How did We Happen?-2

How did We Happen?-2

The other day, I was walking back to my hut at night and a dog was walking in front. Due to the heavy rains, all sorts of creatures had appeared out of nowhere (talk about creation). Inadvertently, the dog stepped on a snail. I sat down and flashed my light on the snail. It had turned into pulp and was crushed under the weight of its own shell. The dog kept looking at me lovingly, completely oblivious to the life it just took.

I sat there for a wee bit more and tiny insects began gathering up on the dead snail. In no time, bigger insects made way into the equation and started devouring their meal. I carried on observing and it began drizzling. Meanwhile, the struggle here between the insects continued — each wanting more. Soon, the soft showers turned into torrents and the smaller insects ran for their lives.

A few minutes later, the larger ones fled as well under the heavy rain and left in front of me was a gored snail. The dog too had taken shelter under the nearby roof. The rain stopped. I waited bit more and the insects were starting to return.

I looked at the dark sky, at the quiet mountains, at the roaring river. What a magnificent play of nature, I thought. Sunlight during the day had given birth to billions of tiny creatures and a downpour of a few minutes had wiped them off the face of earth. Countless crawl out from the womb of Mother Nature and countless merge back. Every moment. I prayed for the sentient beings and went back to my hut.

I've observed ants, insects, fish, snakes, scorpions, wolves, deer, bears, boar, baboons, monkeys and humans. There's no difference. When it comes to Nature, when it comes to the inexplicable essence I call God, there's absolutely no difference whether a dog steps on a snail or an elephant on a man. Whether a flood destroys a thousand sheep or a tsunami a thousand humans, Nature makes no distinction.

Human sense of superiority or a conceited notion of being special is merely an arrogant view. It shows a lack of understanding, it demonstrates an absence of compassion.

In the words of the celebrated Chinese thinker and philosopher, Wu-Hsin:
How many of your questions
Have been answered,
But still
You don’t have the answer?

Is it possible that
The answer isn’t
Found in more questions?

Is it possible that
The answer isn’t
Found in more concepts,
More thoughts?

Is it possible that
The answer is
Revealed in their very absence?
(Roy Melvyn, The Lost Writings of Wu Hsin.)

Somehow you believe that every question ought to have an answer. An absolute answer, at that. It's a vain and a childish view. The books of the wise ones contain no absolute answers. Why is the universe infinite? What will you say when your child asks you why was I born to you, O mother?

Om Namah Shivay