 indicates that our own desire to enjoy the material (bhunkte prakrti jaan gunaan) sentences us to misery. Thus do we become human silkworms.
Of course, the silkworm metaphor is not perfect -- no metaphor is. The silkworm, by its death, provides valuable silk to humans. We, by our death, don't provide anything valuable to anyone.
Nature, by its perfect wisdom, instructs us even through theimperfection of the metaphor: it prods us to stop imitating silkworms and start acting as humans.
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Based on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13, Text 22
Nature is rich with demonstrations of spiritual truths. One central truth is that our misery is often self-inflicted, as is demonstrated in nature by the silkworm. It makes a cocoon around itself for the sake of protection, but that very cocoon usually ends becomingthe cause of its destruction.
Gita wisdom indicates that we are, in a way, human silkworms. We are essentially spiritual beings, but are currently encaged by material desires that propel us to seek protection and pleasure in material objects.
However, everything material is by its very nature temporary. That’s why, as time takes its toll,the same material things that seem to be sources of protection become the causes of devastation. Whatever gives us pleasure when we possess it gives us pain when time dispossesses us. The Bhagavad-gita (13.22) indicates that our own desire to enjoy the material (bhunkte prakrti jaan gunaan) sentences us to misery. Thus do we become human silkworms.
Of course, the silkworm metaphor is not perfect — no metaphor is. The silkworm, by its death, provides valuable silk to humans. We, by our death, don’t provide anything valuable to anyone.
Nature, by its perfect wisdom, instructs us even through theimperfection of the metaphor: it prods us to stop imitating silkworms and start acting as humans.
