Extra-terrestrial Connection of the Meeteis: Part 4
A Study of Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok Puya

Puyam Nongdrei Khuman *

Ancient writings (puyas) found in Kangleipak (Manipur)

The Puya mentions about the extra-terrestrial or outer space origin of the living beings on earth through the intervention of the Laiyam. This is 'directed panspermia'. One can think of this as Sitapa Mapu descended on earth from the space/sky and spread the Lai race on earth before human beings were created. Whether life actually originated from outer space or on earth itself cannot be resolved with this finding written in one of the most ancient scripture of the Meeteis.

However, it is very interesting to know how our forefathers tried to understand the origin of life. If this is the truth then, who wrote these puyas will be our big question.

My answer is: extra-terrestrial intervention. Calling it coincidence will be unjustifiable. Many ancient traditions talked about a time when the Laiyam and Meeoiba co-habited the earth and these stories are still alive in the minds of the people. This scripture is definitely a treasure for the whole humanity.

There are lines such as 'Aatinga Koilou Sitapa', 'Aatinga Sitapa Ahaangpa', 'Talang Aatingpapu Eepung Loinapa Aapakpana talang malangna Im oina haina humna asumna leilingeita.., Mapu Sitapana meine, ishingne, nungshitne ahum asi chainahantuna nonglontaki hunthalaktuna', the concept of cheising eyek Ama (=Aatinga), Hei-chakki khununglonti Hei-Ee ani atuna Aatinga Koiloutaki pana chenthalakye haipaki Epa kouye' and 'namu taipang meeki thouwaiki machakne haituna Eepung Loinapa Aapakpana Thouwaimichak Aapakpa oikhiye'.

The above lines tell clearly that our forefathers had in their minds the 'Outer Space' as the source of life forms on earth. The eternal universe or infinite space-time, floating in the sky/space and living as home (Im) are indication of the extra-terrestrial origin.

According to the Puya, human civilization on earth was introduced by the Lai race descending from sky (nonglontaki hunthalaktuna). We all know that there are seven nonglon and seven leilon. Though the scripture is silent on the specific plane or layer of the 'Nonglon', the term 'Nonglon' is obviously sky/space on the basis of the Leilon-Nonglon khaiba (separation).

Another clear indication is the concept of 'One' which is again 'Aatinga' (=Nongthou). This concept of one is substantiated again by the meaning of 'Hei-chak' telling how 'Hei' and 'Ee' come down on earth overflowing from the space (Aatinga Koilou).

Lastly, the puya gives the etymological origin of the word 'thouwaimichak' (Star) in our language. Thouwaimichak is the material component of life and hence the name from thouwaimachak. This concept of life on earth seeded from the star like in many other ancient traditions across the world gives outer space origin of life forms on earth.

Watson Crick, the Nobel laureate who discovered the double-helix structure of DNA wrote in his book 'Life Itself' supporting this outer space origin of life on earth after studying about the complex characteristic of DNA and its components with information coded to reproduce. But this understanding of life forms transplanted from space does not end the quest for searching the origin of life in the Cosmo.

One of the most important revelations of the puya among many others is the purpose of human life on earth. We have sufferings and happiness at the same time. But many say our sufferings are more than the blinks of happy hours. When we question further on the significance of this life we cannot get satisfactory answers. Let's read few lines from the puya to see whether it has those answers. Along with these answers I have here for humanity another commandment taken from the puya. Our forefathers wanted us to reproduce our species and protect the accumulated knowledge at the same time.

Please read the lines below:

"Palee Eepungo Konsen Tulei Sengpa! Talang Laipaoki matung inna palee nangki nathou nangam Taipang Meepu Sapa houlo haina taakpile".
"...thakka-khaka tainapa aniki malakta, laiki maheipu taipang meeoina palhalle".
"Asum touna Tingpalpaki Mapu Eepung Loinapa Aapakpaki Eyek Epee Mayekpu Taipangpalpa Meeoipaki kayatnungta thupna thamtuna....".
"Atukumpa Taipang Mee atuta laiyamsingki Eyek Epee Laiyeksingpu thupna thamnapakitamak Epana Mee Sa-o haipane".
"Asum touna oikhipa laiyamsingki eyek epeeki eyekpu taipangpalpa mapuki huksang kayatki khunung eyek epee oina lepkhale."

According to a message given to Salailel Sitapa, Sitapa Mapu came down as Salailel Sitapa's son Konsen Tulei Sengpa Sanamahi. His coming as Sanamahi was to help Salailel Sitapa in creating plants, animals and human beings in one of the four chaks. Therefore, Salailel Sitapa instructed his eldest son to start his work of creation as given in the 'Talang Laipao'.

As a result of this creation, the fruits of the Laiyam came out to be 'human beings' on earth. 'Thak' and 'Kha' are representing the space/sky and the earth. We have another scripture titled 'Leithak-Leikharol' which is to give better explanation of the creation of the 'Taipangpal'. This creation of the plant and animal kingdoms including human beings are to serve a higher purpose in the entire Cosmo.

