Disasters bring questions and no answers

Natural calamities continue. Two years back it was Uttaranchal, now it is Nepal.It is paining to see thousands of people losing precious lives,or parts of the body or being left homeless.
While there are accidents due to human errors, these natural disasters like earth quakes, storms and floods affect many parts of the world.
While a few that have escaped are grateful to God for having blessed with narrow escape, persons affected heap curses on the same god. The same word PROVIDENCE( which is defined as foresight and benevolent care of God) is used both by survivors and victims.
My classmate lost her 23 year old husband in Ariyalur Train disaster in 1956.A misinterpreted telegram forced him to take the trip.Another man missed the train as the taxi got into some repairs on the way to station.The person who was cursing the nonpunctual driver the previous night, met him the day next, gave him some money for saving his life and he was only late and not 'late so and so.'.Thanks to the repairs.

If God is really good, why he makes thousands suffer ? Is He seeing tamaasha when lakhs suffer?If it is the bad karma, what makes different people from different parts of the world with same bad kaarmic effects get assembled in the place of disaster only to meet their end?
People who read the news from the news papers may simply comment" It is Destiny.Yama has dragged them there.All are kaarmic influences" and so on.They also may quote verses from Gita and say every one born has to die one day.But the plight of the family which has lost the bread winner, and the dear children and those who have lost their limbs is really pitiable. All the sympathies and financial help may vapourise in a few days,the victims are left for themselves and the disaster would remain an undeletable scar.

One can give long lectures on God, Destiny. Free Will and Karma .But the victims can never be convinced of the transcient nature of the world, The indestructible soul and so on.For them God becomes a tyrant interested in seeing them suffer.Very often it is said that people make their own destiny. This cannot be justified when thousands get caught under volcano, earth quakes, floods etc.What is their fault?

Natural Disasters that appear to have been created by God,the omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent?
Can't He stop all these things and create a disaster free world?
No, say the scientists.
, it turns out that a molten interior of the earth is absolutely essential to the existence of life. The independent rotation of the molten interior of the earth results in a magnetic dynamo that produces a charged field (magnetosphere) around the earth. This magnetic field protects the Earth from radiation bombardment. If this shield were not present, life would not be possible on the Earth.

Most people think that floods are evil and have no redeeming properties. In fact, some rivers throughout the world used to flood every year. The flooding brought much needed silt and minerals to the surrounding land, making it more fertile.Artificial manuring started only after dams were started building.

The high energy electrical discharge during lightning helps splitting of nitrogen molecules and make it available in plenty to plants.

Actually all the natural disasters represent the design of an intelligent creator.If God decides to do away with natural disasters, this earth will become unfit to be occupied by human beings.

As we look around the world, or watch and read the news, practically almost all the nations are affected by some kind of natural disaster. Floods are displacing millions of people, forest fires are destroying thousands of acres and burning out of control, earthquakes continue to force people to live in fear, and tornadoes and hurricanes have become more fierce and numerous than ever. And if that is not enough, droughts are causing massive crop damage and water shortages.

From a spiritual perspective, when we ask "Where is God in all of this?" we must understand that to blame God for the way the world works is our own ignorance.

Natural disasters go on in varying degrees on a daily basis, whether we notice them or not. Nature also means neutral, and it acts in whatsoever way it does to provide balance, even if it may seem cruel, as in the way stronger animals feed off the weak. That is a law of nature, and however cruel it may seem to be, in this world that is how balance is maintained in many cases so that certain species do not overpopulate. In this and so many other ways, nature acts in a way to help maintain balance in this world.

So when natural disasters hit humanity, it forces us to become more clear regarding the temporary nature of this world, Loss is no easy thing in one’s life, but better to go through stages of preparation than to be tested only at the very end of our lives at the time of death when it may be more difficult than ever to lose everything you hold dear. We need to be ready to go forward into the next realm rather than being held back by all the longings we have for the attachments we have accrued in this life.


