The Tree of Life, also known as ‘Kalpa Tree’, is dying. Its leaves have almost dried and are infected by diseases. They have lost colour and changed shape. The Tree is bearing fruits of misfortune and has grown thorns of grief. Is it the same Tree of Life that once had lush green leaves, colourful flowers and was laden with sweet and juicy fruits of joy and fortune for all?
Let’s take a closer look. The tree has become completely hollow from inside… the same way as wood is eaten up by termites. Only the form and outer bark remain. Inner content is finished. Inner contentment has gone. Powerless Powers The plight of all the four categories of inheritors of fortune from the Tree has become miserable. These are the Rulers, the Religious Heads, the Worshippers and the People.
All of them once naturally possessed their respective powers, which have been lost today. The Rulers: The ruling class no longer has the power to rule. It has given up the sanskars of royalty and consequently, lost the loyalty of the subjects. Loyalty flows from royalty, which means, in essence, the quality of sterling character. The rulers of today are not sovereign. The name is ‘ruler’ but inside, leg pulling and chair pulling goes on all the time.
The fire of jealousy keeps on burning continuously. What to speak of getting any joy or happiness from rulers, they themselves do not have even a single minute of peace and rest. Even the ordinary fortune of good sleep is not there. Sleep is nature’s way of providing rest and relief from tiredness and also giving relaxation by merging of thoughts. They are deprived of even this natural fortune. In other words, they are rulers no doubt but without any fortune.
There is neither the fortune of power to rule nor of deriving any pleasure out of such rule. They sit on the seat of power haunted constantly by the ghosts of fear. The Religious Heads: A few tender fresh leaves do keep emerging on the tree, but very soon, ego enters the scene. The sparrows of pride, name and fame, and accepting praise start eating them. In many cases, the name is religion but inside, the insect of unrighteous activity has made them hollow.
Deeply sunk in all sorts of worldly intoxication’s, they have become unconscious of the true consciousness that is religion. There is great outward pomp and show, but inside, desires and attachments have taken the place of renunciation and ‘tapasya’ (penance). Some are busy in the game of showing off their ‘siddhis’ (attainments) by performing illusory miracles. Many of them have become oblivious of their religious duties and are bargaining for high rewards if certain wishes of their followers are fulfilled.
The Worshippers: The eyes of worshippers are blindfolded owing to blind faith. Yet they are hoping to reach the destination. From whichever direction any sound comes they start moving towards that. Uncomfortably though, because of being blindfolded. Inside, they are experiencing uneasiness and worry. Whenever they hear that someone is granting quick boons or performing miracles, they rush to them.
They are so engrossed in playing with dolls, owing to blind faith, that if someone tries to give them the Godly message about their true identity and abode, it falls on deaf ears. The power that they had as worshippers came from a relationship of deep and selfless love for God. Now, they have become selfish. They keep on begging. Asking for peace, happiness, more money, long life for their relatives and so on. Give me this and give me that is the content of their prayers.
So, the power they gained by pure, loveful worship has disappeared. The People: The people are sitting on the pyre of worries. They appear to be eating, moving about, doing all activity normally. Inside, there is a constant thought of fear that the pyre may ignite any time. In their thoughts they see the scenes, like in a dream, that at any moment they may get into some trap or the other – trouble with the authorities, suffering from natural calamities, raped and looted by criminals – such dreamlike scenes keep on emerging in their thoughts.
The pyre of worries on which they are sitting has made them restless, harassed and tense. They do not see any way to escape and save themselves. If on one side there is the risk of burning in fire, on the other, there is the danger of drowning in water. So, they are living under the shadow of fear, worries and tensions surrounding them on all sides.
What a Fall!
Man is the most superior of all species. There was a time when he was divine. God had created him in His own image. The original creation of God, the Supreme Creator, the seed of the Tree, could be nothing else but divine. A mention of that pristine creation is found in scriptures of almost all major religions. In the course of time, that original state of divinity was lost as lust, ego and other vices entered his mind.
He sought it back through worship and prayer but that did not happen. On the contrary, the hold of vices gradually became more strong. Then came a time when he coined the phrase ‘man is an animal’ and proceeded to shed his human qualities and values. Presently, he has become worse than an animal, in the moral and spiritual sense of the term.
What a Fall!
Worthless Life By losing human values, man has made himself worthless and perhaps the cheapest thing in the world. Divinity and humanity in man has become the most precious rarity. It is conspicuous by its absence.
Let’s be frank. Has man not become a soul-less creature today? Is he not devoid of the fragrance of human virtues, like a plastic flower? Has he not become a living corpse possessed by the ghosts of lust and anger, greed and ego? Pulled by sensual pleasures and pushed from one momentary attraction to another, all the time? Need any proof? No stability, no security, no higher aim of life. Running after the mirage of name and fame. Shadowed by anxiety and haunted by fear. Burning continuously in the hell-fire of jealousy and hatred. Seeking escape in vulgar consumerism which is self-deception.
The hangover of every such indulgence only increases his miserable plight. The heart weeps. The conscience cries: This is not the right course. Hope for Future The question that occupies every mind is: Is there any hope for the future? The answer is: Yes. There is a silver lining. The cosmos is eternal. And it is the law of eternity that everything follows a cyclic pattern. It cannot be otherwise. The tree emerges from its seed and after it has fully grown and before it dies, the seed reappears so that a new tree can come into existence. This happens always.
The same holds good for the Human Tree. The present Tree of Life has decayed. Today’s sordid state of affairs cannot continue for long. It has to finish. It’s now time for its rejuvenation, for recreating the original man, who will be virtuous and divine. The Supreme Seed has already begun this Divine Task of Recreation.
Source: https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/the-dying-tree-of-life
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The views and nutritional advice expressed are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.
