E D I T O R I A L   P A G E

EDITORIALS

Mass murder of trees
HOW important trees are to mankind is something which is taught even to students of primary schools. It seems that this lesson is either not learnt at all or is conveniently forgotten by some by the time they come of age. Wanton destruction of forest wealth goes on day and night.

Not fair, Mr Chautala
EDUCATION in Haryana has rarely been handled with the kind of seriousness it deserves. The state is always embroiled in some kind of a controversy concerning its colleges or universities. The latest is that the non-government colleges, numbering around 100, are short of funds because the government has not released their grants-in-aid.

Sinha’s new avtar
ECONOMIC and fiscal problems are telling on the famed exuberance of Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha. That alone explains his tongue-lashing to industrialists and traders at the PHDCC annual meeting in Delhi during the weekend. He reeled off a negative list, rather things he would not do.

Law-breakers turn law-makers
Court for exposing criminals
by Poonam I. Kaushish
CALL it a Florida twister, an El Dorado cliff-hanger, a George Bush-Al Gore banana split or what you may. The end game for the US Presidency is proving to be just that. It doesn’t matter whether Republican Bush is Gored or Democratic Gore is (am)Bushed. What matters is that in this no-holds-barred election for the White House, genuine democracy has triumphed! Perhaps, this is what makes America great!

Nehru on marriage and servants
by P. D. Tandon
PANDIT Jawaharlal Nehru was not a man, but a “procession of men”. His greatness was unique. His was an integrated personality. He was a powerful instrument of history. As his fascinating figure recedes more and more into the clouds of time, his image becomes brighter and brighter and occupies a permanent place in the hearts of his country men.

MIDDLE

With Papaji & Paparazzi
by Sudhir Chowdhary
TODAY, I have not seen the midsummer night’s dream. But I cannot decide when to wake up, for I forgot to read the sunrise time in my favourite daily last evening. Nor can I have a nap, or sound sleep, because “Papaji”, my next door neighbour is hearing (and forcing me to listen) to an Arabian story (or could it be a swan song from across the English Chennel?) Suddenly the noise — with its tolerable contents of music, and unspecified level of nonsense — stops.

REAL POLITIK

Politics: truth about the myths
by P. Raman
WE are a nation of veritable myth makers. Whenever we feel unsafe or disturbed we create our own wishful legends and look to avatars and messiahs to save us from the troubles. The contemporary political myths are conscientiously woven around personalities and groups in that order to create messiah images — often far from the real and always exaggerated.

TRENDS AND POINTERS

Key to differentiating cells found
RESEARCHERS at Ohio State University have taken the first step toward differentiating human cells in an artificial growth medium. The finding, announced recently at the American Chemical Society meeting in San Francisco, may one day aid the production of human organs for transplant.

SPIRITUAL NUGGETS

Mass murder of trees

HOW important trees are to mankind is something which is taught even to students of primary schools. It seems that this lesson is either not learnt at all or is conveniently forgotten by some by the time they come of age. Wanton destruction of forest wealth goes on day and night. But despite becoming used to such mindless axing everywhere, one cannot help feeling shocked at the mass murder of trees ordered in the Ambala division of the Northern Railway. As The Tribune has graphically described in its Monday issue, along with a tell-all photograph, a large number of trees are being felled without caring at all about the consequences. Even absolutely green, healthy and fruit-bearing mango trees have been converted into heaps of logs in Kalka. In Chandigarh, eucalyptus trees have been felled in a similar fashion even before these were ready for harvesting. Could there be anything more scandalous? Yes, the meagre amount that the railway authorities say they will earn from this wanton destruction. A senior officer has been quoted as saying that for some trees, they may be getting Rs 100 each and for older ones a little more than that. Even a layman knows that the market price of a fully grown tree can be a hundred times as much. So how does the figure of Rs 100 come in? Unless it is a slip of the tongue, it calls for a thorough enquiry. Have the trees been sold for just that much in the past also? If that indeed is the case, someone somewhere has become filthy rich while depriving the railways of a huge sum.

