MILLENNIUM 2000 – WHAT IT MEANS TO ME
I
When I recite the sankalpa on any day
I am reminded where exactly I stand at that moment, in a space - time
continuum, with reference to the geographical position and the spot on the
indefinite scale of time which has neither a beginning nor an end.
Aadyabrahmana: dwiteeyapararddhe
swetavarahakalpe Vaivasvatamanvanthare ashtavimsatitame Kaliyuge……jaboodweepe
bharatavarshe......
I am in the fifth Kalpa of a segment
of six, called Sveta Varaha. In that Kalpa consisting of 14 Manus
and six Mahayugas, I am in the 8th part called Vaivaswatamanu containing
71 Chaturyugas or Mahayugas. I am in the 28th Mahayuga, comprising
of Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali of which the last is one -
tenth of the whole and I have stepped
into the 5100th year of this Kaliyuga. How can then a Millennium of 2000 mean anything to me? With a perfect
understanding of the Kalaganitha, have not our forefathers taught us
that Time itself is incomparable and immeasurable? The more we look into that vast
expanse of unfathomed depth of space of Cosmos, extending to billions of light
years, do we not feel the presence of that Kalapurusha, the most
impeccable and imperishable?
In that Akhandabrahmanda of Time and
Space, I feel that Millennium 2000 is just a minutest speck of part of a
particle of Kalapurusha. It looks to me as if I am just counting the
sands on the shores of great oceans and have just reached 2000. Time goes, you
say? Ah no! Alas Time stays. We go.
Those of us who will live beyond the last day
of this year will wake up from our dreams into another millennium - 2000. But a
rational thought will assure us that it will be simply entering another fresh
year like the bygone ones and time is a continuum, who can divide it? Again, if
we are not cocksure about the exact date of birth of Jesus Christ, how shall we
be sure about the beginning of the millennium? But if we keep aside all such
arguments, we will surely be the lucky ones to be able to embrace the new millennium
in our life - time which will be a great adventure into the
unknown.
As we endeavour to think about the future, a
look - back becomes inevitable. History has recorded many great events that
took place during the past millenniums; great literary and artistic creations,
wondrous scientific inventions, industrial revolutions, wars and defeats including the two world wars -
the ominous possibility of a third one
sometimes looms large before our eyes. No Ism has been able to solve the human
problems. Even communism has miserably failed. The League of Nations was
ignored, now the UNO is also ignored. Big brothers are often meddling in other
countries’ affairs, bombing them through push-button devices when they are
suffering from their own ethnic problems. Those who are armed to the teeth are
asking others to disarm themselves for peace! Those who gained freedom through
enormous struggles the other day, are now subjugating other free nations like
Tibet.
Men are killing millions of animals not only
for eating, poaching and fun, but also to get rid of the diseases which
affected the animals. Could the animals not be treated? Is it not throwing out
the baby with the bath water? Dalai Lama has recently said this to USA - ‘You talk about democracy, freedom….it’s still the same old
concept - show of force.’ (Hindu
- Dt. 18.4.99).
Science has greatly improved the human
destiny but it has brought untold miseries to human lives. After the recent
killing by students in Littleton School, US President Bill Clinton has addressed the students thus -
‘All of you are exposed to much higher
levels of violence through television, through video games - you can actually
find out how to make bombs on the Internet.’ (Hindu – Dt. 24.4.1999) Terrorism
is the order of the day.
In countries like India corruption,
superstition, illiteracy (30%) and poverty (50%) still rule the society. It is no wonder then that in cast - ridden
Bihar more than 434 persons have been killed in three years in feuds. And does
‘Reservation’ in all walks of life strengthen the society and bring a sense of
equality or create fissures in it?
Scientific and technical developments have
far surpassed the average human consciousness and wisdom which has given birth
to the crisis of civilisation. Man is standing at the crossing of many roads.
But he is a transitional being too, Sri Aurobindo observed.
After the descent of supramental
consciousness in the earth atmosphere in 1956, after it had been brought on his
body by Sri Aurobindo in 1950, Mother had given us a great hope that great
changes will occur in human lives and his consciousness. A greater dawn perhaps
awaits us if we collaborate with the divine plan, resolve to grow from within.
‘All things seem hard to man...
become at once easy and simple when
God in man takes up the contract’
(Sri Aurobindo Aphorism No. 109)
Aju Mukhopadhyay, Pondicherry
The second millennium comes to an end by
2000th year and the third millennium starts. It starts not with a pig bang but
starts as this day from yesterday. There are no marks of division in the
infinite time. We make division of time for our convenience. The invisible
steps of time move silently.
Every age and every era leaves its marks on the sands of time. Great Britain, for instance, has produced great
scientists like Newton, great statesmen like Winston Churchill, great
Philosophers like Bertrand Russell and great poets and dramatists like William
Shakespeare. According to Emerson “every great man is an age, an era and a
century...” and the Britishers have chosen Shakespeare as the man of this
Century because his influence on the minds of men all over the world still
continues.
The object of life for the civilised man is
peace and happiness. This has to be achieved by adventures in wisdom but not in
war and destruction. But the paradox remains. If one man constructs, another
man destroys. The thrill of achievement is counteracted by the shock of dismay.
I cannot better express my view of the
millennium 2000 except by quoting the following lines:
“New times, new climes, new arts, new men,
but still the same old tears, old crimes and oldest ill”.
The words of William Blake further support my
view
“A mark in every face I meet, Marks of
weakness, marks of woe”
Therefore I remain
contented with the soothing words of W. S. Landor, I recall here.
“I warmed both hands before the fire of life, It sinks and I am ready to depart”.
- Dr. C. Jacob, Narasapur.