Section 1

Why Should We Be Healthy?

Embodiments of Love!

In this wide world, everyone aspires for long life, prosperity and health.
Health is wealth. Health is the greatest blessing. Without it, man cannot do even the lightest work.
Health is an indispensable requisite for progress in material, moral, political, economic, artistic and spiritual fields of life. Wealth cannot be enjoyed by a person with poor health. Health is more important because it gives physical and mental strength to a person.

A Sanskrit saying declares, “Dharmartha Kāma Mōkṣam Ārōgyaṁ Mūlamuttamam.” (Meaning – Health is the fundamental requirement to achieve the four goals of human life, namely, Dharma (Righteous Life), Artha (Wealth), Kāma (Desire) and Mōkṣa (Liberation). Without good health, man cannot perform even a small task. Health is man’s supreme wealth. It is much superior to the other types of wealth possessed by man.

Punarvittam Punarmitram
Punarbhāryā Punarmahi
Etat Sarvam Punarlabhyam
Na Śarīraṁ Punah Punah.

Wealth once lost can be regained by one way or the other.
If a friend is lost, one can make many more through good feelings.
If a wife is lost, one can marry again.
If the land is lost, it can be reacquired through some means.
But once the body is lost. it can never be regained.

Humans are leading an artificial life today. A human is not merely the body but a combination of body, mind and Spirit. In the Gayatri mantra, ‘Ōṁ Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Suvaḥ’ is the first line. In this ‘Bhu’ refers to matter, that is the body, Bhuvaḥ refers to the Prāṇa Śaktī (Life Principle) which animates the body, and ‘Suvah’ refers to Prajñā Śaktī (Awareness or Conscience) which acts through radiation.

Hence, the human being is made up of Prajñā (awareness), Prāṇa (the vital force) and the body (the material substance). ‘Śarīra mādhyaṁ Khalu Dharma Sādhanaṁ’. (the body is gifted to man to undertake righteous actions) So, it has to be sanctified by performing sacred deeds. Health is very essential in order to do so. In fact, health is the very foundation on which human life rests. If health is lost, you have to suffer in many ways. There is no greater wealth than health.