Caravan Continues – In Gita Verse 14.4 It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.
Krishna proclaims that He is the seed of all existence. To know Him, you must live your life in its fullness. He is not to be found in distant, remote places. There’s no need to search high and low for Him, but rather, realise His presence through your own living experience.
Yet, the question often arises: Is life really devoid of meaning?
There are two interpretations of meaning. One is the idea of an extrinsic meaning – a meaning that resides in some distant goal, a reward that awaits at the end of our journey.
Life, viewed through this lens, is without such external meaning. And perhaps it is for the best, for if this were the case, life would merely be a conduit to an end, a means to something that lies beyond. In this scenario, life loses its intrinsic value, becoming a mere stepping stone to a future possibility.
However, meaning also exists in a different realm – internally, intrinsically. And in this dimension, life brims with tremendous significance. This meaning isn’t separate, lying elsewhere; it’s woven into the very fabric of living.
When you love, you do not question the meaning of your affection. Love is meaningful in itself; it’s not a path to another destination. Similarly, the beauty of a rose is self-evident. Its beauty is its meaning – it needs not lead anywhere else.
All that is truly precious in existence carries intrinsic meaning. And life – equivalent to existence – is meaningful. Replace the word ‘life’ with ‘living,’ and you grasp the concept more effortlessly. For living is active, a stream of experiences, unlike ‘life,’ which is a static noun. Language as we know it has been shaped by those who did not breathe life into words.
Should a new language emerge, it might consist only of verbs, resonating more authentically with existence, where there are no nouns, only actions and processes.
Have you ever truly encountered ‘life’? What we experience is living – in the sip of tea, in the stride of a walk, in the engagement of our labours. Each moment of living holds meaning – if we are present to taste it.
However, people often drink tea absent-mindedly as their thoughts roam far and wide. They make love in absence, their minds entangled with fantasies of others. This phenomenon results in a world where even in the most intimate of encounters, presence is lacking.
When we are absent from the present, we miss life’s inherent meaning.
Be wholly present in every act, however minor. Grand achievements are not prerequisites for finding meaning. Living each moment attentively, be it mundane or extraordinary, reveals life’s purpose.
When you are fully present, even the smallest actions illuminate with meaning, unveiling an existence filled with joyous discovery.
Do not seek meaning in the hollow halls of temples or scriptures. If you encountered God himself – he who is a metaphorical construct – you would likely be elsewhere in thought. The divine has no place where consciousness is absent.
Krishna encourages us to be present, fully, wherever we stand. In your presence, each act becomes a beacon, guiding you through a life that transforms into a procession of luminescent moments. Death may come and go, but this caravan of illumination endures.
Understand Krishna: He beckons us to be rooted in the now. The location is inconsequential – presence is key. With presence, every action, however small, becomes a light. You will discover that your life forms a radiant procession, a journey of light. That is the meaning. Death comes and goes, but the caravan of life – illuminated by the presence of the now – continues on.
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