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COSMOLOGY : OLD AND NEW
No more examples need be multiplied in this connection as it is well known that the whole super-structure of modern science is built upon physical and chemical changes in matter.
SUTRA 21. परस्परोपग्रहो जीवानाम् ॥२१॥ PARASPAROPAGRAHO JIVĀNĀM. [21]
(परस्परोपग्रहो (जीवानाम्) जीवानाम् (उपकारः) भवति ।) (The mundane souls help and support each other.)
The author of Sarvärtha-siddhi amplifies this sūtra as follows:
"स्वामी भृत्यः, आचार्यः शिष्यः, इत्येवमादिभावेन वृत्तिः परस्परोपग्रहः ।। स्वामी तावद्वित्तत्यागादिना भृत्यानामुपकारे वर्तते। भृत्याश्च हितप्रतिपादनेनाहितप्रतिषेधेन च। आचार्य उभयलोकफलप्रदोपदेशदर्शनेन तदुपदेशविहितक्रियानुष्ठापनेन च शिष्याणामनुग्रहे वर्तते। शिष्या अपि तदानुकूल्यप्रवृत्या आचार्याणामुपकाराधिकारे...।" ।
(The master and his servant, the teacher and the taught are examples of mutual obligation. The master helps the servant with money and the servant repays through his humble service; a teacher renders a great service through his sound training and advice while the pupil repays the same through his good conduct.)
The meaning of this sutra is too obvious and needs no elaborate commentary. We all depend upon one another. The peasant provides corn to humanity, the weavers the clothes and so on. Not only that, we very often are the cause of pleasure and pain to others and sometimes reponsible for their lives and deaths.
This sūtra has a great ethical value; it enjoins all worldly beings as a duty to live in co-operation and harmony, doing no harm to anybody so that eternal peace may reign on earth.
