RRDS

 

DEDICATION

 

The 2000 Dharma Karma Publication is dedicated to my

(Aajaa) (Grandfather) and Aajee (Grandmother)

 

My Grandfather was a very reserved and unassuming person. He grew up with the late Giawh Sadhoo in Khalay, Charlieveille. He lived all over the country and spent his last years at Calcutta Road, Couva. He was very respectable and never liked conflict with others. He was the father of eight children, four boys and four girls. His sons are Raam, Latchman, Krishna and Deo.

 

He was an outstanding drummer and a beeraha singer He was an exceptionally good cook. One of the most memorable part of his life was “praan na jaaye varu vachan najaaye” — his word was as good as his life, he always kept to his word.

 

He was the mamoo (uncle) of the late Bhadase Sagan Maharaj, Pundits Saloon Maharaj, Kundan, Dilraj, Basdeo aud others. He was the cousin of the late Vyaas.

 

My Grandmother, Ramkalia was the daughter of the late Ramoutar Sadhoo of Felicity, Chaguanas.

 

Pundit Samsundar Ramdeen

 

As we prepare for the new millennium we should spend some time and review our achievements and re-evaluate our aims and objectives as a people. Within the last three decades we have witnessed a breakdown in discipline, education and morality. However no one is prepared to take the responsibility for this unpleasant situation and the buck has been continually passed around hoping to find a scapegoat.

 

Another major contributing factor is “HUMAN RIGHTS’. Any sane society will interpret this as being the rights of the population, however, it pertains to every one except the law abiding community. Instead of utilizing our time and resources to feed and educate our people we are spending millions to sustain the criminals.

 

The criminals’ justice system has become clogged because of the large number of people entering this grouping. As the intelligent solution we are expanding the jails, police stations and court houses. To compliment this solution, we have taken away the rights of the parent, guardian and teacher.

 

If we are really serious about having a disciplined and cohesive society, we must go to the root of the problem and stop wasting our resources with dressings. As a youth, any adult could have disciplined me for doing something wrong and I dare not report this at home because the punishment would be doubled. The teacher represented discipline. If a teacher crosses the limit with the method of discipline, we should deal with the particular situation rather than taking away the right of all teachers to discipline. How come we do not ban the use of the car after a road fatality? Why don’t we ban sea bathing after a drowning? The law puts a man out of his own house because he tries to maintain some discipline in his house. More people die of lung cancer than domestic violence but we consider it macho to smoke.

 

Psychiatrists are proving today that a firm ruling hand in the house maintains cohesion and discipline in the family. This excludes the alcoholic or drug addict parent who takes advantage of those at home. What has actually happened in the process is that discipline has been grouped together with domestic violence and we end up allowing a free for all in the society. Women appreciate men who can call the shots more than those who are yes men. Of course there would be exceptions to every rule.

 

What we have seen over the last few decades are:

 

·        Men with cigars in their mouths lecturing about the dangers of smoking.

·        Single and divorced people counseling married couples.

·        People without children making rules for parents.

·        Governments spending millions to rehabilitate the criminals and totally disregarding the victims.

 

The age old saying “spare the rod and spoil the child” still holds true today and will continue to be the way logo in the new millennium. Those who object will support its use in the prisons but not in the home. A whipping at home would be carried in the press as a criminal act but when it is ordered by the Courts it is regarded as rehabilitation.

 

Charity begins at home and so too must be discipline. Discipline means a lot of things at home in relation to the individual child. You cannot use the same yardstick to measure every child not even in the same home. Therefore it would be impossible to use the same measuring tool for the children of the nation. Human behaviour varies from individual to individual. This is the reason for the different methods of discipline. Sometimes a stem look would be enough for one child whereas a severe whipping would not work for another child.

 

In the same way the sight of a policeman could maintain peace for some, whereas it means nothing for others. Some greet the law officer with encouraging words while others use insults and abuses. This is so because there are good and bad on both sides of the law. Why is the police service not disbanded when an officer abuses the privileges of the law?

 

As we stand on the threshold of the new millennium, let us take a serious view of the systems in place in order to make the necessary adjustments so that we would be able to redirect and reform our new generation.

 

Pundit Samsundar Ramdeen

 

In order to create this universe, the Lord took form as Energy known as Shakti. This energy evolved Akash, (ether/sky). Then came Vayu (wind). Agni (fire), Apah (water) and Prithvi (earth). Thus the Pancha Bhootas (five great elements) evolved the gross phenomenal universe.

 

Forest, at one level, means the world. It includes the whole creation. You are also part of this forest. Sages dwelt in these forests, living simple, austere lives in search of spiritual perfection. Living with them beneath these trees were their students, who could learn the Vedic truths in perfect natural surroundings, reminded in a thousand ways of the all pervading presence of God.

 

Because they lived in the forest, the early Vedic teaches attached great importance to trees. Beneath a tree was the correct place for a disciple to receive spiritual instruction from a guru. The tree was the symbol of patience and tolerance. This tradition of valuing trees was passed on to Indian culture and led to a subtle ecological relationship between human communities and the forest community of trees, other plants and animals. The basis of this relationship was the recognition of the rights of plants and forest-dwelling animals to a life of their own, free from exploitation from people. Human society depended on the forest for survival and prosperity and therefore they had to protect it. Furthermore the forest was a place of peace and harmony with God where the spiritual goals of life could be pursued by the forest sages.

