Self-restrain and environment

Few months back in a symposium on environment the main speaker in his speech said that regarding environment people are greatly concerned, and on this issue debates are going on, conventions are being held all over the world. But all these things are now getting to be a matter of joke either, for whole world is looking that the things continue getting from worse to worst, let alone improved. Last days I underwent an experience that reminded me of the symposium and the views expressed by the speaker in that. What happened that I went to the city to consult the doctor about an ailment I suffered. On reaching the clinic I parked my scooter and went inside to get the coupon. Having done that, as I came out of the clinic to wait outside for my turn what I found was that where with other two wheelers my scooter was parked now there, stopping their exit and almost in the middle of the road, was standing a car, while its owner was neither inside the car nor around it. The thing was that in this condition the scooter could have been taken out only when one were to have that much power in the arms as to lift it out from there. I ran my eyes around so that I could catch the sight of the owner of the car. Him though I could not find, but meanwhile where my attention drawn was that more cars likewise were recklessly parked all over there, almost in the middle of the street — in some owners were not there; in some owners were there, or they showed at least that much decency as to leave their drivers there on the driving seats. “No matter we want not to be left behind from rest of the world in the accumulation of luxurious items like cars, AC, refrigerators and so on, but how far the norms of their consumption be left behind by us this hardly matters to us”— as my mind was possessed of these thoughts that my mobile rang up. The call was from my one friend. In conversation with him I knew that on that day his sister had her birthday, and her husband was about to present a car to her as a gift!

“But they already have one car in their family?” I asked him, surprised.

“Ugh! What of it — even their son is insisting upon a separate Bolero car to be purchased for him, while he is still unemployed”— was his reply, of course came as more perplexing one to me. Yet, now this was not difficult for me to understand the cause behind the problem I underwent that day on that parking space in front of clinic.

The family of the sister of my friend whom we are talking about in all consists of three— her husband, son and herself. Husband is an engineer, while sister is well-educated and a house-wife. Whole family is very religious; and initiated from a guru [religious master] either. In learning the so-called lesson of self-control from their guru, family spared nothing. The effect of which could be seen in their eating-habits. Garlic, onion, potato, brinjal and what not they left to consume as a testimony to their religiosity! When it comes to keep fast, passing the day only on water was no great a thing for them to do. Now if such family begins to add the cars like this then who would not fill with surprise! Forsaking the edible things is the first lesson, the first step to set out for higher journey of emulating self-restrain in the life — this their guru must have taught them, whether they thought it wise to keep it in their minds it is different matter.

All the living and non-living things endowed by the nature are mutually dependent and receive sustenance from each other. Keeping this doctrine of co-existence into account to what extent other part of the world regulated their life-style that may be the matter of debate. But we made it very basis of our life-philosophy that’s true. Only due to this or, in other words, so that environmental balance may not be disturbed so much emphasis is laid upon self-control ,and upon restrained consumption here in our country. Expounding the importance of dana[giving or charity] Taitreyaupnishad says— “ Give out of faith. Give no matter you don’t have faith. Give even with the sense that this would earn glory to you. Give out of shame [means, with the thought that what people would say if I don’t do so]. Give out of fear [that lest people might loot you if not done so]. Give out of knowledge or righteousness.” In the nutshell of the teaching is to imbue an individual with the sense of caring others or, in other words, with the virtues of self-control, and with restrained consumption as said earlier.

Today America has the population of 32 crores, and about half of it that is 14 crores car it has. Above this the car that can carry the load of 5000 pounds it is being used to carry only one person with weight of only about 150 pounds. This ends the need of finding another instance of what is called colossal wastage of energy. By now very little portion of population in our country own the cars, and condition is that those having the hobby of driving the car know no better place than leaving the car in the middle of the road. If this modal of America of prosperity is continued to be emulated like this then what days we would have to see that could be imagined. And as far as environment is concerned then what good the conventions or government or government schemes alone would do to it the previous experiences are enough to know it. But yes, by improving upon our habits at personal level we could of course hope for better results.

Er.Rajesh Pathak