What is surprising is that such a major step has been taken in such a casual manner. Objections were reportedly raised even by railway officials but these were conveniently brushed aside. One argument that is forwarded is that there is or will be replantation. Scientific uprooting of old trees and their replacement by new plants is an established practice all over the world. In fact, the economy of many countries like Sweden depends on the export of timber and newsprint. But here in India, this regeneration has been no more than a paper exercise. The replanted trees are nowhere to be seen. As the news report points out, only a few herbs and shrubs have been planted in recent years. The indiscriminate use of the axe is not particular to any place or organisation. It has been going on almost all over the country. That is how Morni Hills lost most of its green cover. What it does to the environment is obvious. Suffice it to reiterate that such destruction is not just the murder of trees but is also tantamount to hara-kiri by the mankind!

Not fair, Mr Chautala

EDUCATION in Haryana has rarely been handled with the kind of seriousness it deserves. The state is always embroiled in some kind of a controversy concerning its colleges or universities. The latest is that the non-government colleges, numbering around 100, are short of funds because the government has not released their grants-in-aid. Should the state not be worried about the harsh fact that the staff of these institutions have not been paid their salaries for over four months? Surprisingly, the government has made no proper budget allocation for such an important social sector as education! Perhaps, it is convinced that these colleges will be able to generate their own resources. But the ground realities indicate that this is not possible under the circumstances. The acute shortage of funds will lead to the lowering of the standards. It may also affect the teachers’ interest in their primary responsibility and the ultimate sufferers will be the students, the future of the state, nay, the country. In such a situation the crusade of Chief Minister O. P. Chautala for setting up an Indian Institute of Information Technology in Gurgaon carries little meaning. It is doubtful if the state will be able to provide the institute the necessary patronage when it treats college education as a non-priority area.

Of course, in this age of privatisation educational institutions, like hospitals, will have to generate their own resources to run their show. But this should be a gradual process. The government cannot abdicate its responsibility at this stage. In fact, it is unbelievable if the government will be able to totally wash its hands off this significant social sector. If this happens and so hurriedly, the situation will lead to two consequences: higher education will be out of the reach of the poor and the lower middle classes, and the teaching standards may touch the rock bottom. In Haryana — though an economically fast progressing state but not known for its educational standards — things will be even worse than one can foresee. What the state government, therefore, must do is to ensure that under no circumstances is the quality of teaching compromised. Thus instead of depriving its privately managed colleges of their grants-in-aid, the government should decide to arrange more funds for the educational growth of the state. Besides this, education should be kept out of politics, which has stunted the growth of Haryana’s universities. Guru Jhambeshwar University, Hisar, has been the biggest sufferer. Lately it has been accorded the status of the “first technical university” of Haryana and all institutions providing technical education, including the 23 engineering colleges, have been affiliated to it. But the government did not bother about creating the necessary infrastructure at the university before putting such a huge burden on it. The decision is depressing for the affected students and their parents. We expect the authorities to realise the gravity of the situation and take corrective measures without further loss of time.

Sinha’s new avtar

ECONOMIC and fiscal problems are telling on the famed exuberance of Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha. That alone explains his tongue-lashing to industrialists and traders at the PHDCC annual meeting in Delhi during the weekend. He reeled off a negative list, rather things he would not do. He will not reduce taxes or increase customs duty to choke the surge in dumping of Chinese goods. Nor will the government directly launch any action to curb dumping. This the industry has to do after carefully studying the anti-dumping laws and procedures. All he will promise is that the government will produce results within two months. Industry should improve productivity, exploit information technology and stand up to global competition. In fact, in an unusually harsh tone, he chided industry for coming to him every time it faced a problem and asked it to mobilise enough resources both to broaden the equity base and to invest in new technology. Reduced taxes is no more the sole option to increase profitability. For good measure, he pointed out that tax cuts during the past four years have led to a revenue loss of Rs 75,000 crore, reducing the share of taxes in the GDP from 11 per cent to 8 per cent. The assembled gentry must have rubbed their eyes, wondering whether it was the same Finance Minister who had made it one of his prime obligations to help out industry and win friends. Mr Sinha said some more in the same vein. He is not in a position to downsize the government, although the Expenditure Review Commission (ERC) has recommended a 10 per cent reduction in staff over the next four years. He expressed shock at the thought of throwing out so many employees. This cannot be done in a democracy, he said, not trying to underplay political pressure on an economic policy. All this is surprising, if not confusing. Downsizing is his pet project and in his first budget three years ago, he surrendered the post of a secretary in a demonstration of his determination. Also, the ERC is his creation and is part of his pledge to clean up the mess in government finances. He is equally demonstrably abandoning both. He offered the same (democracy) arguments against drastically cutting subsidies. Obviously his reforms will come dressed in democratic clothes.

