Understanding Harmony in Nature

Nature as Collection of Units

Nature is the collection of all the units – the air, soil, water, plants, trees, animals, birds, other
human beings and even things that are at a distant from us like the sun, the moon, the other
planets, etc.

Classification of Units into Four Orders

Although the units are innumerable, they can all be classified into just four orders:

1. Physical order – this includes units like air, water, metal and so on.

2. Bio order – this includes grass, plants, trees, etc.

3. Animal order – this includes animals and birds.

4. Human order – this has human being only.

Harmony among the Four Orders

There is mutual fulfilment among the first three orders in nature. The soil-plant interaction is an
example of mutual fulfilment between the physical order and the bio order. Animals and birds
(units of the animal order) depend on plants (units of the bio order) for their food. At the same
time, animals and birds help to spread the seeds of plants from one place to the other. They
protect plants from harmful insects and pests. Similarly, the units of physical order, like air and
water, are essential for animals to survive. In turn, animals enrich the soil – their dung and their
dead bodies act as very good manure which makes the soil fertile. This is amply visible in the
forests. These three orders are enriching for the human being too. This we can see from our day
to day life. Now, is the human being fulfilling for the other three orders? This is a big question.
Human being is not only unfulfilling for the other three orders, rather it is dominating and
exploiting them, to the extent of global warming and climate change.
Interconnectedness, Self-regulation and Mutual Fulfilment among the Four Orders of
Nature

Abundance in Nature

Nature is organised in such a manner that the physical facility required for any order is available
in abundance. The quantity of soil is far more than that of plants and trees. And both of these are
available in far greater quantities as compared to the quantity of animals and birds. Human
beings require all these three orders to survive, and the quantity of all these three orders together
is far more than the quantity of human beings.

By its very being, nature is organised in a manner where quantity of all four orders is in a
sequence:

Physical order >> Bio order >> Animal order >> Human order.

Therefore, the requirement of any order is already available in abundance

Realizing Existence as Co-existence at All

Existence as Units in Space Existence is whatever exists.

There are two types of basic realities in existence – one is space and the other is units.

The units are in space.

Understanding Units and Space

There are innumerable units in existence. There is air, water, soil, earth, sun, moon, plants, trees,
animals, birds, human beings etc. These units are in space. The co-existence of the two is in the
form of units submerged in space. Units are Limited in Size; Space is Unlimited We can
observe units all around – they are limited in size. Coming to space, it is unlimited. It is spread
all around. It is all-pervading. There is no limited size of space. It does not have any boundary.
Units are Activity, they are Active; Space is “No-Activity” Every unit is an activity and it is
active with other units. In itself, one or the other kind of activity is always taking place in the
unit. Further, the unit is interacting with other units, i.e. it is active in relation to other units.
When it comes to space, it is no-activity. There is activity only in the units. Understanding
Submergence Units are in space – they are submerged in space. It means units are in space, they
are inseparable from space. Where ever a unit is there, space is also there.

Holistic Perception of Harmony in Existence

1. Units are Energised in Space Being in co-existence with space, every unit is energised, right
from the smallest atom to the largest planet.

2. Units are Self-organised in Space Being in co-existence with space, every unit is self-
organised. It is in a definite order. By being in a definite order, it exhibits a definite conduct –
that is how one can identify or recognise and study that unit.

3. Units Recognise their Relationship and Fulfil it with Every Other Unit in Space Being in
co-existence with space, every unit recognises its relationship with every other unit in space and
fulfils that relationship.

Existence as Co-existence – Units Submerged in Space Existence is co-existence. It is in the

form of units submerged in space. In the light of above discussion on existence as co-existence,
we can now visualise the overall picture of the whole existence.\
One kind of program can be the people’s education program meant for adults. People with a
definite level of competence can help grown-ups from different backgrounds to self-explore and
develop their competence. Going this way, on an average, if one person takes 10 years to develop
the commitment to understand and live accordingly in completeness, and develops 10 more such
people in the next 10 years, a population of 1000 crores can be developed in 100 years. But if the
program of education-sanskar is made value based, it will take a shorter time, say up to 50 years
for the world, as the program for right understanding will become a definite component of the
system of society. And if there is a program for undivided society and universal human order
including all the dimensions of the society, it will take even shorter time. This can be a vision
while making the policies at the level of society. (these are different strategies for transition
from the present state to universal human order)

