Global Sustainability from VedasYunan Misr Roma sab mit gaye jahan se Baki hai lekin ab bhi namo nishan hamara Kuch baat hai ki hasti mitati nahin hamaari Sadion raha hai dushman doure zaman hamara This observation was made nearly 100 years ago, by poet Iqbal, and is equally relevant to day, when the entire world is in search for a possible alternate model for sustainability. What is it that is different in the Indian ethos, which has prevented the demise of Indian society in to the oblivion? After millennia of repressive forces, the resurgent India is again raring to go. What is it that has sustained the Indian continuity, not withstanding all the accompanying social evils, exploitation, poverty and deprivation? What can we learn from the 'intrinsic strengths of India'? In what manner are our future growth strategies required be different from the models available from the 'developed' world? Advances and innovation of science and technology have enabled dazzling progress in the physical life style of the developed world. This has also entailed unsustainable but selfish and shortsighted exploitation of natural resources. This very attractive western life style model instills a search and propels an admiring pursuit for replicating it in the developed world also.

On closer scrutiny it is noted that this enticing life style has also simultaneously increased the social strife in the society. The importance and need for cash money has gained unnecessary importance. Home grown bounties of pastoral lifestyle, that were available in the past without cash expense, are being fast displaced by market economy and big business forces. The widening urban- rural divide is forcing the farmers to penury and malnutrition, not only in India but all over the world. The gap between the rich and the poor is ever widening. On closer scrutiny it is found that the riches of the 'developed' are built upon not only brute 'exploitation' of nature, but also on exploiting the poorer, less informed sections of societies the lesser beings. In a totally greed for money driven, business climate Big business financial irregularities seem unstoppable. Crimes against Society, Children, Women, and the neglect of elderly people are ever growing. Widespread malnutrition affects not only large sections of humans in rural societies but also the live stock there. Host of newer diseases are keeping pace with modern developments. World was just taking a respite from Mad cow disease, when suddenly Bird flue hit us. We are hardly past the menace of Bird Flue that a Swine Flue has emerged. These evils are brought upon the society by the big centralized food sector business. Where is the justification for the entire society to pay for preventing and fighting these evils? All Society of was not the beneficiary like the business share holders in the bounties of the big business profits. Is this Poverty and Social strife the other end this form of industrialism ? It is recognized that strategies of growth through industrialism have come to us, via Christianity. It can not be denied that in its wake it has created simultaneous social and ecological instabilities and has also contributed to a dehumanized life style.

"Greed especially for money is good" is the message of this Industrialism. Its infectious preaching, notwithstanding the fact is that greed is also at the root of all evils both social and physical. Greed is also one factor, which propels the systems to aim for faster and bigger rates of growth, arbitrarily measured as GDP. Any mathematician will tell you that with ever increasing rates of growth you have a divergent series on your hands. Mathematically a divergent series leads to an unstable system. One can already notice in a way, the signs of this instability in the global meltdown. The present system lacks sustainability, social, physical and ecological. Pastoral life style is considered backward. Progress is seen as an urban phenomenon. Lands of agriculturists are being increasingly converted in to urban estate. On social plane Old people care problem, greater Disparities, Poverty, Deprivation, Exploitation of women and children are one end of this developed society. On physical plane, ecological problems are the manifestation of this form of Industrialism. We have to redefine our objectives. To ensure sustainability we have to plan for a different paradigm of Industrialism and also find a sustainable rate of growth. For Christianity (more in context of Pope's message for the Roman Christianity) poverty, deprivation, and consequential maladies offer opportunities to spread the word of Jesus for the salvation of unfortunate non Christians. Their object is to earn the conversion of grateful recipients of Christian charity. It is Greed that gains new converts which propels growth of Christianity. It is almost like a political party trying to widen its vote bank. This is almost like first spreading a disease and then pushing your sales of medicines as a cure. They do not want to spread the wisdom and opportunities for the poor and deprived to bring about a positive change in