All this is pre-budget blues; that much is certain. Budget making is threatening to be a tough task. A new bureaucrat is in charge. Expenditure is mounting. Tax revenue is looking up but not enough to rein in the fiscal deficit. Economy is slowing down. Oil imports will be to the tune of at least $ 17 billion and crude prices are unlikely to come down in a hurry. His Cabinet colleagues are energetically blocking disinvestment, thereby locking his last alternative to steady the accounts books. Economic research organisations are scrambling to scale down their rosy projections. This pile of reality forced him to admit that his target of 7 per cent growth was not possible and he would settle down for 5.8 per cent. The Prime Minister, who is pegging the rate at 8 per cent or even 9 per cent (in his speech in the USA during his recent visit), seems to have been upset and called Mr Sinha in for a discussion. In fact, the Finance Minister has had three one-to-one meetings during the past 10 days, indicating both the depth of the problem and the concern of the government, particularly of the Prime Minister. Mr Sinha’s immediate worry is to find funds to partially reduce the price increase in petroleum prices. The NDA government broadly hinted at a Rs 5 cut in cooking gas cylinders and Re 1 a litre of diesel. That is the demand of Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. This token rollback was based on the expectation of crude prices descending from the present high perch of $ 32 a barrel or more to a comfortable level of $ 28 or less. But OPEC has shot down the proposal for a spurt in oil production and with winter setting in, prices are likely to go up and not down. That is the petrol shock for now, for the Prime Minister, for Mr Sinha and for the formidable Ms Banerjee. And the budget is hardly 14 weeks away.

Law-breakers turn law-makers
Court for exposing criminals
by Poonam I. Kaushish

CALL it a Florida twister, an El Dorado cliff-hanger, a George Bush-Al Gore banana split or what you may. The end game for the US Presidency is proving to be just that. It doesn’t matter whether Republican Bush is Gored or Democratic Gore is (am)Bushed. What matters is that in this no-holds-barred election for the White House, genuine democracy has triumphed! Perhaps, this is what makes America great!

Given such complexities, the moot point is: is it good for our democracy to have such people representing the voters? When those who are supposed to lead us become saboteurs, it is time for the people to assert themselves. As the Queen in Alice in Wonderland said: “Off with the head, arguments later.” — INFA.

Nehru on marriage and servants
by P. D. Tandon

PANDIT Jawaharlal Nehru was not a man, but a “procession of men”. His greatness was unique. His was an integrated personality. He was a powerful instrument of history. As his fascinating figure recedes more and more into the clouds of time, his image becomes brighter and brighter and occupies a permanent place in the hearts of his country men.

Posterity remembers with affection and gratefulness only those whose contribution to life is really great and abiding. They alone count in history who mould the minds of their fellowmen and direct their energies to noble endeavours. The man who lives after his death is the one who really lives. There were many in history who led their people to victory, but there were few who could be compared with Nehru in the grandeur of the human spirit. Nehru’s name still rings in the corridor of time. He magnificently stands besides Abraham Lincoln and Gandhi.

With Papaji & Paparazzi
by Sudhir Chowdhary

TODAY, I have not seen the midsummer night’s dream. But I cannot decide when to wake up, for I forgot to read the sunrise time in my favourite daily last evening. Nor can I have a nap, or sound sleep, because “Papaji”, my next door neighbour is hearing (and forcing me to listen) to an Arabian story (or could it be a swan song from across the English Chennel?) Suddenly the noise — with its tolerable contents of music, and unspecified level of nonsense — stops. I thank “Papaji” for this great act of kindness and also think of the Almighty for small mercies he always wanted to bestow upon us. I think of the Italian pizza and of all the good things of life. My thoughts start shuttling between Papaji, Pizza and Paparazzi. I think again and again of Papaji, Paparazzi and Paris. Paparazzi and Paris, Paris and Paparazzi........

Think of the Paparazzi ... Italian pizza .... Think again of the Paparazzi — about what they put down in black and white, about the colourful life, red lights and red light areas, oranges and yellow fever, Greenland and green revolution ..... STOP, look and proceed ... .... and wake up to a “Good Morning”.

