Monday, May 21, 2012

wisdom is the gift of Gods.

न देवा यष्टिमादाय रक्षन्ति पशुपालवत्
यं तु रक्षितुमिच्छन्ति बुद्ध्या संविभजन्ति तम्॥३३
श्रीमहाभारते उद्योगपर्वणि प्रजागरणपर्वणि विदुरनीत्याम् अध्यायः ३५
na devā yaṣṭimādāya rakṣanti paśupālavat
yaṁ tu rakṣitumicchanti buddhyā saṁvibhajanti tam||33
śrīmahābhārate udyogaparvaṇi prajāgaraṇaparvaṇi viduranīty

Another very important observation by Vidhura in his treatise on lifestyle management and statecraft.
"The Gods does not protect the people just like cowherds, always following the herd with club in hand to watch the cattle.  Gods, if they are pleased to lead a man in the proper path and protect him, bestow on him wisdom and discretion"

The statement is significant in many ways.  First, Gods have created the human beings with the power of discrimination between good and bad. They allow him to use the wisdom and do the proper things to protect himself.  If he uses such wisdom in the wrong way, or if he behaves like a madcap, the responsibility of bringing in ruin on himself is entirely his.
Secondly, man, who has been sent to this earth to do good, should not leave everything to the vagaries of fate.  Animals have not been endowed with the sixth sense, and if mild animals like cattle have to exist without danger, some person with superior strength should always be watching them and ward off the enemies whenever an alarm arises.  Human beings do not require and the God in scheme of things has never deemed it fit to be in physical company of man to protect him at every sign of danger.. the man is expected to use his wisdom.
Thirdly the primordial concept of God as envisaged by many is that he is the cowherd and the human beings are powerless like mere cattle and for anything and everything they have to look up to God.   But as human thought evolved, the concept of God as a benevolent guardian who looks with amusement the actions of his chosen creation and making them responsible for their actions arose.  This is the theory of Karma in its rudimentary form.  Human being who has been blessed with the power of discretion cannot blame the stars or fate for all the good and bad that happens to him.

This idea need not make man arrogant.  The ultimate control mechanism is in the hands of Gods.  Man can only act withing the powers of discretion he has been endowed with. 
But he is expected to act for the welfare of all within this sphere of freedom.

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