Life flows when Rivers do

The 5 natural elements - Panch Tatva of Earth(Prithvi), Water(Jal), Air(Vaayu), Fire(Agni) and Sky(Aakash) constitute the entire Universe. Everything, including bodies of all living beings emerges from Panch Tatva and will merge back once their worldly time is over. This infinite equilibrium of nature manifests itself in physical forms which we experience through our senses & consciousness.

In 1580, Frenchman Bernard Palissy theorized that atmospheric water cycle is a closed system, meaning water neither leaves nor enters Earth. He observed presence of fresh-water wells in islands and inferred that there must be some way (rain or underground) through which fresh water reaches the islands despite being surrounded by salty ocean on all sides.

His work became the foundation of new age water cycle, finalized in 19th Century. It was understood that Rivers (Jal) originate from ice-capped Mountains (few rivers originate from ground water), course the Earth (Prithvi) and reach the Sea. Some water from rivers and oceans is evaporated by Sun’s heat (Agni), forms clouds in Sky (Aakash) that traverse through Winds (Vaayu) and finally drops as rain to perpetually feed the rivers & ground water on Earth back. Snow, rivers, clouds, sea & underground water are all forms of same water.

“All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea?is?not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again. “

Ecclesiastes 1:7, Bible KJV

Thus, all life ever originated on Earth exists within the confines of this equilibrium of Panch Tatvas. The role of Prithvi, Jal, Vaayu, Agni and Aakash is vital in this life sustaining water circulation.

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In the late 19th Century, French Chemist Henry-Louis Le Chatelier propounded a general principle about equilibrium in systems - if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the position of equilibrium shifts to counteract the change to re-establish the equilibrium.

Hence, when or if the factors constituting a dynamic equilibrium are disturbed by external conditions, the forward & backward forces operating within that equilibrium shift in the opposite direction to offset the change till a new equilibrium is reached.

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This is exactly the situation of Earth today. In mindless harnessing of natural resources, exponential human interference has caused obstruction in the normal forward reaction, i.e. flow of water from mountains to sea and backward reaction, i.e. precipitation back to earth. The fine point of balance that supports life in this equilibrium is disturbed and result is climate change unfavourable to human life.

The key to restoring climate conditions favourable to (human) life does not require billions. The answer is simple and highly intuitive. Shrimadbhagwad Gita and Atharvaveda, elucidate the single most important ingredient of this incredible equation of nature’s equilibrium.

The free flow of Rivers.

In Vedic culture, Yagya is a ritual performed in front of a sacred fire, with selfless devotion to God, or the Supreme Power. There are 3 components to Yagya : Havishya (i.e. the offering or sacrifice; also called Aahuti), Kriya (the action of offering Havishya to fire) and Mantra (chanting the prayers alongside).

Shrimadbhagwad Gita, Adhyaay (Chapter) 3 Shloka 10 -

???????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?????????? ???? ??????????????? ?????????????????????3.10??

i.e., in the beginning of Creation, Prajapati Brahma created his Subjects (God / Dev and Humans) and assigned them their duties. Brahma said, “By these Yagyas (or sacrifices), you will multiply, grow & thrive. This Yagya will be beneficial to you and bring you objects of your desire.”

Now, the question comes, what is this Yagya that Prajapati Brahma is talking about?

??The answer is found in Atharvaveda Kaand (Chapter) 19, 1st Sookta :

???? ???????? ????? ?? ????? ?? ???????? ? ???????? ??????? ???? ??????????? ????? ?????? ???

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For Prajapati Brahma’s Yagya to continue, nature must flow. First, the Rivers on this Earth should flow in their natural course. In the rivers, fishes be able to swim freely. In the skies above the rivers, birds be able to fly, and wind be able to flow freely. Only then, Prajapati Brahma’s Yagya will be successful, and the world will thrive. The rivers, birds, fish, and wind are the offerings, and their continuous flow is the action of this Yagya.