Politics: truth about the myths
by P. Raman

WE are a nation of veritable myth makers. Whenever we feel unsafe or disturbed we create our own wishful legends and look to avatars and messiahs to save us from the troubles. The contemporary political myths are conscientiously woven around personalities and groups in that order to create messiah images — often far from the real and always exaggerated.

Until a decade back our political messiahs were invented by the middle classes and busted by the vested interests at will. Now it is all a super operation calling for elaborate programming and precise execution under the new ‘‘convergence’’ concept of information technologies. To spin big, lasting images one needs a set of little fictions and cliches which by way of sheer repetitions in the media eventually becomes part of the political history. The all-knowing TV analysts and political commentators make it worse by endlessly reiterating the fallacious formulations. Many of these are factually incorrect and some born out of preconceived ideas and outdated beliefs.

Do intra-party democracy and regular elections make our political parties, as they are, really vigorous and strong? After the Vajpayee Government lost majority last year, did Sonia Gandhi ‘‘mislead’’ the President? Could Jyoti Basu's assumption as the UF Prime Minister in 1996 have ‘‘changed the course of history’’ as is claimed now by even some pro-saffron commentators? Is it Vajpayee's personality characterised by his integrity and amiability that had brought the NDA back to power and now keeping its government going? Is Sonia Gandhi personally responsible for the numerical decline of the Congress? It is necessary to find out the factual position about so many such commonplace postulates.

Myth No. 1: Regular free elections, decentralisation of decision making and democratisation of organisational functioning will revitalise the political parties and provide them the cutting edge to win battles. Political parties like the Congress lost ground due to overcentralisation, single-leader hegemony and coterie control.

Though it is an impressive text for the sermonisers, in the present Indian context it is all totally unworkable and thus entirely utopian. It may be blasphemy to say so but it is the truth. Every politician knows this but would not admit in public for fear of being dubbed anti-democratic. This is the biggest hypocrisy of the contemporary Indian politics. Contrary to public perception, none of the above evils is confined to the Congress alone. Disputes had forced the BJP to put off state party polls. The Congress viruses have caught the BJP and all regional parties.

When elections are imposed on an unwilling party the tendency has always been to arrange ‘‘unanimous’’ choice which invariably means imposition of the preferred nominees by the top brass or their election observers. Ask the observers, Congress or BJP. The standard response is that far from introducing dynamism, contests will deepen the existing factionalism and hence should be avoided. Those who repeat the democratisation cliche overlook the fact that choice through contest becomes healthy only where the workers are wedded to an ideology and are prepared to sacrifice their personal interests for a wider cause.

Fair organisational elections and democracy are incompatible with the post-70 trend of personalised party management structured on power-seekers from the primary to the top levels. Political patronage gives them the authority to bend the bureaucracy at the respective level, take and seek favours from the people and settle score with the rivals. The middle-level leader relies on this chain of political clients to assert his position. The formers' allegiance gives strength to the state patrons.

Success of this well structured hierarchy of patron-client network has been the secret of the strength of some of the regional parties who otherwise do not have any ideology, programme or anything special to make them attractive. If strongarms and goons can bring votes they do not mind supping with them. Under this set-up, command appointments — and not free elections — that can make the machinery effective.

The end of ideology and commitment has also marked the end of intra-party democracy. There should not be any more pretensions about it. All that the political parties can do under this degenerated paradigm is to appoint the right person, through genuine polls if possible, or a consensus imposed from the above. In fact, this is what is being done by the bosses of most parties. In all existing centrist parties, state-level or all-India, the ultimate authority is vested in one person. After the Chennai ‘‘declaration’’, the BJP is also rapidly falling into the one-boss trap.

More significant, the people as a whole seem to have accepted the efficacy of the one-boss set-up which is often equated with unity and stability. This has been the negative contribution of the perennially quarrelling Janata parivar. It is under the personalised leadership aided by strong coteries that the Congress wrested two-thirds majority. The BJP, known for its collective decision making, had to take shelter under Vajpayee's personality for its success in last year's election. When a whole party is built on a personality — Vajpayee, Sonia, Mulayam, Laloo, Naidu or Thackeray — decisions will have to be centralised and leadership from below built up on the power-based hierarchy.

