Climate Change

It is very well known that one tree, over the course of forty years, would absorb just one ton of carbon dioxide. In one year, it absorbs 0.025 tons. Whereas, having one less child causes a difference of sixty tons per year. Now, do you want to happily plant trees and then go home and have a child? Misplaced climate activism is not solving the problem; it is a part of the problem.

पर्यावरण की तबाही कैसे रुकेगी?

12 min

जंगलों की कटाई, पेड़-पशुओं की प्रजातियों का विलुप्त होना, प्लास्टिक से सागर भर जाना—ये सब हमारे भीतर की हिंसा और बर्बादी का प्रतिबिंब हैं। जब तक इंसान के भीतर की सफ़ाई नहीं होगी, पर्यावरण की तबाही नहीं रुकेगी। बाहरी स्वच्छता, आंतरिक स्वच्छता की छाया है। अगर 1% लोग जागरूक हो जाएँ, तो ये 99% अपने आप ठीक हो जाएँगे क्योंकि ये जिधर हवा बहेगी, उधर ही बह निकलेंगे। इसलिए बस 1% जागरूक लोग चाहिए जो दिशा तय करें।

America Pollutes, India Suffers

8 min

The United States has contributed approximately 25% of cumulative global greenhouse gas emissions since 1850, despite comprising only about 4% of the world's population. This exemplifies climate injustice, where wealthier nations emit the majority of carbon emissions, while poorer countries endure the most severe impacts.

कटते जंगल, गिरती मानवता

45 min

कुल 4000 मिलियन हेक्टेयर हमारे पास जंगल है पृथ्वी पर, और लगभग पिछले 10 सालों में ही हमने उसमें से 500 हटा दिया। सबसे ज़्यादा कहाँ हटाया जाता है, मालूम है? गरीब देशों में — जैसे भारत। 2015 से 2020 के बीच जिन देशों में सबसे ज़्यादा फॉरेस्ट कवर हटाया गया, उनमें से एक भारत है। एक लंबे अरसे तक पृथ्वी के 50% क्षेत्र पर जंगल थे। अभी कितने हैं? 30%। ये पृथ्वी ऐसे चल ही नहीं सकती। क्या समाधान है इसका? जब तक हम इंसान को ही नहीं बदलेंगे, हम देश और पॉलिसीज़ को कैसे बदल सकते हैं?

इंसान हूँ, पैदा हुआ है भोगने के लिए

11 min

इंसान के भीतर जो यह भाव है कि मैं एक इंसान हूँ जो पैदा हुआ है भोगने के लिए, जो दुनिया से अलग अपने हित साध सकता है, दूसरों को बर्बाद कर के खुशी पा सकता है, जब तक इंसान के भीतर ये चीज रहेगी तब तक इसका मुकाबला करना बहुत मुश्किल है

Your Absence Might Just Save the Earth

The world’s problems are solved by those who don’t contribute to them. Leave the world to its fate—just five years, and everything will be alright. The jungles, the rivers, all have the intelligence to care for themselves. You start distorting things the moment you take the world as important, real, and significant. Just stop interfering.

एक छोटा-सा वायरस ही काफी है || आचार्य प्रशांत, नवरात्रि विशेष, आठवाँ दिन (2021)

वातावरण के बढ़ते तापमान को कैसे रोकें?

आचार्य प्रशांत: प्रकृति देवी हैं जो कहती हैं कि मुझे भोगोगे, तो तुम्हें नष्ट कर दूँगी। प्रकृति को भोगा नहीं कि प्रकृति तुम्हें नष्ट कर देगी। अभी तो आगे तुम्हें बहुत एकदम भौंचक्का कर देने वाली बात पता चलेगी। जब शुम्भ-निशुम्भ का आगे चलकर वध होता है और इसमें तो… read_more

12 min

वातावरण में तापमान बढ़ने के कारण धरती पर तरह-तरह के अनिष्ट होते हैं। लेकिन फिर भी आदमी वायुमंडल में कार्बन डाइऑक्साइड, मीथेन इत्यादि गैसों का उत्सर्जन किए ही जा रहा है, जो वातावरण के तापमान को बढ़ाती हैं। इसे रोकने के लिए कई अभियान चल रहे हैं, पर उनमें से कोई भी अभियान सफल होता दिखाई नहीं दे रहा, क्योंकि उसका सीधा संबंध आदमी के भोग से है। इसे रोकने का एक ही तरीक़ा है—या तो भोग कम कर दो, या फिर भोगने वालों की संख्या कम कर दो।

