Earth Day — Human greed and Solution
- How living entities on earth are suffering because of human greed?
As per the Hindu theology, the six enemies of the mind also called as Arishadvargas are kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), Mada (arrogance), moha (delusion), and ‘matsarya (jealousy).
Greed comes from the feeling of emptiness. Greed wants to make one acquire everything material to make him think that this will make him happy. In Bhagavad gita, Lord Krishna says “Lust, Anger and Greed are the three gates that lead one to hell. One must give up these qualities” (BG 16.21). “If one can tolerate the urges of desires and anger, he can become happy in this life” (BG 5.23).
As Srila prabhupada mentioned in Elevation to Krishna consciousness — The laws of nature do not allow us to accept more money than is required for proper maintenance. There is ample arrangement by the law of nature to provide every living being with his due share of food and shelter, but the insatiable lusts of human beings have disturbed the arrangement set forth by the Almighty Father of all species of life. By the arrangement of the Supreme Lord, there is an ocean of salt because salt is so necessary for the living being. God has, in the same manner, arranged for sufficient air and light, which are also essential. Anyone can collect any amount of salt from the natural storehouse, but constitutionally we cannot take more salt than what we need. If we take more salt, we spoil the broth, and if we take less salt our food becomes tasteless. On the other hand, if we take only what we require, our food is tasty and we are healthy. Presently there is a great deal of concern over the fact that our natural resources are becoming polluted and exhausted. Actually there is ample supply, but due to misuse and greed everything is being spoiled. What conservationists and ecologists do not understand is that everything will continue to be spoiled by the insatiable lusts of mankind.
Man is therefore suffering due to his insatiable desires and lusts. Not only is man suffering, but the planet on which he resides, his mother earth, represented in Srimad-Bhagavatam by mother cow, is also suffering.
Human being is only thinking of satisfying his greed and not considering the problems being faced by other living entities because of his greed. The motivation for most crimes and sinful activities can be linked to Lust, Anger and greed.
- Greed for Money — Lead to unrestricted and unlawful monetary inflation which is creating a bad economy.
- Greed for false peace — Experiments of nuclear weapons being carried out are costing so many lives.
- Greed for temporary happiness — Destroying kindness and spirituality.
Above all, greed for material sense gratification is rapidly changing the human population into one of psychopaths, neurotics, schizophrenics and maniacs. The greedy and indoctrinated people are not able to see the Truth.
However, the fact is that one will never be satisfied with material possessions. Even if one has all the money in the world, he will not be happy or satisfied.
- How congregational chanting of holy names of lord eradicates greed in humanity?
When men are motivated by the impulse for sense gratification, whatever money is earned is spoiled, being spent for the destruction of the human race is thus wasted by the laws of nature because of man’s aversion to the Lord, who is actually the proprietor of all energies.
Srila Prabhupada wonderfully explains to Lieutenant Mozee (Science of self realization) that The difference between a pious man and a criminal is that one is pure in heart and the other is dirty. This dirt is like a disease in the form of uncontrollable lust and greed in the heart of the criminal. Today people in general are in this diseased condition, and thus crime is very widespread. When the people become purified of these dirty things, crime will disappear. The simplest process of purification is to assemble in congregation and chant the holy names of God. This is called sankirtana and is the basis of our Krishna consciousness movement. So, if you want to stop crime, then you must gather as many people as possible
for mass sankirtana. This congregational chanting of the holy name of God will dissipate all the dirty things in everyone’s heart. Then there will be no more crime.
Also, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.19)
tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ
kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye
ceta etair anāviddhaṁ
sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati
As a result of rajah and tamah, one becomes increasingly lusty and greedy, but when one takes to the process of chanting and hearing, one comes to the platform of goodness and becomes happy.
It is mentioned in the Chaitanya charitamrita as following -
kīrtana-ārambhe prema uthali’ calila
nīlācala-vāsī loka dhāñā āila
When the congregational chanting began, ecstatic love immediately overflooded everything, and all the residents of Jagannātha Purī came running.
So, holy names of god are the absolute truth and non-different from the supreme personality. They have the power to clean the accumulated material impurities including greed. Chanting bestows human beings, Peace of mind, Knowledge of the self, Brings real happiness, Liberation from karma, freedom from reincarnation and the ultimate benefit- Love of god.
Greed for mundane achievements is unfavourable to devotional service (nectar of instructions) whereas Greed for love of god automatically eradicates the greed for material possessions.
Hence, the one solution prescribed for eradicating greed in humanity in this kaliyuga is Nama Sankirtana (Congregational chanting).