 

Most of the world’s greatest religions recognize the importance of the environment. Hinduism, in particular, is steeped in nature. We originate from nature, we depend on nature for our needs, we worship nature, we utilize ingredients from nature in our prayers, and at the end of life, we return to nature.

 

Pooja is a means of initiating contact with God. In the worship ceremony, the five elements are represented in the pooja materials. Fire is represented in the flame of the deeyas; wind by the smoke of the incense, earth by the ground that one sits on; water by the abhishekam; ether is formless.

 

The offerings of fruits, flowers, coconut and Panchamrita have their own significance. So too the ringing of the bell and the offering of Aarti. Such worship renders the worshipper fit to receive the grace of the Guru, and through Him, the grace of God.

 

Our holy texts are replete with references to nature and the environment. The Sree Guru Charitra describes the lives and teachings of Sree Pada Vallahha and Sree Nrisimha Saraswati, two incarnations of Lord Dattatreya in the 14^th and 15^th centuries as they wandered in the forests and on river banks giving darshan. Each avatar of Lord Dattatreya is intended for the welfare of all creatures. As His mission has to be carried out as long as creation exists, lie does not lay down His body and leave for His heavenly realm, hut goes on wandering from place to place. Thus Lord Dattatreya is the eternal Avatar of Gods spirit of self-dedication to the salvation of all creatures.

 

The major focus of the epic Ramayana is on Lord Rama’s 14 years of adventure in the forest. Lord Vishnu took several forms, including those of animals, to save the world and protect Dharma. Lord Krishna is epitomized by the forests of Bindravan which He protected for the great souls found therein.

 

The whole universe is the manifestation of the Lord. In Bhagawat Gita 10:39 the Lord said, “I am the seed of all existence. There is no being, moving or still, that exists without Me”.

 

On the Vedas, it is written, “Trees are like good people who care for others. They have to keep standing in the sun while they give shade to others. Whatever fruits they bear they do not eat themselves, but give them to others. How kind they are.”

 

In the Holy Quran, it is stated, “Waste not by excess, for God loveth not wasters.”

 

And in the Holy Bible, the Lord said, ‘Hurt not the earth, neither the sea nor the trees.”

 

All of these religious texts contain ample evidence of God’s love for the environment.

 

For human beings, the environment can be divided into three main components: physical, social and spiritual.

 

The Physical Environment

This consists of our planet’s land, air, water, plants, animals and people. These are all interdependent and strive to co-exist in a state of ecological balance. We are only the custodians of the Earth’s resources for present and future generations.

 

The Social Environment

Human beings interact and are dependent on other people and society to satisfy our needs. Character is the foundation of human relationships. Trust is the key toward fostering cooperation.

 

The Spiritual Environment

Life is an indivisible whole, and combination of the laws of Karma and a God-given gift of free choice. We are blessed to be on Earth in human form, each with an Atma which is a part of the Paramatma, and here for a limited time according to God’s grace. His aim is for us to live a purposeful life, the essence of which is spirituality.

 

Pilgrimage, fire sacrifice and other aspects of Hindu life have many dimensions. These rituals were designed symbolically to create a healthy relationship with the three environments. Hindus say “Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti” meaning “Peace, Peace Peace alter every prayer. The first “shanti” means peace with nature and ecological peace. The second means peace in society, between human beings, communities, nations and peoples. The third means peace within myself, spiritual peace. Ecological peace, social peace and spiritual peace --- for the Hindu, environment embraces all three.

 

Mahatma Gandi believed that any discussion of environmental values had to include economics, and the village economics of India gave a practical example of an environmental way of living. He felt that in order to resolve the environmental problems which beset society, we had to examine the connection between our environment and our way of life. Gandhiji taught that to waste was the greatest sin. One should only take from the world what one needed and no more. There is enough in nature for everyone’s needs, not for everyone’s greed. Both of these ideas were based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.

 

Sri Swami Ganapati Sachchidananda, in the tradition of Lord Dattatreya, respects Nature and advocates the non-duality of life. His healing music in the form of ragas comes from nature. His herbal therapy is also based in nature. Sri Swamiji participates in tree planting ceremonies to commemorate special events wherever He travels, and as recently as August 15, 2000, planted two trees in Trinidad to mark the 53rd anniversary of India’s Independence.

 

In delivering the feature address at a World Environment Day celebration on June 5th, 1993, in Trinidad, Sri Swamiji identified Lord Shiva as the world’s first environmentalist for having swallowed the poison which came out of the churning of the ocean during the creation of the world. This enabled life to go on for all beings.

 

Quite recently, Sri Swamiji also stressed that people should focus on the Family and the Environment in order to create a better world.

 

In conclusion, Sri Swamiji says that Nature is made of the five elements. Lord Dattatreya is also the five elements. Out of love, He created Nature. Sometimes this creation is understandable, sometimes miserable, and sometimes it is like a drama, a divine play.

 

Each of us has a duty to care for the environment in God’s name.

 

Jaya Guru Datta.

 

Prepared by Antony Rajendra Ramnarine

Professional Forester and Environmentalist