In simple explanation, these plants and animals life forms including other natural resources are meant to serve human needs. The Laiyam selected the planet Earth because it has many of these habitable conditions fulfilled unlike in other planets of the solar system or elsewhere. But we are greedy and turning our planet unhealthy for future generations.

Why did Laiyam create human beings? The search for an answer to this question has been in our minds since the ages. The Puya is very vocal about the purpose of human life on earth. The Laiyam needed spreading their species of plant and animals in other parts of the Cosmo for "species survival and continuity". The creation of human beings (Namu Taipang Meeoipa) was very significant from this point of view. We, on earth kill each other for our selfish interests but the Laiyam wanted to create the human beings in their image so that their species are not extinct in this universe.

Violence is the greatest enemy of mankind. Many of the social constructs of the human beings are the enemies of their own emancipation and enlightenment. We reduce ourselves to some groups fighting endlessly for trade balance, power, wealth, language, culture and so on. Humanity's higher consciousness will be achieved when we can do away or control such negative forces in our minds to love each others as our own beings. This advancement is necessary for our proper use of scientific knowledge.

It can be called spirituality sans religiosity. Without this science would become the death trap of humanity. The fear of a nuclear holocaust is one good example of science becoming our death trap. Besides the fear of science putting an end to human civilization, we have other forces of nature acting upon our existence and survival. Therefore cosmic laws are other challenges that we need to study for our species survival in the coming years. Spirituality should make ways for avoiding self-destruction programmes and mobilize resources as means to the higher ends.

The Puya tells us that the Lai race came down from the outer space and found the habitable planet earth to expand their realm. They created the intelligent life called human beings to store their genetic materials on earth and left the knowledge of the Cosmo for our understanding. Regarding the origin of the Lai race, we have only speculations. They could have been evolved beings somewhere in the Cosmo where seeds of life meet the requirements for its evolution.

Or, they could have been transplanted by other beings in the chain of such activities across the Cosmo. There has to be a genesis of life in one particular or many different places. Though widely accepted by us, evolutionary theory of the origin of life on earth is still wanting in many counts. Science cannot prove how inorganic matters reacted to create the first simple unicellular micro-organisms on earth subsequently leading to higher evolution.

The Lai race had problems with human beings because intelligent life forms are also under the influence of the natural laws operating in the particular planet. Here we need to seriously question why the 'Saloi Phulup' was annihilated as they started interfering in the doings of the Laiyam. The concepts of 'Nongshaba Cheiraak' and 'Saroi Khaangba' are very crucial to understand the history of this annihilated humanoid race (except one Saloi Ningol who was saved by Salailel Sitapa).

Was the Saloi phulup an inferior race or another humanoid race that became undesirable in the whole design of the Laiyam spreading life on earth? The intelligent beings on earth are capable of becoming one like their creator but their planetary energy has strong inclination towards violence and destruction. Our higher consciousness has to be through our rigorous practice and education. Thus, we have to get rid of the many evil designs of the religious societies and the bloody politics.

The puyanic understanding of the purpose of human beings on earth and their responsibility can be very much against the present constructs made by human beings themselves. The biggest challenge is the nature of education systems prevalent across the globe and the nature of knowledge formation. It is through science that we are believed to have been created by the Lai race. It is through science that we will know further about the universe.

Our emancipation is dependent on science whether we like it or not. But what is needed is to keep a balance of negative and positive forces in our mind. Sometimes constructions are destructive in nature on the other hand; destruction can also be equally constructive. Differentiating what is constructive and destructive is the need of the hour for our higher consciousness.

Human beings as intelligent beings need to think and live intelligently for greater achievements in future. Destroying our planet is like destroying our own home. This higher thinking has to be in our minds and books we read. The health of our planet is as important as the health of a country's economy or the health of a citizen.

Our survival in this planet and safeguarding the accumulated knowledge are very important according to the scripture Wakoklol Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok Puya. The meaning of the words 'Eyek Epee Mayek/Laiyek' is very clear to those who can understand the puya. The seven laipungthous have seven eyeks and these are the seven blood lineages.

When the blood develops into a full human body (huksang kayat), the alphabet letters are named after human body parts. But inclusion of Aatinga (now pronounced as Atiya) which is also manifested as the cheising eyek Ama (numeral one) in the script system has a wider significance pointing towards life-blood originating from the space/sky.

Others can just take it as the alphabet of the Meetei script. Humanity must survive and keep the knowledge guarded against destruction. This is the highest commandment of this universe. Our life style has to be changed based on it. Knowledge accumulation and dissemination for higher consciousness of the whole humanity should be the basis of our education system to meet the ends of preserving this planet and the life forms in it.

If the purpose of human life on earth is to serve the two higher ends mentioned above, humanity has to seriously start engaging to stop war, unsustainable exploitation of resources, poisoning of the earth and destruction of the ecology. To make it successful in the long run, we need to stop the greedy consumerism fed by profit-making forces on earth.

And last but not the least science is the flower that will make life beautiful for humanity provided human beings think intelligently.

Concluded ....

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* Puyam Nongdrei Khuman contributes regularly to e-pao.net
The sender can be contacted at khuman_mei(at)yahoo(dot)com
This article was posted on November 06, 2011.

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