अरक्षितं तिष्ठति दैवरक्षितम् सुरक्षितं दैवहतं विनश्यति
जीवत्यनाथोऽपि वने विसर्जितः कृतप्रयत्नोऽपि गृहे विनश्यति
This is from the famous and popular Panchatantra.
A trader sets out on a trip and on the way in a forest, one of the bulls carrying the goods-laden cart falls down and breaks its leg. Since it was not able to get up and walk, they leave it behind. It is a forest with beasts like lion. Still, the bull survives, its fracture is healed, and it grows healthy eating the fresh grass by the riverside.
Then this observation is made.
अरक्षितं तिष्ठति दैवरक्षितम् – someone protected by God survives, even if he has nobody else by his side.
सुरक्षितं दैवहतं विनश्यति – there is a term in English 'godforsaken' – abandoned by God, renounced by God. So if someone is forsaken by God, even if he is under the best protection, he will be destroyed.
We have been seeing this. Everyone will have many incidents they can recollect.
Of miraculous escapes, from accidents, from calamities.
Of forewarning – this is going to happen, be careful.
It can be a dream, an intuition, or someone, a stranger comes and tells you.
Out of nowhere. Someone whom you don't even know.
They keep on happening.
This is what God does. When someone is under God's protection. Under God's care.
The other side also we have seen.
Best of security, world-class weapons, intelligence – both machine and men.
Still, the protected person is fatally attacked. Sometimes, succumbs.
That is why the elders say – the only real protection is protection by God.
Such people don't need any other protection.
When God's protection is not there, then nothing else would help.
We have seen this in Raja Parikshit's case.
After he got cursed that he will be bitten by Takshaka, seven layers of protection were built around him.
Trenches were dug around the fort, an army of elephants stood guard.
The soldiers were wearing amulets energized by mantras – so not only physical strength, the power of mantras also.
Priests were performing rites all around for the king’s safety.
Still, nothing helped. Ultimately, Takshaka managed to kill him.
Someone who could have revived the king even after getting bitten by Takshaka had set out to save him. He was powerful. He could have neutralised the lethal poison of Takshaka.
But he was stopped midway.
What does that mean? God was not protecting Parikshit.
Why?
Because Parikshit's karma was bad.
Why did Parikshit get cursed? Because he put a dead snake around the neck of a Rishi who was sitting silently and meditating.
King asked him something, he didn't answer. King became angry and did this.
The son of the sage cursed him. Bad karma. So God was not ready to protect him.
Shastra says – janmantara kritam karma tat daivam iti kathyate.
What is God? – God is your own past karma.
This doesn’t mean that there is no one called Shree Rama, Krishna, Devi.
It means they are all there for you only if your karma is good.
God will be by your side, to help you, protect you – only if your own karma is good.
If your karma is good, you don't need anything else.
You don't need anybody else’s help or protection.
God himself will prompt help for you.
Send help for you.
Protect you from all around.
You don't have to ask for it. You don't have to worry about it.
It will happen on its own.
This is as far as man is concerned – who has control over what he does, what he can and cannot do.
But in the case of the bull –
जीवत्यनाथोऽपि वने विसर्जितः कृतप्रयत्नोऽपि गृहे विनश्यति
It was left helpless in the forest. But it survived. Became healthy again.
There are animals well taken care of at home – with good food, medicines, everything.
But they sometimes die all of a sudden.
Why? Because that is God's will.
This is the observation that has been made.
But in the case of man, it is different. God is accessible through good karma.
God is approachable through good karma.
God is accessible only through good karma.
God is approachable only through good karma.