This is how there is some good in any situation, regardless of how awful it may seem. God does many things in one move, or one act. And in one major event, so many things may have been put into motion for many positive things to take place in the long run. Sometimes we can see tramendous changes in the lives of the psyche of innumerable people in the world that may have been affected by whatever event has happened, .There arises a special drive to meet the new challenge that they have to face. In this way, there is hope for a new vision, a new awareness, a new spirit of cooperation and view of each other.

For example, when a tornado destroys a neighborhood or town, everyone has to drop their ego and their differences in order to work together to make things operate smoothly again. So many trees may have been blown over, dropping electrical lines and stopping the flow of power or communication. Then people must work together to help clean up, get things working again, or check on the elderly to see if they are all right. The bond of love is apparent.

But is not that the case with life in general? Sometimes we forget, until a natural disaster again forces us to take a second look at who we are, who are our neighbors, and possibly with less judgmentalism than before. So sometimes we must get hit on the head, so to speak, to force ourselves to look at who we are and where our life is taking us

It is strange that sometimes this will not happen unless some major turning point takes place in our lives. These things show how well the world can move when we cooperate, when we acknowledge our need for each other and also our joy at being needed or giving to a higher cause by helping others.


In this way, the tragedy itself, whatever it may be, will have made us more humble, more cooperative, and a kinder person. It makes us realize our vulnerability, both individually and collectively. It makes us realize how fragile life can be, and how we should also appreciate whatever blessings we have. It forces a reassessment of who we are and, if we learn the lesson properly, gives an opportunity for a voluntary renewal in our spirituality.
. Do we merely have to change our vision and the values that we have to again begin to move in the right direction?
Is this snippet written from an airy hall in early cool hours capable of giving any relief to the victims?Will the dry philosophy restore normalcy in their lives?Will it wipe the tears of those who have lost the near and dear?Questions-questions everywhere-not a satisfactory answer.

Jayasala 42

 

Dear Viswa,
Thank you for the response.The reason attributed may be true to an extent. But people who have constructed high raised buildings for commercial/residential purposes are totally different from the innocent poor or the pilgrims who have been trapped?Is it not injustice? Can it be attributed to different karmic consequences operating at same centre, for reasons well known to God only.?
Is it possible to declare all the severe seismic prone zone should be totally inhabitable? If pilgrims avoid such places, such huge deaths might have been avoided.But pilgrimage seems to be the main source of income.Rating the consciousness level and ranking it below 20% cannot bring any solace to the suffering.
All the pilgrimages at Himalayan ranges, all the hill resorts intended for relaxation, all the trekking squads ,all mountaineering activities should be totally banned and all the people living in such zones should be given alternate source of living in some other area. Let mother nature live alone and enjoy herself.Is it a practical reality?

Jayasala 42

 

Dear Joylokhi,
Thank you for your response. At the most we can send money which will hopefully reach them.The relief measures would be avaialble only for a few days at the most.When rescue operations move away,everything will be forgotten and the media will be focussing on some other event,Swamijis start lecturing about lust and desires.Sufferings will continue just as in Bhopal tragedy.
Let us thank our stars that we have not been victims.All our explanations seem to be only lip service.

jayasala 42

 

Dear Pushpa,
As you rightly said, whatever be the reason attributed,it is a great loss to humanity.May God help the survivors strength of mind to come out of the crisis. With such huge deaths, epidemy is likely spread.It will take quite a few months for restoration.

Jayasala 42

 

Dear Poetlatha,
If the disaster is man made or human errors we can blame them.Otherwise we have to face the disaster silently. As long as we or any of our near relative is not involved, we can talk all spiritual things. Once we become victims, it is very difficult to get compromised. All Gitas, scriptures and our knowledge about karmic consequences may not come to our rescue in times of grief.We have to grieve and grieve and in due course we get consoled.That is life.

Jayasala 42