Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Mahraj
This entire creation has been made by God. Every living creature whether mammal or insect is part of His handiwork. Although the lives of the tiniest forms of creation seem insignificant to us, there is a definite divine purpose for every form of life.
Each life form is animated by a soul. Every being in creation is travelling on a journey back to God, the source from where it came. In this voyage, souls are moving from one life to another, aspiring to receive the human form. The human body is considered the highest in all creation. It is the only one which has the faculty to rise above this physical world and return to God. We are most fortunate that we have received a human birth. It is our golden opportunity to realize God. If we miss this chance to realize the Lord in this lifetime, who knows when we will receive the human birth again. We will again have to pass through the cycle known as the wheel of transmigration, or the wheel of 8.4 million species of life.
While endowed with the human body we have two responsibilities. One is to our own self. We should take advantage of this priceless gift and utilize our life for knowing our self and realizing God. Second, we should also be of service to God’s creation. We need to realize that the souls embodied in the various species are all passing through tremendous suffering. The lower species of life reside in bodies in which their only concern is survival. The purpose of their lives is to eat, protect themselves, and reproduce. They lack the faculty to know themselves and to realize God. We need to have compassion for all forms of life. They have enough suffering already; we do not need to add any more pain.
There are several reasons why those following the spiritual path need to cultivate non-violence. One reason revolves around the law of karma. This law states that for every action there is a reaction. As we sow, we must also reap. Whatever we do is credited or debited to our karmic account. If we cause injury to any living creature, we must pay for that deed in kind. Most people live in ignorance of this law. They harm others without being aware of the consequences. Although there are courts of law by which certain crimes are tried, many crimes seemingly go unpunished. We may think we have escaped punishment, but sooner or later we must pay for our deeds, whether it is in this life or the next. The karmic law is inexorable. Those following the spiritual path refrain from any violent acts. If we want to reduce our karmic debt so that we can return to God, we must develop nonviolence.
Another reason for developing nonviolence is based on the fact that violence to other forms of life is interfering with God’s creation. How can we expect God to grant us entry to the spiritual regions if we mistreat His children? We may consider the lower forms of life insignificant. We may think insects are repulsive and reptiles useless. But for some reason known to Him, God created each life form. To Him, all are His children. What is more, the outer form is but a shell or casing for the soul within. And that soul is a part of God. If we can feel so much love for our children, how much more love must God feel who has created the entire universe? Imagine His pain to see His most intelligent life forms, His most noble creatures, human beings, injuring His less endowed children? We who are the highest in all creation should be the most spiritual and noble of His creatures. It is incumbent on us to live up to the highest ideals for which He created us, and protect and help the lower life forms. It is for this reason that those on the spiritual path advocate a vegetarian diet. God has granted humanity enough growing plants as food. We need not kill animals, birds, and fish for our sustenance. If we wish to reunite our souls with God, we must keep ourselves pure. We must develop love for all creation. We can not say we love God, if we do not love His children.
We should try to extend to all humanity and all creation the same feelings of love that we have for our near and dear ones. We should realize that within each beating heart is a soul, and that soul is no different from ours. All souls are a part of God. All souls are connected by a deep bond. The soul in us is the same soul that is in all other forms of life. We should see that no injury is done to any soul, for when a part is damaged, the entire system is affected.
If we can cultivate nonviolence in our daily lives we will find that God is pleased with us and sheds more and more of His grace. We will become an abode of peace and tranquillity for those around us. We will be helping God by becoming a conscious co-worker in His divine plan. We will be helping him relieve the sufferings of His children. Our progress will be accelerated and all other virtues will be added unto us.
If each of us could attain this cherished goal, this planet would enter a Golden Age in which there would be no wars or conflicts. There would be no more bloodshed and suffering. We would have a world in which there were peaceful solutions to problems and conflicts. Let this verse of one of the greatest Urdu poets of past century, Sant Darshan Singh, find its fulfillment:
From dawn to dusk, let us speak of peace and listen to the message of love,
The shower-laden clouds of Sawan have enveloped the tavern of time,
O Cupbearer, let the cup of love go ’round and ’round and ’round.
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