Enter the world of sub prime et al

“Give me your blood and I shall give you freedom” said Mr Tilak. “Give me your money and I shall give you peace’ said Mr President Bush. Well, peace came in a package, of wars, lives, poverty and hate. So it wasn’t peace, just the pieces.

The sub prime scare that haunts many today is a déjà vu, of man’s surrender to greed. I found it very difficult to comprehend the complex instruments created in the game of sub prime defaults. But my little understanding led me to decipher a few causes. I believe there were two prime risks in the crisis:

• Greed risk: it is a diversifiable risk. Perhaps, that can explain why every Tom, Dick and Harry (I mean borrower, lender and Govt. ) fell into its trap. We don’t know who diversified it to begin with, but all were responsible for sure. As Swami rightly puts it, “first, man drinks wine, then wine drinks wine and finally, wine drinks man.”
• Stupidity risk: this is surely a non-diversifiable risk. Each living being has it in its gene. Even Governments are not spared. Why would a leader go to town pushing people to the shopping malls, when the country has had mounting trade deficits? Sorry Mr President, 9/11 was forgettable, but shopping is not the best way to salvation.

I know little of America, but enough to see a parallel in India today. Are we walking on Uncle Sam’s footsteps? Our finance minister boasts a batting average of 8.8 %. Surely everyone is in cricketing frenzy these days after the tour Down Under. But Mr PC perhaps ignored the Achilles heel; the walking corpses of Vidarbha. It’s shocking to know that there were almost 1300 farmer suicides in one district in a single year. Nice batting average Mr Chidambaram, but unfortunately not a match winning one.

This leads me to the subject that I’m more familiar with, simple living. The first time I stepped into a hostel here, I saw a quote “hostel is a place where each lives for other and all live for God”. As I pack my luggage to leave this home in a few weeks, I’m told, “Dunnapota, all are one, be alike to everyone.” A few weeks ago, I was asked in my viva voce, “What have you learnt after living in this place. I talked of teamwork, leadership, unity and so on but wasn’t convinced.

How do I bring these values in practice when I step out to face poverty, consumerism, the hustle and tussle of Mumbai life that runs faster than the fastest Churchgate-Virar local train? Amidst the anxieties, there’s an assurance “Why fear when I’m here” Is it I who brings values into practice? “Cut the I” for, our lives are dictated by Sai. He’s drafted the resume of my career on earth; I was marked before my birth. The mark of Sai student is one I would cherish till eternity, for it’s the only title that connects me to my Mother. And what does my Mother seek?

Love. If there’s one wish our dear lord would make from us, it’s love. Yet we fail Him. It’s so difficult to love an auto driver who cheats, a co-worker who conspires. But for Him, love crosses any bounds of judgement. The Grama Seva programme by the University is an expression of that spontaneous love. The genesis of it was another heartrending experience. Swami had called all teachers inside bhajan hall and showed them the newspaper article, where a mother had poisoned herself and her children, seeking suicide as a solution to end hunger. He was in tears then. That taught us a lesson: love transcends judgement. For, there is not a life that doesn’t seek love. Our hatred doesn’t sell good to others, but love buys happiness for others. Love knows no relations.

All things honey and butter, easier said, but not as tasty in practice. A daunting task that Swami has commanded us into, loving and living His teachings in His creation. Till our last breath, one prayer would ever vibrate in the heart, “ May God help His property make proper ties with Sai, by loving all serving all.” May His children make Sai the wealthiest mother in this Universe.