Why we suffer? What Vedas say about calamities like coronavirus? Was there any period in the history of mankind when there was no suffering. Let us try to reflect on these topics.
If we turn the pages of history we would find that we the living beings have been suffering in this world since the time Brahma created this universe. At present we are devastated by the deadly coronavirus which has killed thousands of people all over the world and have brought billions of people to their knees.
The world has always been ravaged by severe calamities and wars which have killed millions of people.
- The plague in India (1896 to 1939) resulted in the death of 12 million people.
- Spanish Flu took 12 million lives in only 3 months in 1918 in India.
- Influenza affected a third of the world’s population and claimed between 50 and 100 million lives.
- In USA, the most developed country of the world, on an average 27,000 to 70,000 people die because of the common Flu every year.
- In World War 1 around 37 million people died.
- In World War 2 around 60 – 70 million people died.
This history is just of 100 years. And more over whether there is pandemic or no pandemic people continue to die every day.
Our forefathers faced almost the same problems which we are facing now. Our suffering is not new. Hopefully in few months there will be medicine or vaccination available for the virus. The scientist who will discover the medicine will most probably get a Nobel Prize, we will pat on our back saying that we have won a war against the material nature.
And we will start living again as if nothing had happened till the time some other calamity in some other form will strike us.
Lord Krishna without any ambiguity says that this world is full of miseries – duhkhalayam asasvatam (B.G. 8 .15). He does not give any false hope.
It means that coronavirus or any other calamity will continue to inflict unlimited suffering upon us as long as we remain in this ephemeral material world.
Brahma looking at the unfortunate condition of the living beings tells to Lord Vishnu, “O great actor, my Lord, all these poor creatures are constantly perplexed by hunger, thirst, severe cold, secretion and bile, attacked by coughing winter, blasting summer, rains and many other disturbing elements, and overwhelmed by strong sex urges and indefatigable anger. I take pity on them, and I am very much aggrieved for them.”
The scriptures tell about the three types of miseries which always afflict us.
The only solution as per the wise sages and sacred Vedas is to take shelter of the Supreme Lord who can provide us all protection from all the sufferings. He can even take us back to the spiritual world which is free from all diseases, where there is no calamity and where there is no death.
Brahma explains the great fortune of those who surrender to Lord Krishna, “For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord… the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their goal is param padam, Vaikuntha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.” Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.58
The Supreme Lord is always present in his holy names like the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and in the deity form. He personally comes in this material world in various incarnations as Lord Krishna, as Lord Rama, as Lord Chaitanya to invite us back to the blissful spiritual world.
And as Lord Jagannath, Lord Krishna even comes out of the temple during Rath Yatra. He goes on the street showering his blessings upon everyone even upon those who are not interested in devotional life.
And if anyone participate enthusiastically and welcome the Lord during the Rath Yatra festival then he quickly destroys the vast ocean of sins which is causing unlimited suffering.
Vedas say that as long as we remain addicted to this material world we will suffer from calamities like Coronavirus.
But if we take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord all our sufferings will dissipate. Lord Krishna is an ocean of mercy, he is our true friend.
If we develop friendship with him, if we take his shelter then we can save ourselves from all the miseries even in this world and in next life we can return back to the spiritual world which is filled with bliss.