जितने बेहोश हैं, सब मरेंगे

15 min

जंगल बायोडायवर्सिटी का केंद्र होते हैं। इतना तो हम समझते हैं। आप जब जंगल काटोगे तो वहां जो जिस दिशा में भाग सकता है भागेगा, ये भी समझते हो। ज्यादातर कहीं कोई भागेंगे बचेंगे नहीं। अब हिरण कहां को जाके बचेगा? वो मरेगा। हाथी कहां जाएगा? मरेगा। पर जंगल में कुछ ऐसे हैं जो नहीं मरेंगे बल्कि वो खुश हो जाएंगे कि जंगल कट गया। वो कौन है जानते हो? वो वायरस हैं। आप जंगल काटोगे पेड़ नहीं रहा तो उनको नया होस्ट मिल गया। कौन? जंगल काटने वाला। वो पहले पेड़ में रहता था या कहीं और रहता था वो आप में रहेगा।

क्या तकनीकी विकास दुनिया को बचा सकता है?

Technology अधिक-से-अधिक इतना ही करती है कि मशीन की Efficiency बढ़ा देती है। अगर Technological Development उनके हाथों में है जिनका मन अभी भोगवाद और लालच से मुक्त नहीं है, तो हर प्रकार का तकनीकी विकास आत्मघातक ही होगा। असली समस्या ये है कि हमें भोगना है, हम प्रेम का अर्थ भी भोग समझते हैं। जब मन बदलेगा, तभी दुनिया में हो रही क्षति बदलेगी। ये बहुत बड़ी भ्रान्ति है कि तकनीकी विकास दुनिया को बचा लेगा।

Can Technology Alone Solve Climate Change?

Climate change is not a problem of wrong technology but of wrong mentality—it is a spiritual problem. No technological improvement alone can curb carbon emissions. The solution must come from an awakening of mass consciousness. People must awaken and elect governments that listen to awakened voices. The challenge is great, but so are the rewards—you are saving not just yourself, your family, or your nation, but the entire planet.

Doomsday Awaits: How the Gita Can Save Earth

49 min

Our species has increased its population and consumed so much that it has destroyed everything. Humans will be the first and only species to wipe themselves out completely. Nothing is surviving on this Earth except us. Now we need new ways of living. We can't live in the old ways. Old desires won't work now. The doer has to be changed, and that's why we need the Gita—not to reach heaven, but to save Earth.

California Wildfires: Is Humanity Headed for Collapse?

14 min

Don't be surprised by individual instances of wildfires—these are going to become daily occurrences because they are a result of mankind's flawed life philosophy. So, the solution to climate change cannot come through new technologies, nor by signing some agreements. It can only come by inculcating wisdom in human beings, as without the right philosophy of life, we will keep exploiting the planet.

How Will “Making America Great Again” Harm India?

11 min

Americans constitute only 4% of the global population but are responsible for 25% of the excess CO₂ in the atmosphere. As a result, a huge humanitarian disaster is unfolding, with the Indian subcontinent being the worst sufferer. However, the ego does not consider anyone or anything more significant than its own petty interests. We find this myopic and self-centered behavior in every household; it's just that this is being played out on a much grander scale.

How India Pays The Price For America’s Climate Negligence

8 min

The United States emits around 17.6 metric tons per person annually, while India, despite its vast population, emits only about 2.5 metric tons per person. Yet, it is India that faces the harshest consequences. Rising sea levels threaten to swallow coastal cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, displacing millions. In the north and central regions, heatwaves will turn entire towns into furnaces, where stepping outside could mean death for those forced to work in the open.

Doomsday: Wake Up, it's Already Late

17 min

We say, “Because the global temperature is rising and there is the climate catastrophe awaiting us, let’s be do-gooders. Let’s recycle plastic, let’s replace our old-style electric bulbs and let’s plant trees.” The thing is, planting trees is way too insufficient, now it’s not going to help. These two trees, four trees that we are thinking of planting are not going to help because the cause is Consumption, the cause is Overpopulation.

