Utilization

The second cause is non-utilization of over-accumulated physical and psychic pabula. Where there is over-accumulation of physical wealth several problems occur. Human beings do not have many needs. Primarily they need satisfying meals and clothing, according to their necessities. Most people do not even want many things. the desire to accumulate money is actually a mental disease. The accumulators do not accumulate to fulfill their basic needs a human needs are few. For instance, if a person has a mango-grove that yields 500 mangoes and a family of five, what will he do with so many mangoes? In cases of over-accumulation there is very little chance of utilization. Hence, if the sadvipras are not vigilant, where there is over accumulation non- utilization will occur.

Moreover, where there is over accumulation people tend to mis-utilize wealth by indulging in their baser propensities rather than their finer ones. Therefore you will mark, as I am making it crystal clear to you, that most of the kings and nawabs of ancient times were, and most of the aristocrats and wealthy people of today who have nothing to do are generally wicked and mean-minded. In addition, you will see that government officers who do not have psychic and spiritual interests also become mean-minded. When we have to judge, we must be frank. It can be observed that it is natural for people to move towards sin if over-accumulated physical and psychic pabula is not utilized. If people have developed intellects which are not properly directed, and there is no administration of the sadvipras, people become polished satans and inflict sufferings on others. If the parents of a boy die and he has no guardian, due to a lack of proper guidance the boy may easily become reckless and a sinner.

To repeat, non-utilization of over-accumulated physical and psychic pabula is the second cause for becoming a sinner. I have already discussed the problems of the “have's”, and the “have- nots”. To satisfy the greed of the have's, the have-nots become slaves, and to appease their own hunger they become sinners. The have's mis-utilize the intellectual and physical wealth of the have-not's to satisfy their baser propensities. In the background sit the big capitalists; in the foreground, as their agents, are half-naked children! This is the cause of the downfall of society.

There is still one thing more. There are countries in the world where the average standard of living of the people is quite high and where there are no have-not's who become slaves due to the evil designs of the have's. Where there is excessive wealth, the feeling of, "What should I do?" crops up in the minds of the people. Moreover, people take to the path of suicide in the absence of proper direction. They also become addicts and social parasites and they do not know what they should do and what they should not do.

(From "The three causes of sin", Prout in a nutshell 8, Shrii P. R. Sarkar)