«How to apply for a US Patent ? | Main | How Cosmic Forces Shape Our Destinies, by Nikola Tesla, New York American, February 7, 1915 »
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Sai Baba on Natural Disasters - Part 1
* Many natural catastrophes are entirely due to man's behaviour. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wars, floods and famines and other calamities are the result of grave disorders in Nature. These disorders are traceable to man's conduct. Man has not recognized the integral relationship between humanity and the world of Nature.
* Scientists today are exploring the powers of nature with a view to enjoying them without limit. They want to bring all those powers under human control for their unrestricted enjoyment. This is responsible for so many of the natural disasters which we witness today.
* Today in many parts of the world Nature is causing various disasters such as earthquakes, famines, floods and volcanic erruptions. What is the reason? The spiritual lapses of man account for these calamities. Disturbances in the heart (human heart) are reflected in earthquakes.
* What is the cause of droughts and floods which occur in the world? Man seeks to enjoy the benefits of Nature which has grave consequences. Here you have a globe. If you hit it one way, its balance is disturbed. We should always see to it that the utilizsation of natural resources a proper balance is kept. Execessive use in one direction will result in harm in another direction.
* The Lord does not test a man just for fun: He does not pile calamity on calamity because He enjoy it. Examinations are held, to measure achievement and award marks and honours. You must ask to be examined, so that your progress may be recorded.
* Let me tell you one more thing: Nothing can impede or halt the work of this Avathaara... Formerly when the Govardhanagiri (mountain) was raised aloft by a little boy, the gopis and gopalas realised that Krishna was the Lord. Now, it is not one Govardhanagiri, a whole range will be lifted, you will see! --- Sathya Sai Speaks Vol.3 new ed. p. 92
* I will have to forego the car and even the aeroplane when I move from place to place, for the crowds pressing around them will be too huge; I will have to move across the sky; yes, that too will happen, believe Me." --- Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. II, p. 92
* Everything that happens in the world happens according to the laws of Nature. Nature is the creation of God. It operates by its own discipline and it will never cross its limitations. And, I will not interfere because it is My creation. Therefore I don’t allow any transgression of the laws of Nature. So earthquakes, fires, floods, etc. all happen as per the laws of Nature. But, to go to the help of the poor and needy is Love for man. So, what happens in the world is the law of Nature. What a man should do is to have this idea of ‘Love of man’ towards those that suffer -- the poor and the needy.
* Today, man has limitless desires. He has become very greedy and he is exploiting Nature. He keeps extracting metals from the fathomless depths of the earth. He digs deeper and deeper, thousands and thousands of feet, to extract ores and metals out of Mother Earth. Then, he also goes deep into the ocean to extract kerosene and petrol. As a result, the balance of earth is gone. When earth’s balance is gone, then there are floods. When there is shallowness and hollowness in different parts of earth, it leads to earthquakes. So, the earthquakes and floods are of man’s making. God has not done anything. All of these things are a sort of reaction to man’s atrocities -- his exploitation of Nature, his greediness and miserliness, which are due to limitless desires.
* A student asked, “So, Swami, is it bad to have desires?“. Swami smiled compassionately and said, “You can have desires, but only a limited number of desires -- not too many. When you need some water to drink, a tumbler of water should be enough; you don’t have to bring the whole river here. So also, if a man has limited desires, then he will not exploit Nature, which causes the natural calamities. After all, if you work with both of your hands, if you work hard, can’t you feed a single stomach? Can’t you feed your single belly? But man does not work, and he has become highly selfish and full of limitless desires. And today, as science improves day-by-day, control over the senses is lost day-by-day. That is a cause for all these tragedies."