External Challenges, Internal Solutions

7 min

The kind of challenges we face as we approach another new year are unprecedented. Given the novel and cataclysmic nature of these challenges, old approaches are not going to succeed. These challenges come from almost all areas of human activity, and therefore their origin has to do with something in… read_more

जलवायु संकट को कैसे रोकें?

25 min

बहुत सारा उपभोग (consumption) इसलिए हो रहा है, क्योंकि हमें यह नहीं पता कि हमें ज़िंदगी में करना क्या है, हम कौन हैं और ज़िंदगी का उद्देश्य क्या है। भीतर लगातार एक बेचैनी बनी रहती है। हम उपभोग के द्वारा उस बेचैनी को मिटाने की कोशिश करते हैं। इस उपभोग की प्रवृत्ति के कारण उत्सर्जन (emission) तेजी से बढ़ता है। और यह उपभोग की प्रवृत्ति तो किसी आध्यात्मिक माध्यम से ही कम की जा सकती है। इसलिए जलवायु संकट (Climate Crisis) का केवल आध्यात्मिक समाधान हो सकता है।

आदर्श, शिक्षित, सुसंस्कृत उत्तर भारतीय घर || आचार्य प्रशांत

13 min

आचार्य प्रशांत: तो हमें बेटियों की चिन्ता हो रही है, होनी भी चाहिए। लेकिन बेटियों की चिन्ता का जो कारण आपके पास है, शायद बेटियों पर जो ख़तरा है वो किसी दूसरे कारण से है। जिस कारण से है, उसकी बात कर लेते हैं।

आप जब कहते हैं कि भारत… read_more

Your Worth does not come from Bearing Babies or Breast-Feeding || AP Neem Candies

Overpopulation and Greed: Is There Any Future for Mankind?

Acharya Prashant: You have said, “What kind of change our education system needs to have so that our coming generations live together in peace and fulfillment?” Live together with each other, right? You haven’t said they live together with animals. The trees, the rivers, the rabbits, and the lions. That… read_more

We are looking at a scenario where nations have the population of India and the per capita consumption of the U.S. Multiply these two, and what do you get? Utter tragedy. Unless there is this basic recognition, which you can call a spiritual awakening, that the good life doesn’t consist of conspicuous consumption, we are hurtling towards a great disaster. It is already upon us.

Don’t Blindly Rush into ‘Good’ Deeds

18 min

Climate change is a result of the absence of spiritual education. The problem is man’s misguided and uneducated ego. Unless you educate the ego about who it really is, it will keep proceeding in the direction of blind consumerism. Lack of spiritual education has brought this catastrophe upon us. That is the only problem, and therefore, that has to be the only solution.

छठे महाविनाश की शुरुआत हो चुकी है!

पृथ्वी पर आज तक पाँच बार महाविनाश हो चुका है। महाविनाश माने सारे जीव जंतुओं का संपूर्ण नाश।इतिहास में 5 बार पृथ्वी का तापमान बेहिसाब बढ़ा, और ग्रह पर जीवन ही समाप्त हो गया।

और अब, छठे महाविनाश की शुरुआत हो चुकी है!और इस छठे महाविनाश का कारण भी… read_more

पर्यावरण कैसे बचेगा?

दुनिया की सारी समस्याएँ बस एक वजह से हैं—हम न सिर्फ़ अपनी आबादी बढ़ा रहे हैं, बल्कि प्रति व्यक्ति उपभोग भी बढ़ाए जा रहे हैं। बच्चे यूँ ही नहीं पैदा हो रहे हैं; लोगों को एक झूठी संस्कृति का प्रसार करके बच्चे पैदा करने पर मजबूर किया जा रहा है। ज़्यादा नहीं, अगले बीस साल यदि बच्चे न पैदा हों, तो सब ठीक हो जाएगा क्योंकि आबादी बढ़ाने की इच्छा और ज़्यादा-से-ज़्यादा उपभोग की इच्छा, दोनों एक ही स्रोत (मन) से निकलती हैं।

Why Is The Planet Dying?

