“Jis ko bhook hai, uske paas roti nahi hai; aur jiske paas roti hai, ussey bhook nahi hai…”

Swamiji says…

“Nature has adorned Mother Earth with vast oceans, majestic mountains, life sustaining rivers and provided everything else that is required to cater to the needs and wants of the diverse human race. Nature gave us generously, and in abundance, out of its genuine love for us; and we grabbed and took away everything from her, selfishly, without thinking about the repercussions of our insatiable greed. The divine plan between ‘Prithvi’ and ‘Prakriti’ is a glorious sight to behold, as crops and food grains raise their colourful heads on maturing, from tiny seeds and saplings – to treasure stores of nutrition and health – willing to sacrifice themselves -to be roasted, cooked, grilled – all according to man’s palate, to keep man alive and going.”

“And thus, he eats. Man eats to his hearts content. More than what his body needs, and one day he realises that he is bored of eating what is served to him day after day. “Roti, chapati, parantha! How distasteful and unexciting is that to the tongue! ‘A change in menu is needed urgently!” – the children complain. Some pizza or pastry to liven their taste-buds is the order of the day. The delectable food items are to be delivered by a delivery person, who puts his life at risk these days, by traveling through the streets of our cities, during this critical time period, to deliver essential goods and supplies to us. But are pizzas and pastry essential food items? That delivery boy too has his family to think and worry about, but he has to do as ordered and delivers the fancy items with a smiling face. Can’t we exercise some self – control on ourselves during these crucial days? Believe me, if we try, it is not as difficult as we imagine it to be.In sharp contrast, a poor man and his family long for that very ‘roti’ or ‘chapati’ and are more than willing to do anything to get their hands onto that ‘roti’ as their fingers have neither felt nor broken bread in the past few days.”

“As little babies we were spoiled rotten by all those who loved us like crazy. We were pampered little brats! The first demanding wail of hunger from us and the entire household would get into a tizzy to ensure that our food requirements were met. But do we react with the same emotion of care and compassion when we see the poor and hungry scavenging food from rotting, stinking piles of garbage? ‘Gareeb ke paas roti nahi hai. Woh bhooka hai aur zameen se uthaa ke khana kha raha hai , chaat raha hai…parantu doosra insaan jis ke paas sab kuch hai , ussey uss sey koi matlab nahi hai aur ussey doosri cheezain chahiye, khoob ! ‘ Do we pay heed to a heart wrenching voice that cries out in agony as the pangs of hunger reach a point beyond human endurance, and he scoops whatever he finds to eat or drink, with his hands, and gulps it ? Is the growl of a poor man’s hungry stomach, which has not received a grain of food, audible to us? Or are we busy stuffing another bite of an imported savoury into our stomach that is absolutely full ? Can we relate with the parched throats, dry tongue and mouths of the poor that have not tasted a morsel of food for several days? ‘ Woh gareeb insaan khaane ke liye taras raha hai , par zyadatar logon ko unki bhook se, unki taqleef se koi matlab nahi hai ! Gareeb insaan mar jaata hai …uski mrityu ho jaati hai …!’ But then do most of us really care? ‘How can we be bothered as long as and my family and I are doing well!’ – is our policy of well-being.”

” Sansaar ne shiksha ko badhaya hai !” The world talks about good education and boasts of an elite class of the educated lot, but it saddens me immensely to see the uncaring, callous behaviour of a few of the educated, affluent, wealthy people. They have developed an abysmally pathetic attitude towards the poor and believe that – ‘Difficulties and difficult times are for the less fortunate and I, the privileged one, do not fall in the category of the mere mortal; thus, I will happily while away precious hours of these extremely crucial and difficult days faced by humanity, in doing what I enjoy doing the most; drinking alcohol, playing cards, planning out my financial future by investing in blue chip shares and make some quick money. I have to make my family secure in every possible manner.This is my first and foremost duty.’ It is thus not possible to think of anyone else in a schedule as busy as this and, most certainly, not about the poor, needy and helpless ! ‘ Woh gareeb insaan ko insaan nahi samajh rahe hain aur apne aap ko hi dekh rahe hain ! Yeh apne aap ko insaan kehte hain ! “

“Some of us live in utopia and have convinced ourselves that we are immortal. We are of the firm opinion that we will live forever and will evade the embrace of death at any cost…’ Sansaar mein kasht hai, par kuch logon ko koi farak nahi padtah hai … Woh kuch achcha ya bhala nahi karenge…!’ They are so involved in their own ‘chamak-dhamak’ that they do not even spare a moment, to cast a glance at a poor person who is picking up bits of dust covered food from the road, and devouring it gratefully…’ Unki nigaah bhi nahi jaati hai gareeb insaan ki oer…!’ Are they contributing in any way to shoulder and relieve the burden of the suffering ? The thought of extending a helping hand might just not strike them, as they somehow manage to remain detached from all that happens around them. Honest effort and true initiative is being taken by only two to four percent of our citizens …’ Bahut kum log hain joh ki desh ke hitt ke liye, shanti aur gareeb ke udhdhaar ke liye kaam kar rahe hain ! ‘ – who are looking into ways and means of helping those who are suffering with disease and staring at death. What have we become? ‘ Insaan ho , insaaniyat toh matt bhoolo …!”