Present Degradation of Life and Its Interconnections

Gurucharanam Saranam

Present Degradation of Life and Its Interconnections

(From the Teachings of Navajyoti Sree Karunakara Guru)

Navajyoti Sree Karunakara Guru: Nowadays there is a plethora of ideas and their exponents. There are cultists, rationalists and godmen. And there are scholars of every shade making a variety of evaluations. Do you not see much of it in the media? What do you make of it? People do not understand one another. As before even now from one state of ignorance people move on to another.

Disciple: What then do you suggest? What is to be done to correct this situation?
Guru: What is needed here now is not correction—but an awareness of what the situation is. Will any group admit that they are in any way less than the others? If any group is criticized they organize themselves and the worst strains in their behaviour surface. Priests are skillful. Our university professors and principals are qualified in their own right. Theologians and the writers of mythology are all capable. There is one section which particularly believes that only the Vedas and Upanishads are right. They make even taller claims than the others. The rationalists and spiritual liberationists study all this and appear to know everything. What would be the position of someone who has come to know something and is desirous of sharing it? All those mentioned above would behave with him like some poisonous wasps to drive him out.

We should not say that all this is wrong. We should only say that it is right. At a glance it might appear wrong. But if one looks with a discriminating eye, a certain logic becomes apparent. In fact we will begin to think that this is very much right, when we consider the scriptural texts and legends.

All these godmen, rationalists and liberationists are people who would have reincarnated several times through vast periods of time. They would have subscribed to different doctrines and beliefs.

There is another self-important group who feel that they are the ones who are in possession of the actual truth. They are the scientists. Could we who have experienced the benefits of science and witnessed its growth say that their claim is wrong? However with the passage of time they will have to admit that their claim is not entirely right. Take for example some of the modern medicines created in the laboratories. They would be in general use for a while and the scientists themselves would later admit that the medicines have adverse side-effects.

Scientific conclusions are undergoing such rapid changes. In spite of all this there is a large section of people who support science indiscriminately. All these points of view are picked up and used by another group which has grown very strong here.
The fall of the Skylab unsettled people the world over and there were various opinions. We are already aware that science is creating imbalances and has unforeseen hidden dangers. Its attendant technology is filling the air with toxic vapours.

Atmospheric pollution affects human beings, planets and animals; leading to diseases and, probably, to the distortion of the human character. People seem to be already becoming like automatons. That is only natural. We eat the produce from the plants growing in this polluted atmosphere. Needless to say that this will affect not only our body but also our mind!

What we eat does affect our mind. There is ample proof in support of this. Take our artists for example. Many of them cannot write or act unless they are inspired by liquor. Once it goes in, songs burst forth. They might even dance though out of step. They will make up for their lack of natural charms through artificial means. This has become widespread. Even the medical profession is not free from it. Though evolved out of compassion it has drifted far from such life-giving vision. It cannot be wrong to point out this unhappy fact.

It is possible that toxic substances released into the atmosphere gather at certain points. This could lead to unpredictable disasters, because it can easily destroy the effects of the sun or the moon over us.

In this situation what does a person who gains some knowledge do to communicate it to others? It would be a great thing if he is not finished off by all these men swarming in on him.

Disciple: Earlier you mentioned that there is a strong group here which support all these. This is not quite clear.

Guru: You see, among the rich and the poor alike there is a race for the benefits of education. Mostly the children of the rich do not study. By hook or by crook, using money or otherwise they pass some examinations, get a degree and come out to discover a field of activity—politics. They become leaders, travel in cars and airplanes. Rich young men attain this goal and dazzle the world.

Whom does this unsettle? The children of the poor who do not have enough food and clothes! Even they are chasing a world of fantasy. Some of them aspire to be leaders. They turn clichés and platitudes into ideals.

A select among these, watching the whole process, rush for any opportunity they can turn to their advantage. This type uses everyone and everything and grabs power and takes over leadership.

Raising various issues small and big they arrogate power to themselves and push others into submission— into being the guards (outside) their door. This is the class that wholly supports the earlier mentioned groups. Is it not clear that toxic vapours in the environment affect all creatures and envenom their faculties?
If you consider the interconnection of things would the present degradation of life seem an accident to you?

Disciple: If we admit all this to be true, how is one to forge ahead?

Guru: I have been repeatedly telling you that from time to time such great men are born as would establish the wisdom appropriate for the yuga.

Through sacrifice and the grace of God they attain wisdom. After earthly life these jivas ascend to good planets and stellar spheres. These very same souls are born again by the Will of God. As objects of His unbounded compassion they start receiving the asariri. Only those sons who take birth by God’s Grace and Will are able to receive this voice. Only they can bring back to our memory the effulgent words of the Gita, Upanishads and Vedas and so lead us Godwards.

In the ordinary course no one receives the asariri. No matter who he is —a pundit or an ignoramus, a learned man or an unlettered one, a Vedantin or a rationalist. Therefore let us stop this discussion at this point.