THE REAL MAN

     Having evolved from the animal, man still retains some of the animal instincts. The instincts of 1) hunger 2) fear 3) sleep and 4) sex are common to both. Nature, in accordance with its unerring laws, directs and controls all the instincts of the animal. There is very little freedom left to the animal; Nature exercises rigid control over all its movements. But, fortunately, man is endowed with 'Reason', which gives him the right to choose or to reject. Herein lies the Superiority of man over all animal creation. He has got a will of his own. When properly and effectively used, it will enable him to gain mastery over his animal nature and turn it to his best advantage.

     But, what is it that we are witnessing in the so called civilized man of the world ? Instead of becoming the master, he has become the slave of his animal nature. He has misused his powers of thought and reasoning in constantly trying to appease his ever increasing hunger for sense enjoyments. Caught in the whirlpool of sense attractions and enjoyments, the busy man of the world thinks, that the 'Summum Bonum' of life consists in amassing wealth and in constantly catering to the ever increasing sense needs. He has become a slave of his own animal nature and has tamely submitted to its inner compulsion. There is no freedom of choice left to him. Since the compulsion comes slyly from within, he is apt to deceive himself into believing that he is a free agent, while all the time continually tightening the bonds of slavery.

     The ordinary man of the world, though apparently active, is really inert like the cricket ball in motion. The ball is helplessly moving because of the energy imparted to it by the batsman and it abruptly comes to a halt the moment the energy is exhausted. So also, it is the animal nature in man that is really active behind all his movements. He is inert all the time, being helplessly carried away by the force of his animal nature. We can congratulate a man if he is atleast faithful to his animal instincts. But he has prostituted his talents in vulgarizing and corrupting the same.

     The animal thinks of food only when it is hungry. It eats only just what is wanted, the food nature provides. It never over eats. Once the hunger is satisfied, it goes its own way, without trying to hoard for the morrow. Like the animal, man also is busy securing food for appeasing his hunger. There is no end to this greed. He would like to accumulate as much as possible by every means, fair and foul, at his disposal. There are no limits to his pandering to the ever increasing whims of his palate. Unable to withstand its cravings, he often overeats highly dressed-up food and ruins his health. So, regarding food, man is worse off than the animal. He has become a bond slave of his palate.

     Generally animals are, by nature gay and happy. They fear only their enemies as ordained by nature. They have no other fears. But there is no end to Man's fears. He knows no rest or peace. His ever restless mind creates all sorts of fears for him. Frustration is always written on his face. Even regarding fear, man is worse off than the animal.

     Animals have particular periods of rest and activity as determined by nature. Throughout the day they are active and go to rest only at sunset. Sunrise again sends them into activity. They never oversleep. But most modern men have no fixed periods of rest or activity. Sometimes they take intoxicants and sleep even during day time and spend their nights in night clubs. Even in sleep there is greater discipline among the animals than in man.

     Regarding sex also man is in no way better than the animal. Sex is controlled by instinct in animal creation. They move to satisfy the sex only during the mating season as per nature's dictates. They do not go to excesses. Among some animals, there is lifelong fidelity between the male and the female. But look at the so called civilized man. He has no scruples regarding sex. There is no limit to his sex craving and there is no particular time or season for the satisfaction of the same. Very few can boast of lifelong fidelity in thought, word and deed.

     Therefore, man's real manhood consists in asserting his mastery over his animal nature, and not in falling a prey to its blandishments. It is only he, who has gained complete control over his animal nature, that has a right to be called a man. He alone is the Real Man and all the rest are animals in human form.

JAI SRI RAM