Roots of epidemiology and microbiology from the versus of Bhagvad Gita

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Written by Amruthavalli

In the Śrēṣṭha Granda (book) of Hinduism and the cradle of universal wisdom- Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, you are your friend and you are your enemy in the following versus

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् |
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः || 

uddhared ātmanātmānaṃ nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

It means, our thoughts, our actions and activities, our wisdom and awareness, our commitment and sincerity for any given cause only scripts our success and our success and happiness are not determined or defined by others those who exist outside of us.  

Miserably the modern man has missed the essence of Bhagavad Gita and true devotion for Lord Krishna.  But the novel coronavirus appears to have also come to remind the world about the sacred and serene messages of Gita and to tell why man must follow Gita in letter and spirit to prevent the viral pandemic. 

Man can save himself from the pandemic of novel coronavirus only through self-care and self-discipline. 

It is like we become our friend or become enemy if follow the measures to protect us from contracting the virus or to contract the virus. 

The virus is just another pathogen in the biome and if we adopt caution and care, the virus cannot affect us. 

The epidemiologists from the world after calculating R₀ value of the virus, its mode of spread, infectivity, vulnerability or susceptibility of the host has come out with list of possible measures to be followed by people like frequent hand wash, social distancing, wearing mask and avoid social gathering etc., to prevent the viral spread.

  The preventive measures are evolved strictly from the microbiological understanding of the virus and the pathology of COVID 19 that social distancing and blocking the en route of the virus entry into human system –nose and mouth by wearing mask.

  If those who fail to follow all such norms are likely to get infected and based on the susceptibility nature may even die of COVID 19. 

If people follow all the norms to prevent the viral contraction, not only they may not get infected but also they may protect all others around them directly by not being an obvious or hidden reservoir of the pathogen.

If decipher the above guidelines for preventing the virus contraction issued by WHO and ICMR definitely from the philosophical stand point of great Hinduism, each one of us are fully responsible for our infection based on our self-discipline and precautions, how well we follow.  

In an elaborate philosophical sense, we are our friend and we are our enemy and not the virus.  If we want to be our friend, we must follow the precautionary norms strictly and otherwise we may prove fatal to us and not the virus.

The cardinal message of Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita is an ageless wisdom suited to every arena of science and all walks of our life, all the time.  

Hinduism, Vedas, Upanishad, Bhagavad Gita and other epics of Hinduism are sacred not because of the profound philosophical wisdom they carry but because every wisdom shared by Hinduism are scientific and remains relevant even today.

If fails to follow the preventive measures against novel coronavirus, our failure is going to fail us first and only then it would affect others, around us. 

We also must remember that the entry of novel coronavirus as re-incarnation of an evil force to destroy the world.  Evil forces will find great times when it could find many friends in the world than enemies. 

Today the world is filled with greed, jealous, untruth, rat race for money, materialistic joy and people are under the musth due to all the above negative thoughts.  

The virus would have entered because of the collective negativity of Homo sapiens. 

Lord Krishna may re-incarnate to save humanity but until then man must follow the sacred message of Bhagavat Gita even in the pandemic period where the virus is looking for greater and greater opportunity. 

Science alone cannot save humanity and man essentially needs philosophy and spirituality is the gladiating essence the novel coronavirus has brought out.

  When we pomp over our scientific, medical and technological advancements, let us also gracefully remember we are being carried and cared by mother earth so patiently and therefore we should not test the patience or penance of the mother earth. 

It is not greedy or successful life that matters but happy life where every day and every moment is worthy and uplifting for others also. 

  When we claim our success so loudly from a summit; let us gracefully remember we also must make many others successful through our needhi and dharma. 

What today our epidemiologist and virologists has said as possible measures to prevent the viral spread, already Lord Krishna has said in Bhagavad Gita. 

Let us learn to be our friend and friend of humanity and not the enemy by being rebelliously ignorant adamant bigot. 

About the Author

Amruthavalli G.V – M.Pharmacy from JSS college of Pharmacy, Ootacamund,Tamilnadu.

Worked in Himalaya Drug Company, Bangalore, Asthagiri herbal research foundation, Chennai and Dr.JRK’s Research and Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, Chennai. Have published about 100 original research articles in herbal medicine.