The burbling, murmuring, whooshing sounds of a river and free wind is the voice with which Brahma is doing the Yagya (Mantra).

2nd Mantra :

??? ???? ?????????? ????????? ??? ???????? ??????? ???? ??????????? ????? ?????? ? ???

Prajapati Brahma urges the gods and mankind alike to support & safeguard this life generating Yagya with devotion.

When we owe our life to the Creator, it is our duty to ensure that Brahma’s Yagya continues interrupted. Our conscious intelligence and purposeful actions are required for this work.

?3rd Mantra :

???????? ?????? ????????? ??? ????? ? ???????? ?????? ??????? ????????? ??????????? ????? ?????? ???

During her journey from snow-capped mountains to the seas, the river morphs into multiple forms. ?She confluences with tributaries and splits into streams, feeds the ponds and the Earth. The free, uninterrupted, naturally divine flow of river is the Yagya of Prajapati Brahma. Our life is the fruit of this Yagya.

?Through the above Mantras, 2 key directives emerge :

1.???? The river must flow without obstruction, the fish must swim without interruption, and there should be space for wind and birds to fly alongside! The repetition of letters ???? ???????? reiterate this.

2.???? We must accept the different forms of the river, and embrace all of them whole heartedly. A small pond is as significant as a mighty river.

The way to maintain Brahma’s Yagya is to ensure that every step of water cycle is completed, without obstruction. Only the water of such a river, which flows from her original source (mountains / lakes / etc) to the sea, runs her course without interruption and finally culminates into the sea, is beneficial for life. During her run, the springs and waterfalls, tributaries and streams, ponds and lakes that originate from a healthy, free flowing river bring prosperity and vitality to mankind.

In a thriving hydro cycle, water from all 3 sources – from rains, rivers and the ground are all salient for good health and carry immense medicinal properties. Even a thin stream of water dug out with difficulty in a barren desert will be laden with enriching minerals and add on to the health as long as the equilibrium is maintained.

On the other hand, if this flow is interrupted, then all the impact of this water turns negative. The same water will turn hazardous and poisonous. The flow of wind (Vaayu) also gets hindered with stopping of water, causing disturbances in the atmosphere and ultimately leading to destruction of life everywhere. The flight of birds and swim of fishes also gets interrupted.

The hazards can be different in forms – cloud bursts, droughts or even contamination. The medicinal properties of water turn opposite when interrupted, and water whose journey has been obstructed will only increase the sickness, and not bring health.

The list of Shlokas goes on. The messaging stays the same.

Our Rivers must flow, without obstruction.

Examples of Le Chatelier’s equilibrium being disturbed are everywhere. In Himalayas for example, hundreds of hydroelectric power projects have been constructed in Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in last 2 decades. Every major power project begins with a large lake, forcefully cordoning water within the confines of mountains acting as walls. These newly created massive water bodies disturb the original natural equilibrium, changing the local microclimate which results in frequent cloud bursts & consequent flash floods. The porous mountains become a recurrent site for landslides. In last 3 months alone, we have seen massive destructions of all kinds of life in these 2 States alone. The terrible tragedy last week in Sikkim is only the tip of the iceberg.

In our seemingly altruistic intention of economic development, this seemingly harmless idea of generating unlimited hydroelectricity from river systems is a major interruption and obstacles to the flow of rivers, and by extension to the Divine Yagya of Brahma. Atharvaveda has given us more than enough warnings of what will happen when this worship is interrupted, and we are already seeing many of those unfolding today. ?

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The same water of rains, the reason of our origin, growth, prosperity, and happiness, turns deadly. Regular, slow rainfall is replaced by frequent cloud bursts. Homes turn into debris. Life turns into death. For humans & animals on the ground and fishes in the water.

Nature only wants one thing, to be herself.? Brahma, the creator of life only wants his Yagya to be continued, so that we, His Children, live and thrive.