Water Supply
By Karmayogi
All-out efforts are made to meet
the water scarcity in the coming summer months. It is commendable that
forethought is evinced instead of waking up late in the day. It is likely that
these serious efforts are rewarded by the skies in a subsequent season.
The Divine begins where Man ends is the rule. But the Divine has the very bad
habit of waiting for Man to exhaust the very last drop of energy and effort.
While there is maximum effort on securing water physically to the city, there
seems to be a complacency in another way. Faith is reposed in physical effort.
It is good, but there is more. What is the reason for water shortage? One may say
the poor monsoon. Or more population is exploiting depleting water resources.
Both are true. There is a greater truth. Water spiritually represents emotion,
especially spiritual emotion – gratitude.
The very first thing man does when he is educated or becomes prosperous is to
move away from God. Education should take man away from superstition, not God.
Prosperity makes man forget God. Wealth is accompanied by problems. When
problems rear their head, the wealthy man tries to solve it by money. A time comes
when Life presents him problems that cannot be solved by money. Still he
struggles. A greater moment arrives when his wealth is itself a problem and he
sees he may lose all his wealth acquired over decades or centuries in one day.
Then he rushes to God and often evokes no response. But he sees the crisis
blows over. Now crises have become permanent in his life. His prayers are
rarely answered. He resorts to all kinds of rituals, and develops sophisticated
superstitions. No devotion wells up from inside.
Water is not scarce in Tamil Nadu or Indiaor even in Madras.
Our rainfall is 40‘-60‘. Even when the monsoon fails, we get over
20‘ or 25‘. Countries with 11‘ of rainfall do not speak of
water scarcity. Our use of water is casual, not one of discrimination. One who
takes up that thread can physically solve the water crisis. Our cities are more
prosperous than thirty years ago. The first development is the drying up of
emotions. At home money becomes of greater value than human affection. In his
inner psychological makeup, man shifts from God to himself. The spiritual
emotion of GRATITUDE to GOD dries up. Religious rituals cannot raise that
emotion. Devotion, piety, truth and sincerity can regenerate Gratitude. There
lies a permanent solution to the water scarcity.