13 min

Today, if you see AQI levels beyond tolerance, glaciers melting and the coral reefs being destroyed, the reason is very simple. We do not know what is the right relationship to have with the world around us. So, all we do is consumption and destruction. There can be therefore no scientific and technological solution to this problem. The solution is self awareness.

What does it mean to Love a Jungle?

The Hypocrisy of Climate Warriors

Acharya Prashant: You look at the last few centuries. Even the declaration of the rights of man came just three hundred years back. Then came the declaration of the rights of slaves. And in the last century came the Declaration of the Rights of Women.

I am seeing that in… read_more

There Is an Elephant in the Room (We Smoothly Ignore It)

Acharya Prashant: The very urge for liberation, when it doesn’t find an outlet, becomes the urge to consume. Do you see this? Where does the tendency to consume so much come from? It comes from the misidentified and thwarted urge toward liberation. If you will not provide liberation to a… read_more

23 min

Questioner 1 Thank you Acharya Ji for taking the time and giving us this opportunity to sit down with you and discuss climate change, veganism, and a lot of other questions that we have for you. With me I have on the panel today, Niharika Raizada Ji, a renowned actress,… read_more

We forced the virus to come to us || AP Neem candies

5 min

Acharya Prashant: What’s worse, there might be much more lethal and incurable viruses to come in the future.

We talk of the virus as the problem. In fact, if you go to social media to get a hang of how we are looking at the whole thing in a cultural… read_more

पृथ्वी नहीं खत्म हो रही, इंसान खत्म होगा

17 min

प्रश्नकर्ता: नमस्ते आचार्य जी। मैं कसौली हिमाचल प्रदेश का रहने वाला हूँ, शिमला के पास में ही है बिलकुल। यहाँ पर पिछले कुछ सालों में टूरिज्म बहुत बढ़ गया है। और उससे जॉब्स तो क्रिएट हो रही हैं, परकैपिटा इन्कम भी बढ़ रही है। बल्कि रीसेंटली मैंने एक स्टडी पढ़ी… read_more

External growth is passe, we now need internal growth

13 min

Questioner: Adam Smith, who is considered to be the father of modern economics, said that economics is a science of wealth; he places primary importance upon money and not on man. Alfred Marshall, another economist, said that economics is a study of material welfare; there he puts importance on man… read_more

The Violence of Giving Birth

5 min

Acharya Prashant: And there is another reason why kids appear so fascinating to us: it’s the hormones. It’s not only the human kid; the babies of even animals appear so cute. That’s a ploy of Prakṛti (physical nature). Babies have to appear cute; otherwise they are so defenseless that they… read_more

How Will Your Lungs Adapt to This? || AP Neem Candies

3 min

Acharya Prashant: Man is born in a battlefield; man will have to deal with challenges. Now it is upon you, which challenges you chose to deal with. You could either fight several miscellaneous, petty, worthless wars that cannot really be called as wars, call them skirmishes, squabbles. Or he could… read_more

Is It Better to Let the Poor and the Sick Die?

12 min

Questioner: We know that currently the Earth is overpopulated. People around me very loosely say that the people who are physically, mentally, or economically not so well off, they are better off dead. So, I want to ask, what is your take on this? And what do you think is… read_more

अच्छा काम नहीं मिल रहा?

11 min

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी नमस्कार, मैं अभी आपसे दो-ढाई महीने से जुड़ा हुआ हूँ। मेरी उम्र तीस चल रही है, तो आज भी मैं जी रहा हूँ और दो-ढाई महीने पहले भी जी रहा था। पर पहले वो जीवन में ठसक नहीं थी जो अभी है। पहले मैं जो भी काम… read_more

These two need some education || AP Neem Candies

3 min

Acharya Prashant: You might be an MBBS, or an MD, or a DM, but you could still be quite illiterate; you might still not have basic knowledge regarding the nutritional value of various food products. You could have a quack graduating even from the best medical college.

And you are… read_more

The Only Way to Help the World Is to Leave the World Alone

The world’s problems are solved by those who do not contribute to those problems. The world’s problems are not solved by those who take the world seriously. The world’s problems are actually solved by those who know that the world does not mean anything; hence they leave the world to itself. Read more....

