Man's Power- Push

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty

That man is not a bread-alone creature is a given in history. The first humans ran everywhere, dug up every surface and fought mentally and physically to douse the fire in the belly. They moved and   lived together in groups to find food and water but if the food was insufficient they fought with each other. The powerful among them subdued  the others and monopolized things. He distributed what the submissive weak needed. The weak utilized their intelligence to plot and plan to eliminate the strong and mighty. The rat race began like musical chairs. The strong had their advisors, mostly from priestly class, and suppressed mutinies  and rebellions. Man became strong by suppressing men; wanted to expand land for land and water, invented weapons, laid traps for enemies. Chanakyas and Machiavellies  came up to fortify kingdoms. Rules regulations, laws and strategies were crafted by intelligent men for man's power push.

Man essentially needs power and authority, to lord over all that he encounters. He domesticated the cow for milk, the horse for his transport and other beasts of burden for his comfort. He cut down trees, mountains; killed  and subjugated  animals. He could  not, however,  domesticate the lion and tiger hence trapped them in cages or drove them away to distant forests; made exhibits of them showing to other men how he is the most powerful on earth. He kept the woman behind closed doors. Did not educate them, never treated  them  as free humans capable of all feats he is master of. Women were sexual  toys, mothers of his children. He framed laws for them, gave them rule books seldom treated them as humans. As civilization grew technology advanced, he bound nature  to serve his interests.  He became the head of the family, head of  a city or village, king of the state, President, Primeminister- that is the Prime Mover. He created gods and temples for them. Be it family, society, kingdom, state he was  the master wielding power: for power is what man has gained over the march of centuries.

When politics, ethics, administration and bureaucracy were established in a systematic manner he became more powerful. The lathis and swords of early  times were replaced by guns and bombs. Science and technology gave him Atomic bombs, Ballistic missiles and he terrorised other men. The Second World War ended with the stilled nerves of Nagasaki. Man proved that he can wipe off man from the surface of the earth. Wow what power!! Then he vowed for peace and market economy. The rich exploited the poor and became richer. Rivers were bridged, courses diverted for his economic growth. He became also charitable thereby showing his moral power and authority. You are hungry  take food and sing our praise. You want money to grow  take money and be loyal to us. Man's power grew over man.

The world today is divided by two groups: The powerful and the meek. But the meek too have come up with a new power push - terror. The Satanic energy of man  rises in the dark to destroy the powerful. The  innocuous are the  collateral victims. The power tussle is ceaseless. Power is meant to kill, destroy and harm the others who could not become powerful. In the human society today the corporate are the  refined substitutes of Timur and Aurangzeb. The East India Company perhaps is the best illustration of  the refined powerpush which loots ( the first Indian word to have  entered the English dictionaries) with bowed head and silken words. The modern day democratic representatives of people also are powerful. Modestly dressed they seek votes with folded hands but once they are elected they can slap you publicly and abuse your power by trickery.

The entire march of the Homo Sapiens is a march towards power and more power. Power over nature, birds and beasts and ultimately man. But  Power for what? To be immortal ? To be wealthy? To  be famous?   For what really? All your love, compassion, sympathy, knowledge wisdom are used only for power. Vasistha by his spiritual powers will shame Vishwamitra. England  will flaunt Shakespeare and India  Kalidas to shame Jinping; China will flaunt I Ching and Confucius, Russia the first Sputnik, America the Triumphant Dollar, for what and for whose shame or  glory? Man has killed Christ, Gandhi; man has destroyed nature, caused this climate  change poverty and fear:  For what?

Power games are now seen in Maharastra; in Hong Kong, Pakistan and almost everywhere. Veer Savarkar is a freedom fighter, Shivaji  is 'Lord Vishnu' ( in Kaviraja Paramananda's Sivabharata). Hitler is the best German  for the millennials in Germany and so on- the power push of man has invaded all spheres of life in history. Power prides itself everywhere notwithstanding the generosity of the human heart. But power ultimately is futile, meaningless like an abandoned cadaver. The much hated Mougal emperor Aurangzeb's last letter to his son perhaps will awaken Man to shun his powerpush:

              I came alone and go as a stranger. The instant which has passed in power has left only                          sorrow behind it. I have not been the guardian and protector of the  Empire. Life , so                             valuable,  has been squandered in vain. ( Death bed letter to his son Azam).