If you pour water on the roots of the tree the whole tree is nourished, and if you give food to the stomach the whole body is nourished. Every part of a healthy body is serving the whole body. The eyes are not just selfishly doing something; the eyes are directing the rest of the body. The hands are supplying to the rest of the body. The stomach is bringing nourishment to the rest of the body. The nose is bringing oxygen to the rest of the body. Every healthy cell of the body is serving the whole body. That is good health.
What is disease? I am not a doctor but I am speaking about disease from a philosophical perspective. Disease is when germs or cells enter body and they are selfish. They are egoistic and selfish, they are thinking about themselves. They are not thinking about the whole body.
What is a cancer cell doing? It’s living for itself. It’s eating the other cells. It’s fighting a war against the rest of the body. Then all the healthy cells, the good guys, because they are concerned with the body, they all start fighting against that disease. If you have a cold, those cold germs are like selfish guys; they are just thinking about themselves, eating you up. But you have the whole rest of the body fighting against it. And ultimately if those selfish cells become stronger and stronger, the cells that are working together for the whole body are ultimately killed and the body dies.
That’s what is happening in the world. The world is a body. Humanity is a body and a proper body is where everyone is focused on feeding the stomach, everyone is focused on serving the whole for the interest of everyone. But when you have people who are greedy, selfish and egoistic, they are like cancer cells in this body and they are creating havoc.
People consider that energy and power are very important, but actually knowledge is more important. If we apply our knowledge in utilizing the energy properly, it can serve the whole body, i.e. the world. It can be utilized in harmony with the absolute, with God. But if we utilize that same energy and power without proper knowledge of who we are and what our real purpose in life is, it could create disaster.–Radhanath Swami
21 Comments
Thanks for such a great post and the review, I am totally impressed!
This is the right way to address all our current problems in present society. Address the essence. Water the roots
Wonderfully explained with analogy we could relate to easily. Thank you 🙂
Amazing article with a wonderful analogy
Indeed if the foundations are strong, then we can ride out any storms. So it is very essential to follow the instructions of Radhanath Swami & strengthen ourselves on the basis of the scriptural injunctions.
Awesome. HH Radhanath Maharajs analogies are very relevant & thoughtful.
Another wonderful analogy by Radhanath Swami to make the concept very clear. The root of the whole universe is the Lord and if we can satisfy Him, we don’t need to try to satisfy anyone else.
Radhanath Swami out of great compassion is revealing this most confidential knowledge of how all the people of this world can be happy simply by uniting together to serve the Supreme Lord.
What an amazing analogy! Thank you Radhanath Swami for explaining such a complex concept through such a profound example.
So, I am the part of the whole body. But am I like that healthy cell serving the whole body and helping towards good health or am I like that cancer or disease creating cell which creates disorder and havoc in this body?….good for periodic introspection. Thank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
“Yatha Taror Mula Nishechanena”…
Srimad Bhagvatam says, One has to water the roots and not leaves and twigs for tree to nourish, similarly we must worship “Govindam Adi Purusham” and there is no need to do anything else…
Like we eat and feed stimach and the whole body is nourished…..
no need to feed hands and limbs separately…
What a point….
Radhanath Swami has so nicely explained how knowledge is most important. Thanks for sharing.
No need to water the branches, twigs and leaves.
Water the roots…
Feed the stomach…not the limbs…
Krishna is the root….worshio Him…our services will be appreciated…
No need to worship the representatives…
All through the channel of disciplic succession…
Very Good analogy. All glories to HH Radhanatha Svami Maharaja.
thank you mahraj, as you said first knowledge is important , then we know how to use power and energy
Very true! If all of us worked together for each other’s benefit instead of our own then the whole world can be saved and everyone can live a good life. The analogy of the world to our body and cancer cells to greedy people is superb!
Great article. Thank you Gurudev !!
Wonderful explanation.. Thank you Gurudev !!
This is the perfect co-operation principle.
Wonderful analogy given by H H Radhanath Swami. Just life we pour water to leafs and if it does not reach to roots than no use of such water as it can’t nourish the whole plant. Same we if are doing activities just for this body or material platform without real knowledge of our relation with God than it is just pouring the water to leaf. All our efforts may go to vain without any desire results. Purpose of of human life is to serve the Lord and awaken our consciousness for love for God. Because whoever realized love for God, is also become free from all contamination like lust, greed, anger etc. So we can solve all other problems if we can teach all human being about the same. So nourishing roots will nourish whole plant, similarly developing Krishna consciousness will help to solve all the other problems of society and world.