Myth No. 2: It is Vajpayee's image and his affable nature that had enabled the NDA to return to power last year. And the rather smooth survival of his government has been due to his able handling of the situations.

Vajpayee's leadership did play an important role in keeping the two dozen allies together and putting the ambitious leaders of his own party under check. But it is absurd to argue that the NDA's victory and its sustenance have been due to his personal halo. The 1999 election victory has been more of the allies than the BJP itself. Those who weave such fairy tales are simply ignoring the most crucial factor — the highly favourable political dynamics in the states. Thanks to the farsightedness of Mr L.K. Advani, the BJP could successfully exploit the dialectics of state politics when the Congress arrogantly treated the local parties. If Mamata Banerjee clings to the NDA despite all humiliations, it is not due to Vajpayee's able handling but her own compulsions to fight the Left Front. She can break with the NDA and opt for a tie-up with the Congress if she perceives the dialectics favoured her.

So far the power balance had favoured the BJP in Jharkhand. And suddenly the confluence of interests got upset with Shibu Soren's break with the NDA. Thus the same factors that had worked in favour of the BJP, have now turned against it. Not the halo or persuasive powers of the leader but the local opportunistic power-play that determines politics. In Andhra Pradesh, the TDP has to be with the NDA Government at the Centre to counter the Congress, its main foe at home. Karunanidhi has no reason to switch to the Congress side. Though the Shiv Sena is running a hate campaign against the BJP, it will have to cling to the BJP.

Despite this crucial survival kit, the Vajpayee Government has been facing repeated threats. Uma Bharati ignored him and returned only on the advice of her religious guru. Intense pressures had forced Vajpayee to shuffle the Ministry again and again. In the early 90s, the same analysts and commentators had found mystique in Narasimha Rao's political endurance the secrets of which now stands exposed.

Myth No. 3: Soon after the Vajpayee Cabinet lost the majority last year, Sonia Gandhi had ‘‘mislead’’ the President about her ability to form an alternative Ministry. Though a minor fiction, it is being repeated so often that the truth stands obliterated.

Sonia Gandhi did make a claim that she could mop up the support of 272 MPs. Had she submitted the list of the MPs to the President, it can be interpreted as ‘‘misleading’’. In the past leaders of many parties had put forth similar claims. Some fell flat on the floor of the House, including the 13-day BJP Government. Sonia Gandhi had faltered on two counts. First making a false claim — not ‘‘misleading’’ the President — without proper consultation with others and then pre-empting the chances of a Third Front Government by imposing the Congress' own claim. But this is a matter of strategy for her own party.

Myth No. 4: Had the United Front in 1996 opted for Jyoti Basu, its government could have survived longer and thus effected a new turn in Indian politics.

This myth also is founded on the same old avatar syndrome which had catapulted Rajiv Gandhi, V.P. Singh, Rao and now Vajpayee. No one doubts Basu's competence. But he derives his basic strength from a well-oiled party machinery augmented by a homogeneous front. In the absence of this crucial back-up, the disruptive Janata elements or an ambitious Kesari might have played the same game with him as well.

Myth No. 5: Sonia Gandhi is entirely accountable for the present plight of the Congress and the party can never come up under her.

The honour for the first should be shared more by her predecessors. She did err on haphazard party appointments. Her failure to launch mass action programmes on the problems of the underclass and failures of the government were monumental. Even the BJP while in government has been undertaking action programmes.

However it is illogical to come to the sweeping conclusion that she could never lift the Congress. In the present Indian context, it is the negative actions of the other side that determine the voters' decision. The BJP's recent stunning defeats in Gujarat and a year back in three States point to the fluid nature of Indian politics. Therefore, no one can write off any body. The real threat to the Congress is its marginalisation in State after State which will force it to go in for coalitions — as the BJP does.

Key to differentiating cells found

RESEARCHERS at Ohio State University have taken the first step toward differentiating human cells in an artificial growth medium.

The finding, announced recently at the American Chemical Society meeting in San Francisco, may one day aid the production of human organs for transplant.

“We’re laying the foundation for artificially growing cells that develop specialised characteristics, just as cells that make up organs naturally do in the body,” said Douglas Kniss, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Ohio State.

