Corona has come to us with a message. That message is enshrined in the word itself. In the Hindi language ‘Corona’ (Karo Na) means “Do something”. It seems as if Nature is beaming out a signal that the way forward for us towards health wealth and happiness is simply to do something. Prakriti or Nature is saying, Do something for the suffocated air, do something for the choking waters, do something for the polluted earth, do something for the fractured ether, do something to ignite the fire.
It feels as if benevolent Nature has forcibly thrust rest and recuperation on us. Perhaps we needed it, for who else but Mother Nature who created us, would know what we need most. This is a time for rest, recuperation, re-energising and re-charging for all of Nature’s creation. That includes all of us as well.
In these few days when no cars hit the road, no Metros and trains run, no aeroplanes take off, no factories spew out toxic waste, no humans spill garbage and waste on the streets, we have seen the earth, water, fire, air and ether smile again. Life is much larger than we perceive it. If the earth is sick we get sick, if the earth is healthy we will be healthy. That’s how deeply we are inter-connected.
So this world-wide holiday at home which Nature has granted us out of the blue is for us to recharge. We always feel happy when there is a holiday and wait with eagerness for our holidays. Well now you have one. Make it a memorable one. To make it remembrance worthy you must not forget the message “Do something”. Things will get better, but meanwhile, Do Something.
Do something for the needy, the hungry, do something for the ailing and sick, do something for the destitute, who have no home. Do something to lend a helping hand. Do something to be useful to another. Do something to bring hope, happiness and a smile to someone’s face. Do something to Serve another! Do something to Love another! Do something to Give another!
That is the message as well as the lesson that Corona (kuch to karona) is signaling out to us. You have got to do something. We have to start living not only for ourselves but for the rest of creation too. In that lies our progress and forward movement or evolution, otherwise we can face dis-integration, destruction and perhaps dis-appearance.
The need of the hour is to pay heed to the lesson that Nature is trying to tell us. Each one of us has to feel responsible for this. It is upto each individual to awaken and rise to the occasion and join in this universal movement of Serve Love and Give. We should not just expect others to do it and watch from the sidelines. In whatever small manner we can we should endeavor to be a part of this opportunity that has been thrown our way.
What you will do will be your offering to Mother Nature. It will be your thank-you and act of gratitude to Mother Nature who serves us selflessly throughout our lives. A ninety three year old Italian man who recovered from Corona was given a bill for his treatment when he was being wheeled out. It brought tears to his eyes. On seeing him cry the health worker became concerned and enquired if there was any problem. The old man said , I just felt choked with the emotion of gratitude to Mother Nature. For three weeks here in the hospital on ventilator air I am paying five thousand dollars and for ninety three years of my life I was breathing air free of cost, I never payed a single dollar. The time to pay is here and we can do that by caring for one another.
The sentiment of gratitude is most important for us at this time. The moment you feel gratitude for everything you had begun to take for granted, you will feel calm and peace. The fear will vanish and you will feel re-charged. Be grateful. Make a list of things that you have to be grateful for. Read it twice a day, once when you wake up and before you go to sleep. Keep adding to it.
Soon you will have a new level of perception about yourself and the world and people around you. You will begin to feel more in tune with yourself, more hopeful, positive and inspired. In loving others you are purified and in giving to others you receive in abundance. Swami Satyananda said, “Feed man and God will be fed”. Param Gurudev Swami Sivananda said, “Feed the hungry and God will feed you”. At this time one of the most useful seva that can be offered is “annadaan” or giving of food to the hungry. Even the sastras regard annadaan as one of the most sanctifying form of daan by which both the giver and receiver is benefitted.
Alongwith the lesson to do something there is another lesson enshrined in the word Corona and that is the attitude with which one should do something. If you pronounce Corona the Indian way you end up saying Karuna. This Sanskrit word which means compassion beautifully sums up the message from Mother Nature which is “do something but do it with love born out compassion.”
It was the immense karuna or empathy that arose in Paramahansaji”s heart and soul, or atman, which connected him to others. Although he never met anyone and was the original social distancer, he could feel the difficulties and suffering of others. That is known as the state of Atmabhava, which he embodied at Rikhia.
Here at Rikiapeeth service to those who need it most, who have nothing, no facilities at all, just a pathetic hand to mouth existence, has been the focus. The foundation of this service is Love. It is an act of giving, love, joy and happiness to another. It is to lessen the suffering of another. The spirit of service offered at Rikhiapeeth is born out of Love and Love is the substratum on which the service rests. It is not done as an act of charity, out of pity. Nor, is it done with any expectation of gain. It is purely nishkaam or selfless seva.
Rikhiapeeth has always been commited to the service of the neighbours of Sri Swamiji. And now at this time when all are in great distress, Rikhiapeeth has initiated the “Karuna project” through which thousands of families extending even beyond our neighbourhood will be served. You can say that Paramahansaji”s family is becoming bigger and bigger.
So take a sankalpa to do something out of the compassion and love that arises from your heart and soul. Unite with Mother Nature in this great task of healing and restoration that is taking place right before our very eyes through the mandate given by Sri Swami Satyananda of Serve Love and Give. For it is through serving, loving and giving that we can purify, meditate and realize.
Seva Karo na. Love Karo na. Give Karo na.
