3 Dec 2005 @ 16:00, by Shreepal Singh
The innermost being of man is always thirsty for something that is yet unknown to him. This inner core of his existence always spurs him to move on in quest of the unknown. In his quest for the unknown, man is able to formulate and put straight questions to him, and seek answer to them. And more than that, he is able to wonder. This, his unique ability, alone has propelled humankind's civilizations on an ever higher trajectory and this has enabled it to reach dizzying height where it is today.
The very existence of world is a great wonder. Every thing in this world is wonderful and, among all these things, life is wonder of all wonders. And, the crown of life, human being, is the greatest of all these wonders.
All these things, when pondered over by man, raise serious questions about them. The more man becomes enlightened, the more questions arise for his attention. Why, and how, did he usurp the place of the sole leader of an earthly caravan of varied life forms? Why his caravan is solitary, as far as he knows, in an unfathomable universe? Where this earthly caravan of life's evolution is heading for? We put questions to ourselves to seek answer about all these things but still we do not put enough questions. We remain primarily and for most of our lifetime pre-occupied with ourselves, - making provisions for our food, cloths, pleasures and petty needs, and our thoughts remain centered on them and acts remain guided by these motives.
Putting question is the secret key for opening the gates of the unknown. Every question, howsoever insignificant it might be, if put with diligence and investigated with due earnestness for an answer, makes a discovery. For example, you ask why is the sun the way it is, always shining and spreading light all around? You search for the answer and you find the nuclear fusion. You ask, why do apples fall from tree down to the ground only and not go above and you make the discovery of gravity. The greatest quality of human mind is to experience wonder, wonder at things and at the way they are, and wonder at the mystery behind all that exist and at the amazing phenomena behind all this creation. Human mind is his sole powerhouse that propels his development, his civilisation and his evolution.
Man is at the apex of life-evolution on earth. He has mind capable of wondering and questioning. It is worthy of him to wonder, to question and to seek answers. A civilisation that encourages human being to seek pleasure in and remain satisfied with his self-indulgences is below the dignity and esteem of mankind, of the leader of life evolution on earth. Man has risen above animal and its kingdom's rules by his persistent struggle with himself. He has come out of his self-indulgent animal existence by evolving mind and putting questions. He has to go forward, and not backward, on life's evolutionary path.
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