Humanistic Education
Inculcation of the right understanding at all four levels (from self to entire existence) and
development of the competence to live in accordance with it forms the core of humanistic
education. One should be able to evaluate all the endeavors in the light of the right
understanding. Humanistic education will incorporate appropriate integration of values and skills
so that human beings are able to understand their physical needs correctly and adopt suitable
techniques and production systems to cater to these needs in an eco-friendly and people-friendly
manner.
An adequate research effort is needed to evolve and implement the models of such an education.
To begin with, the education of a child starts at home. The child learns and understands things
living in close relations at home. So every model will entail the right kind of environment at
home for the child to develop. When the child needs more exposure to skills and knowledge, he/
she will need a formal system, in the form of some collective effort in society. To start with it is
necessary to introduce the required inputs of value education. But in the longer run, the whole
education system will need to be re-designed in the light of the right understanding.
Humanistic Constitution
In addition, the right understanding also provides us the basis for a humanistic constitution
which is essential to provide clear guidelines and policy framework conducive to the
development of an un-fragmented human society and a universal human order. Working
towards the comprehensive human goal and developing the competence for ethical human
conduct will be among the salient directive principles of a humanistic constitution. It will
safeguard the social justice in true sense.
Presently, human society is divided into various castes, creeds, religions, and nationalities
whose objectives and interests are proving contrary to those of others. Accordingly, a major
part of human endeavor is used in handling these conflicts and contradictions.
Paradoxically, human beings are spending a substantial part of their energies and
resources in preparing themselves for war, only to ensure peace!
This can only be there because of our ignorance, because of our incorrect assumptions/
beliefs about happiness and about reality. Presently, our effort is directed towards trying to
stop a wrong behavior by means of an equally or more wrong behavior – a crime by
executing a bigger crime, violence by greater violence. This can never be successful in the
long run and only gives rise to a vicious circle to perpetuate the wrongdoings. Things can
only be set right by developing human consciousness, by developing the right
understanding and living among people and in no other way. Thus, the right understanding
also offers a satisfactory and spontaneous resolution of the prevailing human conflicts
ranging from the family level and going up to the global level.
To begin with, the family will be the smallest unit of order in society. Moving from family to
the world family, the constitution will provide the basis of harmonious living. These are
relevant issues in terms of visualizing the holistic way of life in the present scenario.
Sustainable Development:

1. The phrase “smart use of resources such that it meets the present demand without causing
harm to future generations” is frequently used to describe sustainable development.

2. A variety of principles for sustainable development are determined by the state of the
environment overall and the local ecology.

3. For instance, choosing a crop that is best suited for a specific season, soil, and water regime is
part of sustainable agriculture.

4. It also makes use of organic manure and organic pesticides.

5. It has paved the way for a food production system that has the least impact on the
environment.

6. Therefore, the ecological cycle serves as the foundation for sustainable development. It
recognizes how dynamic ecosystems are.

7. Therefore, the ecological cycle serves as the foundation for sustainable development.

8. It realizes the dynamic nature of ecosystems.

9. The organizing principle of sustainable development is maintaining the capacity of natural
systems to continue providing the natural resources and ecosystem services that are essential to
the economy and society.

10. The ideal state of society is one in which living circumstances and resource utilization
continue to satisfy human needs while maintaining the stability and integrity of the natural
system.

11. Development that satisfies existing needs without sacrificing the capacity of future
generations is referred to as sustainable development.

Innateness in the Four Orders of Nature

Innateness (Dharana) – Innateness means qualities that are innate to the unit. Each unit in
existence exhibits innateness, an intrinsic quality that cannot be separated from it. We refer to
this principle as innateness also called dharna of that unit. This is intrinsic to the unit.

Material order: When we burn coal and it has finished burning and only some ash is left and
smoke has gone out, it is not that the basic material, the fundamental particles in coal, have
“ceased to exist ‘ or ‘ disappeared ‘ from existence. They may not be visible to the eye at that
moment, but they continue to exist, they still are in the form of other matter or in the form of
gases, etc. This is there with all material units. We cannot destroy matter; we can only convert it
from one form to the other. Thus, ” to exist “, or ” existence ‘ is intrinsic to all material, it is
innate to it. We cannot separate the ‘ existence ‘ of a thing from the thing itself.

