Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
16th June 2018
Air
“Life”
A human being takes life for granted. He or she also takes air for granted and does not realize the significance of air as regards life, because every living entity is dependent on air for life.
The atmosphere in nature depends on air. If air is not in nature, the atmosphere would not exist. The many organisms in earth and over the earth, including humans, will not exist without air and their presence in the atmosphere is vital for living beings to survive.
Air makes the water flow in nature. If air is absent in nature, water will fail to flow. Therefore, air makes vegetation grow well because air makes water flow in nature.
The animal kingdom in nature is dependent on air to survive. Without air in nature the animal kingdom, which includes bird, fish, reptile and insect will not be able to survive in nature.
Humans too are dependent on air to live life. Without air humans cannot live life. Humans will not be able to breathe without air. Therefore, air is just as essential as is water for humans and the animal kingdom to survive.
Air not only quenches the hunger for air in humans, but it also enables bacteria in the human and animal body to survive. The bacteria that use air to survive are essential for man’s survival as bacteria utilisethe dissolved food to provide man much needed vitamins and other essential products, which enable humans and animals to survive.
If air was absent in the atmosphere, bacteria that do not need air to survive would flourish. These bacteria are harmful to the humans and their excessive growth in humans would be bad for human health.
Air is also involved in the many physiological functions within every human cell. Lack of air or absence of air in the atmosphere means that cellular functions within every cell, which are essential for human survival, would not be possible. Due to the presence of the air molecule in water, living entities are able to live life in water.
This signifies that air is in every moment in life, because life is in every moment in life. This further signifies that the air and water present in every moment of life enables life to survive. The enlightened have rightly proclaimed that air and water are present in every moment of life.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
©Copyright V. S. Shankar 2018
Editor’s Note:
The importance of Dr Shankar’s article on Water and now on Air cannot be overstated. Everything that lives on and in earth and the earth itself are provided by the intelligence of life with water and air that invigorate and support life. Man has evolved as life’s steward. Move a slab of stone from the ground and observe the vigorous growth of plant-life spring up as water and air –including light – are provided. Mankind, dependent too on these natural elements, is now acutely aware of their contamination - pollution. For he, as the creatures of the sea are harmed by the disposal of waste into their environment and the birds by poisonous substances emitted into theirs, is suffering in his across the globe. These proclamations of the wise, when heard and understood, will quench the hunger and thirst that brings hardship to man and his environment.
Julian Capper, UK.
German Translator’s Note:
Air surrounds and pervades all living beings, plants, animals and humans. Being pervaded with air is called breathing. Wherever life is, there is also air. The sages understand the omnipresence of air in every moment of earthly life spontaneously given to make all sentient beings breathe, through the omnipresent love of Mother Earth. It is therefore wise to be grateful for the air in life.
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany.