We stand at a critical juncture in history, where the destructive impulses of mankind are becoming more apparent than ever. The raging war between Israel, Hamas, Lebanon, and Iran threatens to escalate into a full-blown regional conflict, endangering countless lives. The natural world, too, has begun to retaliate against our relentless exploitation, as we witness unprecedented floods in the Kosi, Gandak, and Bagmati rivers, ravaging large parts of Nepal and half of Bihar. These catastrophic events are a grim reminder of the landslides that devastated Wayanad, the destruction in the mountainous areas, unexpected floods in Rajasthan and Gujarat etc. All this has happened not long ago, reaffirming my belief that nature’s wrath is a direct consequence of humanity’s careless actions.
At this moment, it is crucial to reflect on the deeper implications of these crises. As I highlighted in my previous blog, our ancient teachings, particularly from the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and Veda have long advised us to remain in harmony with the nature, as the divine dwells is integral to nature:
Rig Veda (10.121.10) speaks of the divine presence in every aspect of nature:
यः पृथिव्यां तिष्ठति योऽन्तरिक्षे योऽदित्येषु यो मनुष्यो अरेः।
यो अप्सु यो वनस्पतिष्व यो विश्वेषु भूतेषु तस्यैते शृण्वन्त्विष्टः॥
Translation:
“He who abides in the earth, in the sky, in the heavenly regions, in the waters, in the herbs and plants, in all creatures—may all those deities listen to our prayers.”
Interpretation:
This verse is not just a poetic expression but a reminder that the divine exists in all elements of nature itself. When profound Hindu philosophy tells us that our bodies are made of five ‘tatvas’ : earth, water, fire or energy, air and sky or space it reminds us to take care of everything that exists within these ‘tatvas’ –both living beings and non-living resources as each of it imbibes the divine. It suggests that worshipping the divine goes hand in hand with protecting the environment, making ecological preservation a sacred duty.
But, we over-smart Human race specialise in reducing everything to mere symbolism to justify our greed. Besides, the delicate balance between human actions and nature’s response, we continue to ignore the profound morals and social behaviour that our scriptures evolved after centuries of experience into guiding verses:
ऋग्वेद (Rigveda) 10.117.6:
“वयं स्याम पतयो रयीणां सुषस्याह्नामुत वर्वतीनाम्।”
Translation: “May we be the protectors of wealth, of the harvest, and of those who have nothing.”
Interpretation: This verse emphasizes the responsibility of human beings to protect and preserve resources—be it material wealth or natural resources like crops. Reducing this responsibility to mere symbolic gestures without genuine action leads to the degradation of society and nature.
ईशावास्य उपनिषद् (Isha Upanishad) 1.1:
“ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत्। तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम्।”
Translation: “All this—whatever exists in the universe—should be covered by the Lord. Protect the Self by renunciation. Do not covet anyone’s wealth.”
Interpretation: This verse underscores the importance of renunciation and the need to avoid greed. The world and its resources belong to the divine, and when humans exploit them for selfish gain, they upset the natural balance, resulting in calamities.
Both these verses highlight the moral obligation of humanity to respect the delicate balance between our actions and nature, and the perils of reducing profound spiritual wisdom to symbolic acts that justify greed and over-exploitation.
In spite of the knowledge being available, today, we find ourselves at the brink of irreversible damage—socially, ecologically, and morally. Our disregard for these principles has led to both conflict and environmental disaster.
The following poem. “ How Would the World End” and its Hindi version “दुनिया का अंत कैसे होगा “ may seem satirical dark humour and somewhat inappropriate for a site, “inspire Positivity”. But it is important to reflect on this dangerous trajectory, for a positive future for the humanity.
Through their verses, they ask a question that haunts us all: in what manner are we choosing to end our world? Will it be through wars, environmental destruction, or technological catastrophe? The choice remains ours, and so do the consequences.
English Version:
अंग्रेजी संस्करण:
How Would the World End
Gods came to humans and asked,
“How would you like the world to end?
You created all possible conditions
And confused us about your preferred trend.
Raging fires, landslides,
Or would you prefer floods?
Glacial melts or rising seas—
Die with that, should you please.
Maybe poisonous air you created
By causing monstrous pollution,
To suffocate and die,
Might interest you as a solution.
Maybe you wish to be destroyed
By the robots you create,
Or you wish to cannibalize each other—
Is it until then we should wait?
Maybe you prefer a death
Through artificial intelligence,
Or just by nuking each other
Would make for you more sense.
The humans are busy searching
Google on the internet:
What is the best way to die?
What shall be their best bet?”
हिंदी संस्करण:
दुनिया का अंत कैसे होगा
देवता आए मनुष्यों के पास,
पूछा, कैसा अंत तुम्हें चाहिए खास?
तुमने खुद सभी हालत बनाई हैं,
और हमारे मन की उलझन बढ़ाई है।
आग उगले या धरती फटे,
या अच्छे लगें जलप्रलय के झटके?
ग्लेशियर पिघलें, समुद्र उफनें,
इस तरह मरना चाहोगे क्या हंसते-हंसते?
या चाहोगे ज़हरीली हवा से मौत
जो फैलाते तुम प्रदूषण रोज़,
घुटन से क्या तोड़ना चाहोगे दम,
सुझाओ हमें अगला कदम।
शायद तुम्हारा नाश हो
तुम्हारे बनाए रोबोटों से,
या एक-दूसरे को खाओगे,
और नयी रीति बनाओगे?
शायद तुम्हें भाये
कृत्रिम बुद्धि से मरना,
या एक-दूसरे पर एटम बम गिराकर,
मौत से साक्षात्कार करना।
मनुष्य लगे हुए हैं खोजने में,
गूगल पर जवाब पूछने में,
कैसे मरना है सबसे बेहतर?
दैविक न्याय से बेखबर?”
– विजय कुमार ढींगरा
Conclusion:
We find ourselves at a crossroads, witnessing the destructive tendencies of the human race, as wars, environmental calamities, and technological perils threaten to endanger our very existence. The escalating conflict between Israel, Hamas, Lebanon, and Iran, coupled with recent floods in Kosi, Gandak, and Bagmati, and the devastation caused by landslides in Wayanad, are stark reminders that our actions have severe consequences. The Earth is retaliating against our relentless exploitation, much like it did in the past with floods in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Our ancient scriptures have long reminded us of the delicate balance between human action and nature. The profound wisdom of texts like the Rig Veda and Isha Upanishad speaks to the divine presence in all elements of nature and urges us to act in harmony with the environment. As seen in the verse from Rig Veda (10.121.10):
“यः पृथिव्यां तिष्ठति योऽन्तरिक्षे योऽदित्येषु यो मनुष्यो अरेः।
यो अप्सु यो वनस्पतिष्व यो विश्वेषु भूतेषु तस्यैते शृण्वन्त्विष्टः॥”
Translation: “He who abides in the earth, in the sky, in the heavenly regions, in the waters, in the herbs and plants, in all creatures—may all those deities listen to our prayers.”
This verse teaches us that worshipping the divine and protecting the environment go hand in hand. However, in our over-smartness, we have reduced these teachings to mere symbols, justifying greed while ignoring our duty to preserve the Earth and its resources.
As the Isha Upanishad (1.1) states:
“ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत्।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम्॥”
Translation: “All this—whatever exists in the universe—should be covered by the Lord. Protect the Self by renunciation. Do not covet anyone’s wealth.”
This emphasizes renunciation and warns against selfish exploitation, cautioning us that the world’s resources belong to the divine, not to individual greed.
Today, despite the availability of this knowledge, we are on the brink of irreversible damage—socially, ecologically, and morally. Wars, environmental degradation, and unchecked technological advances are all outcomes of our dangerous tendencies. These self-destructive impulses are hauntingly captured in my poems, “How Would the World End” and its Hindi version “दुनिया का अंत कैसे होगा.”
While these poems may seem like dark humor, they compel us to reflect on our choices. Will humanity end itself through war, ecological disaster, or perhaps by the very technologies it creates? The answer lies in our actions, and the consequences will be ours to bear.
Inspire Positivity 