Ever since the advent of the novel Corona Virus, the entire human race has taken itself onto some guilt trip. They are even picking on each other, the government, urbanization or the civilization for that matter. The blame game is on- but who is it to be blamed here? The people who acted foolish and irresponsible and fueled it to spread like a fire? The government who did not take enough measures to control the virus or steps for remediation? The urbanization that made us encroach nature against its will? Or the civilization that lost the civic values trying to make pace with the rat race. The list of the culprits can be even longer. But do you agree that all these aspects summed up gruesomely to encourage COVID-19? Are we responsible for digging up our own graves, and savagely so, that we did not even leave space for it.
The lockdown curtailed all the human activities and jailed us on account of some airborne disease. Ironically, the air has become relatively breathable since the humans took break from their lives. Harsh….right? At least the air is relieved from the air pollutants that our vehicles and factories emitted! It’s true that it took a deadly virus to stop us and restrict our obstinate desires. Remember your environmental science book in high school that read ‘We have not inherited this earth from our fore fathers; we have borrowed it from our children’. Sinfully we have already messed up with all that we owed to them. Knowingly or unknowingly we have confined their childhood to the enclosed walls and apartments. The windows of which only let them peep into the mysterious world, calling out and teasing them. The kids that came into the world right before COVID-19, might have not even seen the parks, schools, neighborhood let alone shaking hands and making friends. Our doings to the Mother Nature is depriving our generation next from the basic resources required for survival. Air, water, land- humans have polluted everything to satiate their ego and greed.
There is a verse of Bhagvad Gita
प्रकृते: क्रियमाणानि गुणै: कर्माणिसर्वश:
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते
In this Lord Krishna says, that all the activities of the world are not directed by us. They are perfomed by the Gunas of Prakriti or Mother Nature. However, a person confused with egoism will always believe ‘I am the doer’.
Here, the ignorant human being who created the social structures, technology, buildings, bridges automobiles, and industries began to think itself as a doer. Hence, the intervention of Mother Nature was required, to restate her powers and supremacy. Consequently, the COVID has affected the lives of millions today, beyond the boundaries and the structures that the man created. Regardless of caste, creed and culture the contagion is engulfing world today. The factories, transportation, construction, everything is badly struck by the global shut-down.
The philosophy of Karma in its simplest form states that ‘every action causes an equal opposite reaction’. Apparently, what the human started as the fight for survival has become his fight for breath. Now is the time when we need to reflect on our Karmas. Our conveniences and comforts are temporary and so is this life. The best thing about time is that it never remains the same. It has passed and will always pass. We will overcome all the problems that COVID-19 brought on us. Let us now ponder on the things we went wrong with. Let us try to make ourselves the better and responsible inhabitants of Earth. If we survive this pandemic, remember a second life has been bestowed upon us to make this world a better place to live in. Promise yourself that you will never take this life for granted. This virus will leave soon, but should leave us all shaken, to make us awake and teach the lesson of peace, unity, kindness and tolerance.
Besides realization, the other good thing that came out of COVID-19 is our spirits of ‘Vasudhev Kutumbakam’ which means ‘The world is one family’. We hope, as species, citizens, neighbors, friends and family we will never forget the contribution of those who stood for us, despite the tough times. Let us be grateful to the countries and people who united to fight this undeclared war to save each other’s lives. We indeed are a family! The Corona must die, but the flame of solidarity must be kept alive!
Seema Solanki (Kanak) comes from a tourism background. She is an Art and Culture enthusiast and holds working experience in most of the sectors in Tourism, and is currently working as a Manager at the Palace Atelier, The City Palace of Jaipur.
