Man has achieved significant conquests over Nature, but the wild brutal aspect of Nature within has gained possession of man. In their thoughts, ideas and actions, human beings have become worse than animals. The glory of man – compassion, mercy, tenderness, love, forgiveness – is gone.

Around eleven years ago, they first discovered that tampering with Nature leads to disastrous results. And out of it came a new science called Ecology. If the damage to ecology continues in the present rate, there is a chance of man being wiped out from the face of the Earth. The ozone layer is being depleted. We are plundering the Earth completely to get raw materials for large scale production. Science without self-control can only lead to destruction. It is definitely an achievement to have discovered the neutron. However, with that knowledge, we started making weapons to destroy each other. The nuclear monster that they have created is now threatening to destroy the entire Earth.

The purely material outlook and values that have replaced devotion and faith have made man extremely selfish, propagating the philosophy of survival of the fittest, ignoring the needs of the rest. This has brought about maladjustment of the economy the world over, where the rich continue to grow richer and the poor helplessly become poorer and poorer.

I have already mentioned the resultant ecological imbalance, the depletion of the ozone layer in the atmosphere that protects the world from the effects of solar radiation. We hear of untimely rains, failure of monsoon, unseasonal snowfall and so on, upsetting all the plans and calculations made by us.

Man: the Deciding Factor

In Uttarkashi, during my early days, one hefty looking brahmachari told me that there is a valley about 13 kilometers from Uttarkashi – a valley full of beautiful flowers. When the sadhus had time, they would go to the valley of flowers and spend two or three days there. “But,” this man said, “Swamiji, one thing is certain, I will not go into that valley henceforth.” His complaint was that whenever he went there, the valley called out, “You are a fool,” three times.

One day, I went with him to the valley. What he had told me was true. When he cried out, “You are a fool,” the valley echoed, “You are a fool,” three times in a row.

I told him, “Friend, instead of yelling out ‘You are a fool’, call out ‘I love you.’” So, the young brahmachari loudly called out, “I love you,” and kept quiet. Three times the lifeless stony mountains repeated to him, “I love you … I love you … I love you.”

The echo depends upon the sound you make. If you curse the world, the world curses you three times. If you hate the world, you get three times the hatred. If you learn to love the world, three times the love that you can give will be received by you. It is man who is the deciding factor.

Nature reflects man. Until we change, the world is not going to change. Nature is not an inanimate thing, a piece of machinery to be used as you want. It is not a thing to be manipulated, but something to be cherished and nourished, respected and revered. Get your things done, but with His grace and blessings. Approach Nature, the outer world, with the right attitude.

So, when you look into the mirror and do not like what you see, change yourself, not the mirror. The world outside is ruled by, governed by, determined by – you and me. Each one of us is responsible for the condition of the world today. Let us try to change the world by changing ourselves.

Swamiji is the Founder of Chinmaya Mission.