Chaitanya Charan Das Based on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16

We need to evolve if we are not to dissolve by Chaitanya Charan Das Based on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16

The news periodically features scenarios of imminent environmental super-disasters. While some such prophecies may well be exaggerated, there’s little doubt that the environment is on a grave downslide. This downslide will cause a gradual dissolution of humanity by pollution of water, air and food; dying of rivers, aridification of land – factors that have already disturbed, disrupted or even displaced millions. Dissolution is also a kind of destruction, but it is gradual and doesn’t have the drama and trauma associated with sudden, massive destruction.

While climate change is a complex issue with multiple causes, there’s little doubt that indiscriminate human exploitation of nature is a primary cause.

Our actions are determined by our conceptions. As long as humanity defines its progress in terms of its ability to dominate material nature, it will find striving to live in harmony with nature regressive and unpalatable. And human attitude towards nature is not just an issue for governmental bodies and corporate giants. They exploit nature because their customers – we – want what they facilitate or produce: the objects for selfish gratification obtained by exploiting nature. And we cannot but want such objects as long as we believe that we will get happiness by gratifying our senses. The Bhagavad-gita (16.09) states that those who are driven by a materialistic conception of life engage in self-destructive and world-destructive activities.

While political and macro-economic measures for dealing with climate change are not much in our power, still something significant is: our own spiritual evolution. To evolve spiritually means to raise our consciousness and correspondingly our conception of happiness. When we realize our spiritual nature and relish higher happiness thereof through yogic processes for non-material enrichment, we will stop craving and consuming the products of natural exploitation, thereby cutting off the fuel for the disruptive interference in natural balances.