Bring This into Our Schools and Colleges || AP Neem Candies

We have to realize that the root of all these external problems is man's mind. So, first of all, we have to get rid of the notion that by having the right kind of legislation, or structures, or systems, or international treaties or agreements, or social processes, we can just sail out of these troubled waters. Read more....

क्या पेड़ लगाकर क्लाइमेट चेंज रोका जा सकता है?

Things You DON'T Need to Have a Great Life

मोहन: इतने दिनों से कहाँ था? दिखाई नहीं दिया?

सोहन: भाई! घूमने गया था। पास के हिल स्टेशन तक मस्त 4 लेन रोड बनी है!

मोहन: अच्छा, वही जो पहाड़ काटकर और पेड़ों को जलाकर बनी है?

सोहन: तुझे क़ानून नहीं पता? विकास के लिए जो पेड़ कटते हैं, उसकी… read_more

21 min

Questioner: I have something to say. There is a very famous line which is called─ the survival of the fittest. Now, I am an actor, and I’m also a medical practitioner. I studied cardiology, and as an actor, I have always advocated less makeup and simpler ways of life to… read_more

Killing to Eat Flesh, You Call Yourself Human?

34 min

Questioner: We have always been eating meat and drinking milk; it has been there since ancient times. So, my question to you is, is animal liberation or the vegan movement consistent with the ancient times of our land?

Acharya Prashant: There are a few myths that need to be dispelled.… read_more

Bhagavad Gita for Global Warming

7 min

"Scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita want to disrupt that design; they want to do something that is actually against our prakṛtik constitution." We are not born inclined towards Truth or liberation; instead, we are designed to remain in bondage and continue suffering. The Gita, along with the Upanishads and Vedanta Sutras, acts as a circuit breaker to prevent us from moving endlessly in this cycle without realizing how trapped we are. Once the human mind is addressed, not only climate change but all problems are resolved. Every problematic situation, whether internal or external, stems from the same root cause. You cannot view one problem as distinct from another because the problem creator is one.

Sustainability Needs a Convergence of Economics and Spirituality

5 min

Acharya Prashant: People feel that because human intelligence knows no limits and human desire knows no limits, therefore the human race is going to keep expanding endlessly. They are taking inspiration from history. They keep saying that if you look at history, man has kept ceaselessly inventing; if you look… read_more

Mass extinction, Ocean depletion and Blind consumerism

15 min

Questioner: Pranam, Acharya Ji. I’m Atul Kulkarni, I’m M.Sc. Physics student here in IIT Patna, and first of all, thank you very much for accepting our invitation. Sir, my question is a little contextual, so I’ll read it out if you allow me.

Acharya Prashant: In context of?

Questioner: Contextual… read_more

Our Desires Fuel the Climate Crisis

ज़िंदा रखो, ताकि खून पी सको || आचार्य प्रशांत, वेदांत महोत्सव ऋषिकेश में (2021)

Questioner: Hello Sir, Good Evening. As we are seeing unexpected heat in the early 2023, like it’s just February, March, and it’s already this hot. Also, the scientists expect that this year would be the hottest year in the last century. And the world population is also increasing rapidly. So,… read_more

16 min

प्रश्नकर्ता: प्रणाम आचार्य जी। जो सस्टेनेबल डेवलपमेंट (सतत विकास) की जो आज के टाइम में हमको फिलोसॉफी (दर्शन) पढ़ाई जा रही है, जो सब्जेक्ट पढ़ाया जा रहा है कि एक प्रिंसिपल (सिद्धान्त) है, ये मैं जब एक समुद्र के बारे में डॉक्यूमेंटरी (वृत्तचित्र) देख रहा था, तो उसमें उन्होंने वो … read_more

How to change the Inner Climate? || with Bard College (2022)

16 min

Questioner (Q): How can we encourage factories and companies in poor areas to prioritize the health of the local environment over having the greatest profit margins and the lowest costs? How can we motivate them for this kind of a change, when the natural tendency of human nature is to… read_more

How important is education of the self? || Acharya Prashant, with students (2014)