By Bal Ram Singh, PhD
According to Bhagvadgita (10.29):
अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् |
पितृणामर्यमा चास्मि यम: संयमतामहम् || 29||
anantaśh chāsmi nāgānāṁ varuṇo yādasām aham
pitṝīṇām aryamā chāsmi yamaḥ sanyamatām aham
Its translation according to Swami Muktananda, Amongst the snakes I am Anant; amongst aquatics I am Varun. Amongst the departed ancestors I am Aryama; amongst dispensers of law I am Yamraj, the lord of death.
Thus, the Yama is the dispenser of the Law, and Law of the land governs people, and people are advised to follow the Yama of the Patanajali Yogsutras, to avoid becoming the prey to Lord Yamaraj, meaning death of their body, mind, concepts, and even spirit.
Is the current practice of law provide space for the practice the Asteya of law or the law of Asteya? Should the Asteya at an individual level supersede the common law created for all? Is it possible to utilize the common law to practice Asteya of individuals? The term common is usually these days derived from statistical average, which many times is far from individual data. Take for example, the average body temperature is commonly considered to be 98.6 oF, but anyone of measure our temperature, it is rarely 98.6 oF, my body temperature is usually 97 oF, and could easily cheat the Covid monitoring of 2 oF above common body temperature test that was practiced, and is still practiced in some places to enter the premises.
A more elaborate situation is presented below to explain this dilemma in facing lawyers, and their practice of law games.
Q by Ms. Plaintiff Lawyer (PL): I’ll repeat the question.
Did your tests test whether there were genetic differences between the samples?
MR.Defense Lawyer (DL): Object to the form. Outside the scope. Asked and answered.
THE WITNESS, that’s me: I did not assume. I did not test. I was only just looking at the characteristic that I was looking at. There may be a variety of reasons to see those that may include genetic differences, but I did not do any of those. So it’s just a speculation.
BY Ms. PL:
- So you are not offering an opinion that your test results require that there be genetic differences among the samples tested; is that —
- DL: Object to the form. Asked and answered.
- PL: Please let me finish my question —
- DL2 (representing another party): Join that objection.
- PL: — before you object.
THE WITNESS: Okay. Repeat the question. And I’ll wait for him to respond and then I will —
BY MS. PL:
- Your test results do not require that there be genetic differences among the strains; is that right?
MR.DL1: Object to the form. Asked and answered. Outside the scope.
THE WITNESS: So my — like I said, you know, I’m a scientist. I know — I can talk to you from origin of the universe to what you look like today. So if — if you are asking me in that paradigm, of course everything is connected to everything. So I think if I have a result that you can point out to and – maybe I can comment better, rather than just in general — in general, as I said, the origin of the universe until today, it’s all connected.
BY Ms. PL:
- I think my question is more simple. It is whether, given your test results and the differences in strain behavior that you have opined upon, is it your opinion that those differences must arise from genetic differences between the samples?
- DL1: Object to the form. Asked and answered. Outside the scope.
THE WITNESS: I think the – genetic differences is a very broad term. I know you are trying to now narrow it down from universe
to today, but genetic differences is really a very broad term. Very little – relatively speaking, very little is understood how the genes behave and how — especially bacteria that is approximately 3 billion years old. It has a lot of intricate issues. So to answer that question, I probably will have to speak for at least three hours before I say what I really mean. So I think that’s why I’m trying to avoid to say something that I may not mean. So I think, if there is a more specific issue, that I can maybe comment better than just give a blank answer.
BY Ms. PL:
- I understand. So it sounds like the term “genetic differences” might be a little vague to you.
- It is. It is very vague to almost anybody, just the term “genetic differences.”
- So let me use a different phrase. When I say genetic difference, I mean differences in the nucleotides that compose the DNA. That’s what I mean.
- I did not do any of those, so I wouldn’t be able to say that.
As can be seen from this encounter between a bunch of lawyers and a scientist, the language of law is used to hide the true intentions of the question, so that the answer can be interpreted in a manner not intended to reveal the truth! More later…
Balram Singh is a Professor and the President of the Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, Massachusetts, researching on Ayurveda, Yoga, Vedic education, and Vedic social and political traditions. He is also adjunct faculty at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.