their life style and in turn to be free from hunger and disease. A very similar parallel can be cited with labor union movement in India. Workers Unions in India only want to enhance the greed of the workers for higher wages, without making any attempt to enhance the skill base of the work force to improve their productivity to justify a larger share in their earnings. Similarly there is no attempt to improve life skills and knowledge base in Indian education system. All education is reduced to aim for getting only a paper certificate. It is also like the Indian governments giving continuous pay commission awards to increase salaries of the baboos, with an eye on the next election, with no simultaneous effort to enhance the productivity, efficiency and public service elements in the performance. The run away inflation in food commodities does not appear to lend to any controls. The ever widening gulf between poor and rich are unavoidable in the present model of growth. Accompanying higher rates of inflation, social strife, and urban white collar crimes, are a manifestation of the instability inherent in the system. India had its own Vedic Strategy for development of society Rig Veda 10.47 are the hymns covering the subject of strategies for attaining (immutable) prosperity ; The Rig Veda 10.47 has eight mantras with a common refrain ending in ( may we be blessed with wondrous prosperity) This hymn enumerates the entire Vedic strategy for immutable sustainable wellbeing for all. ( for ourselves We seek to be able to earn and be blessed with heavy wind fall/rainfall of immutable prosperity, health , wellbeing of all as the desirable wealth , that remains constantly in service/ motion for wellbeing of the entire universe.)

It is also interesting to note that mantras in RV 10.47 also provide a sequence of priorities in social planning. RV10.47.1 (On milk/ organic food security through Cows) S 10-47-1 (Inherent in cow promotion is the Vedic ideal of promoting Vegetarianism. From environmental considerations vegetarianism is considered the most important strategy to prevent Global Warming. In case of vegetarian diet the main source of Omega3, the essential Fatty Acid that promotes formation of human brain by DHA, is grass fed Cow Milk.) -It is our knowledge -that You alone are - owner/husband/governor of all stands for all physical cows that ensures energy, enlightenment, Speech -communication faculties through spoken words, most chivalrous, - for us all give us/enable to obtain, - like heavy rain fall -wealth that remains constantly in operation to render service for welfare of all - (- represent the material/physical means that enable our sustenance/ existence in this world.) is thus that Almighty invisible entity which governs all these -physical /material means. RV 10.47.2 (On food security) 10-47-2 (Cow ensures Organic Agriculture that is the key to world food security and food safety.) - self equipped with all the required means to win -all agriculture implements

- self protected - having excellent strategies - for all the four oceans -on land, under water, above ground, and in the outer space. - all encompassing, embracing / holding all - all the riches - engaging in cyclically creative actions such as performing crop rotations - like growing desirable praise worthy food crops - repeatedly / in abundance RV 10.47.3 (On enabling intellectual base) 10-47-3 (Best human brains develop on Omega3 in diet.Grass Fed Cow milk is the main source of Omega3, for vegetarians.) - Equipped with excellent wide knowledge base - Serving , protecting and promoting the intellectual community - providers of great insights/enlightenmentsresearchers - Influential - intellectually highly disciplined achievers - building further on the earlier knowledge base (like wisdom of Vedic Rishis) - Intensely occupied - Able to resolve all the problems and obstacles RV 10.47.4 (Transparent Competency) 10-47-4 (Good intellects by mental developments in society ensure this.) - well fed - skilled qualified operators

- achievers - financially sound - well trained - destroyers of wrong doers ( terrorists) - by reaching the roots of such wrong behavior - by transparent means RV 10.47.5 (Full Infrastructural facilities- Transport) 10-47-5 - well engineered means of transport - excellent workforce - thousands of - backed by strength of - do-gooders - intelligent qualified work force - service providers

RV 10.47.6 (Environmentally sustainable duties of people) S 10-47-6 (Dharma sustained the Vedic Society by seven tenets. These are human values that sustain the society. Vedic Dharma did not entail personal ritualistic procedures of individuals in the society) The seven tenets that form the Vedic Dharma are spelled out as: : S ! !! 5/1/6 These seven trespasses are 1.Theiving. 2, Adulterous behavior,3. Anti knowledge activities,4. Abortions, 5. Drunken behavior,6. Habitual addiction to wickedness,7, Giving false evidence 1. ,2. ,3. ,4. ,5. ,6.: : ,7.

. . . . - - good articulate skills - invokes good common sense RV 10.47.7 (Moral dedication in communication/media) 10-47-7 - interactions communicating friendly concerns - well intentioned good guidance to act - conceived with sincere motives RV 10.47.8 (grandeur of the bounties) 10-47- 8 - that we seek - provide for us - spacious dwellings and accommodations very best for every body ( ) - available on ground and outer space