Srimad Bhagavatam – day 429
An agricultural field will lose its fertility if it is cultivated continuously. In agriculture, crop rotation is advised or the land should be left fallow to restore its fertility. Only during fallow, Mother Earth gets re-energized and due to increased fertility, crop production will surge.
If a person sows seeds throughout the field without adequate crop spacing, or he utilises the entire empty space in-between the coconut trees to grow other crops, then the net result will be a poor crop. If the farmer wants to utilize the vacant space in coconut farm, then he should grow only those plants which will not hamper the production of coconuts. Filling the field haphazardly with all kinds of trees and plants shows his lack of agricultural intelligence.
Due to lack of fallow, agricultural land loses its fertility so much so that the sown seed fails to sprout. The land becomes redundant. It is important to give 6-month gap between each harvest. Then due to renewed fertility the crop doubles.
These are days when people survive on packaged foods. Our food comes in tins, cartons, and plastic pouches. Fertilizers and chemicals extensively used in agriculture ensure that the vegetables and fruits grow enormously large. The tiny guava, which was considered extremely nutritious due to its Vitamin C content, is now the size of a coconut. This large guava spoils health instead of nourishing the body. The guava tree needs just simple pure manure. It does not need extensive fertilizers and pesticides. But modern agricultural techniques use pesticides and fertilizers indiscriminately which are extremely harmful. Pesticides should be home-made with herbal ingredients. For instance, using cow urine many medicines can be prepared which drives insects and pests away. To grow a healthy crop, just these basic techniques are adequate.
In many water-scarce areas, the farmers sow peanuts which require very little water. Taking advantage of the occasional rare shower, they obtain a huge crop of groundnuts. In agriculture, such vigilance and sharpness is critical. If the farmer spends his time watching movies and visiting clubs he cannot obtain a good yield. He then gets depressed. Suicide is not a solution to any problem. It is a sin to take the life forcibly.
Aren’t we fortunate that the knowledge of agriculture is being imparted by this sacred Bhagawatam?
“Just as the field becomes redundant due to excessive farming, the mind which is a storehouse of desires gets exhausted due to excessive desires and develops indifference towards those desires”.
Assume a person is addicted to eating hard-shelled nuts. Due to constantly biting those hard-shells, he loses all his teeth. Even with artificial teeth he can never ever satisfy the old desire as he can no longer bite those shells. Due to over-indulgence, he is in that state wherein he cannot even enjoy the fruit occasionally. Moderation is a must in every field including desires.
Some people excessively indulge in order to fulfil any desire. Such overindulgence leads them to diseases. The sense-organ fails. It can never ever be restored back to its original state. It is very important to develop control over the desires.
It is very difficult to develop dispassion towards desire. Do not expect dispassion to arise in you one fine morning. Learn first to enjoy your desires in moderation. This should be remembered throughout life! If the person excessively indulges in any desire then it will lead towards sin. It will envelop the person with sins. In addition, it will take him to a state wherein he can no longer enjoy it even occasionally.
“Through gradual fulfilment of desires, the person will gradually develop aversion towards them. The mind which has entertained excessive desires will be like the fire which remains unsatisfied with a few drops of ghee.
While strictly abiding by his own dharma, the house-holder should fulfil a few of his desires by leading a family life. He should side by side try to gradually increase his dispassion towards these desires. The house-holder should gradually, through the fulfilment of the desires, try to develop dispassion”.
Often we come across people who have lost their teeth but yet have not developed aversion to food. They powder the crunchy snacks and eat. What joy can they obtain from powdered snacks is beyond my understanding.
It is very important to gradually increase dispassion towards objects.
Krishnāya namah