Are We To Blame For These Disasters?The opening shloka of the Shanti Sukta from the Atharva Veda is beautiful: May peace prevail in the skies May peace prevail on earth May peace prevail in vast space May peace prevail in the flowing river, and in plants and trees! Are we at one with the invocation of the rishis? Are we, today, at peace with nature? No, we are not! We can see it in the way we treat the soil; the way we have destroyed the habitat of wild animals; we can see it in the pollution of our waterways, the degradation of our envi ronment, depletion of the ozone layer and the environment, depletion of the ozone layer a complete and utter waste of Mother Nature's resources.
Although I said “Mother Nature“, I doubt if we have the right to call ourselves her children any more! We are actually a vital component of nature, and it is our sacred obligation to preserve and protect the planet that God has given to us as habitat.
I am aware that the fashionable, trendy words to use today are `ecology' or `environment'. But I choose the word nature, deliberately, because it is close to my heart. It is a term associated with peace, purity, serenity, beauty, tranquility and the transcendental spirit of the Universe. It recalls to my mind the pancha tattwa, the five elements earth, water, fire, air and space of which our universe is composed. It encompasses these myriad aspects of creation, hundreds of thousands of living beings and organisms, those stunningly beautiful landscapes, mountains, rivers, seas, forests, deserts, mangroves, lakes and plains that man could not have made but alas, which he seems to be destroying irrationally! How can the world be at peace, when we are threatened by natural disasters which are in fact, perpetuated by man's negligence and greed?
When I say that we have brought these disasters upon ourselves, some of my friends protest politely. “This is not our doing,“ they tell me. “Such natural disasters have occurred since the dawn of creation, starting with the melting of the Ice Age. How can man be held responsible for the unbridled fury of nature?“ Mother Nature cannot be blamed altogether.
The degree and level of destruction are the results of human negligence and human greed and human selfishness. Let us not forget that transgressing the laws of Nature brings these disasters upon us.
`Indiscriminate economic development and ecologically destructive policies have left us more vulnerable to natural disasters,'' says Worldwatch Institute, an environmental group in Washington.
Thus the problem of human actions, human errors cannot be over looked. Rampant, unsustainable development compounds the effect of natural disasters, making their impact far worse! Nature is truly the environment of the atman the eternal soul within each human being. I remember as a young boy , I was out on a walk with my Guruji one day . On my way a midsize stone lay on the pavement, across our path. Anxious that it should not obstruct the Master's steps, I hastily kicked the stone aside.
Guruji was deeply pained and I was puzzled. Why should he be hurt that I had put aside a stone? After all, it was only a stone! I got my answer, in words that I can never forget: ``If God is in the scripture, is He not in the stone?'' the Master said. God dwells in all nature therefore, let us cultivate reverence for Nature!
Om Namah Shivay
* Seeking The Nectar Of Wisdom *The highest peaks of happiness reside at His feet. He is the innermost ruler of every pious and virtuous heart. Supreme ascetic with a composed disposition, Lord Manguesh - an incarnation of Lord Shiva, is the most fascinating god of the Hindu pantheon who has profound love for his devotees. Ardent devotees from far and wide throng to Mangueshi on the occasion of zatrotsav to pay their obeisance and seek the nectar of wisdom.
In today's age of wickedness ( Kali yug), it is the hunger of every heart to vie for peace. At every stage of life, devotees succumb to six internal enemies -- lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and jealousy. Lasting peace is an oasis to them. But, they nurse a belief that with the blessings of Lord Manguesh, the illuminator of wisdom and the eternal form of the ocean of knowledge, their life's ships will come home laden with riches. With deep faith and devotion, divine souls will fall at the feet of the supreme god and seek the kingdom of happiness and a very comfortable worldly life.
According to the Puranas, Narada once while wandering in the cosmos, reached Kailash - the abode of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The Lord was occupying the throne along with Aadimya, and rishis and gods were singing hymns. Narada sought Lord's blessings through the Saamveda ritual. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Shiva showered blessings on Narada, who in turn urged the almighty to narrate to him legends about his manifestations and holy places on earth where the omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient God's presence could be felt.
THE DREAMERIn His dream,they are all awake.But, as He awakens,...slowly, they fade.
where is everyone? Where is everyone, He shouts.
The woods are there, lovely, dark and deep,
of course, He knows whose woods are these.
Then where is His mate?
He starts to wander,
Is this a game? Where is she?
come! Appear! Does she dare disappear?
come back, children’s mother
He trembles with furiousity
come back, or I go wild
trembling rage slips in to
frenzied flight
He’s besides himself now
hurling nothings in the air,
spinning like a top,
hissing like a snake
letting down His hair
It is TANDAVA
there is a scare
He falls,
Lo, at her feet,
exiting the trance now,
where were you? He fumbles.
I was here, watering your woods,
softly she says, stroking His hair
while you fell asleep again.
{From the Book The Yogi and the snake }
Purbo Medinipir, West Bengal
Kali bari, New Delhi
MONEY“I need to ask a few questions about things that are in focus today”, said the snake, “ what about money?”“What about money?” asked the Yogi, “it has always been in focus”.“Well what of it?” asked the snake.“Enjoy money”, said the Yogi, “only, don’t let it deprive you of whatever comes for free, don’t let it deprive you of friendship with the transpersonal doers”.
“Can a moneyed man be spiritual? “asked the snake.
“Why not?” answered the Yogi. “Man has only made the currency. But money is evaluated in terms of what it can buy. Whatever it can buy, wherefrom has all this come? Break everything down to the elements and you are back to Nature again. It can buy food, livestock, tents, a home, gems, metals, contraptions? All these belong to God in any case. Is money unspiritual? No you cannot blame the piece of paper. What goes wrong then?
A moneyed man, a man of means, gets so involved with those means, he forgets the end. He gets so externalized with his fascination of these means, he seldom finds the time ,or has the need to go within; to internalize, to introspect, to meditate; therefore the chances of his making contact with the source, become minimal. He remains joyous with these toys, to which he has easy access. We say he is distracted. Not attracted to the source of joy, within. We say he is deluded. Such a man, is rarely compassionate, indifferent to the welfare of fellow beings, and prone to oppressiveness and unrightful authority. Where there is unrightful authority, there is hell.
But, if such a man, who inspite of his money, doesn’t lose track of the end, doesn’t lose kindness, love and other things that money can’t buy, can he not be spiritual? If a moneyed man uses his money to help others, is he not both moneyed and kind? Will Heaven not welcome him then?” The Yogi smiled.
“So, enjoy money, with a thorough understanding about its limitation. Understand the mystic character of money, it deprives you of what it can’t buy. Do not let it deprive you of harmony.
{From the book The Yogi and the snake}