Plant/bio order: Because the pranic order is a development of the material order, it also has the
innateness of ‘ existence ‘. In addition, it also exhibits ‘ growth ‘. This principle of ‘ growth
cannot be separated from any units of this order. If it is of pranic order, it will grow. For example,
if you have a plant, you cannot stop it from growing. It will continue to respire and keep
changing in this way. The only way you can stop it from growing is by cutting it, but when you
do that, it ceases to belong to the pranic order, instead decays and then belongs to the material
order. So, as long as you have a plant, it will grow.

Animal order: The animal body is a development of the pranic order and therefore this order
inherits the innateness of the previous order namely ‘ existence ‘ and ‘ growth ‘. This is at the
level of the body, which is physical-chemical in nature. In addition, all units in this order have
the ‘ will to live ” in ‘ T ‘. Indeed no unit in this order can be separated from this will to live “. It
is intrinsic to every unit in this order

Human (knowledge) order: When we look at the human being, we find that ‘ existence ‘ and
‘ growth ‘ are fundamentally present in the body, just as in the animal body. At the level of ‘ l
‘ however, in addition to the ‘ will to live ‘, a human being’s innateness is the ‘ will to live with
happiness “.

What do you mean by ‘conformance’? Explain the conformance in the four orders.

Ans: Each unit conforms through the principle of conformance or anusangita. It means how the
continuity of the fundamental nature of the unit is preserved.

Material order: The continuity of the fundamental nature of the material unit is preserved
through the physical and chemical processes. Take iron for example. Each atom of iron conforms
to the constitutional structure of ‘Iron’. There is no atom of iron that will be unlike the other
atom of iron, if it were, we would not call it iron. We call this ‘constitution conformance’. The
material order exhibits constitution conformance. We can verify this for all things in the material
order. For example, oxygen, nitrogen, other gasses, gold, silver, aluminum… all of them conform
to and are always according to the constitution of their kind. Hence, we say that any matter
conforms to its constitution or has ‘constitution conformance’.

Plant/bio order: A neem seed will always sprout a neem plant. All of us know this. Its fruits, its
leaves, the taste of the leaves, the colour of the leaves, all this information, this basic information
of every neem plant are stored in the seed. Thus, we say the plant is always as the seed, or we
can say, ‘as the seed, thus the plant’. Hence, we say that a plant conforms to the seed, or
has‘ seed conformances’. This‘ seed conformance’ method is the mechanism by means of which
the continuity of a plant species is maintained in nature/existence.
Animal order: We see that a cow is always like a cow, and a dog is always like a dog. Animals
conform to their lineage. How animals are, their behavior, is according to their lineage they
belong to, the lineage they come from. Hence, we say that an animal conforms to its breed, or
has‘ breed conformance’. This breed conformance method is the mechanism by means of which
the continuity of an animal species is maintained in nature/existence.

Human (knowledge) order: We can see that we humans are not according to our lineage or
race, as in animals. We may pick up something from our parents as we grow up, but we are
usually very different in many ways from them. We humans are according to our imagination;
according to our desires, thoughts and selection in ‘I’. The desires, thoughts and selections we
have in ‘I’ can come from anywhere. It can come from past memories; it can come from our
parents, the environment, media and from anywhere. In the case of humans, we can say ‘as the
education, so the human’. We are according to our desires, thoughts and selections. Together, we
call these ‘sanskara’. Hence, we say that a human being conforms to his or her sanskar or has
‘sanskaar conformance’.

Q1. What are the values in interaction of human beings with the material things? Give one
example of each.
Or
What is utility value and artistic value? How are both important in human life? Explain
with example. or 'When there is no utility there is no scope for art too'. Explain

Ans: Competence of living in accordance with universal human values or the participation
of a unit in the larger order- its natural characteristics or svabhava. Values are a part of our
ethical conduct. They are the natural outcome of realization and right understanding, which are
always definite. Values need not to be imposed through fear, greed or blind belief. The vastu
mulya (values of Human Being in the Interaction with the Rest of the Nature) is the
participation of the human being with the rest of the nature.

It is further categorized as:

1. Utility Value (Upyogita Mulya): The participation of human being in ensuring the role of
physical facility in nurture, protection and providing means for the body.
2. Artistic value (kala mulya): The participation of a human being in ensuring the role of
physical facility to help and preserve its utility.
For example, the utility value of a pen is that it aids in writing. This provides a means to the
body. Providing a cap to pen so that the ink does not spill, a proper design for holding of the
pen while writing, etc. preserve the utility of the pen. A shirt has the utility that it protects the
body. This is its utility value. Designing the shirt so that it can be easily put on is the artistic
value.