A new thermal compression technique allowed the researchers to alter the growth medium inside a fibrous-bed bioreactor and change how cells grow and reproduce. That bioreactor is a tissue-growing device previously developed at Ohio State.

In tests, the researchers were able to coax human placental cells to form clusters and initiate the same kind of chemical changes as stem cells in the body do before they differentiate.

The researchers designed the bioreactor as a three-dimensional alternative to the flat petri dishes that scientists normally use to culture cells. The device is capable of growing cells for a variety of applications including fermentation, animal cell culture, tissue engineering, and waste water treatment. (Ohio State University)

Dealing with kidney stones

Kidney stones are believed to affect between one and 20 per cent of the population in industrialised countries. Men are far more likely to suffer from them than women, while winter, richer eating habits and easier lifestyles all increase the risk of developing kidney stones.

The diagnosis of renal stones is rarely difficult, as the pain that results can be excruciating. Indeed, many doctors consider kidney-related pain to be among the severest, and the agony of passing a small, fatty-looking stone is often compared to giving birth. If you have had this painful experience, and are keen to avoid it happening again, understanding how the stone originated in the first place may help you to prevent future episodes.

Kidney stones are usually made up of a salt called calcium oxalate, which means that the more calcium and oxalate ions you have in your urine, the more likely it is that a stone will form. Before you start reducing your consumption of dairy produce and other calcium-rich foods, however, remember that there are other, far more effective and generally healthier, nutritional strategies that you could adopt.

The first is to analyse your intake of water and non-caffeine-containing fluids, which frequently drops when the weather becomes colder. Inadequate levels of fluid in the body encourage the formation of kidney stones by reducing the amount of urine produced and increasing the concentration of stone-forming ions, so aim to drink 2.5 litres of water a day.

The type of water in your area can also affect your chances of developing a kidney stone. Hard water is better because, although it contains higher calcium levels, the calcium ions combine with diet-derived oxalate and can encourage solid calcium oxalate to be formed and disposed of in the gut, thereby reducing the chances of it getting in to the urine. If you live in a soft-water area, make sure you drink plenty of water, which will help to dilute your urine, and monitor the oxalate content of your diet.

One of the metabolic processes that increases the presence of oxalate in the urine is the breakdown of animal proteins such as meat, fish, chicken and eggs. Animal proteins also lower the pH of urine, making it more acidic, and calcium oxalate is less soluble in acidic conditions. Keeping your intake of animal protein low is, therefore, a sensible nutritional step to take, and vegetarians are far less likely to suffer from kidney stones than meat-eaters. Do not cut protein out of your diet altogether, however, as this would seriously compromise your bodily growth and development, as well as your immune system. (Observer)

Free-gauge trains

Two new types of trains that people hope to see come on line soon are free-gauge trains and linear motor cars. Free-gauge trains are trains that can run on different types of tracks. Some tracks are spaced further apart than others. We call the space between the tracks, the track gauge. Right now in Japan there are four different track gauges used, and the same train can’t run on more than one kind. Free-gauge trains will be able to run on all four types of tracks. (Observer)

Remembrance of things past

More than 700,000 people in the UK have some form of dementia; 500,000 of them have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s may be on the increase in younger people. We’re certainly seeing far more middle-aged referrals, says dementia specialist Graham Stokes. Clinical caseloads have doubled during the 90s. It is already known that some forms of dementia are caused by chemicals and, of course, poisoned meat is now widely accepted as the cause of variant CJD. Stokes speculates that some environmental toxins could explain the increase in younger people with Alzheimer’s but, the reality, he admits, is probably more mundane.

“We used to think aluminium was part of the cause, “says Stokes” but research now suggests not. I think the real reason we’re seeing increased cases in younger people is a knock-on effect of the closure of asylums. Younger people are often referred to us by a psychiatrist. In the past, they may well have been placed in long-term psychiatric care instead.”

Cell activity is more rapid in younger people, so the disease gets worse more quickly. Deterioration to total dementia takes just four or five years for a patient in their fifties, compared with seven to 10 years for one in their eighties. (Observer)

SPIRITUAL NUGGETS

Do not play with miracles, you will repent in the end;

For some days you will enjoy them and then you will go the hell.

The din they cause is shunned by saints.

Paltu, saints spit on miracles.

— Paltu Sahib ki Bani

***

Without the Name, worthless are all food and raiment;

cursed is the practice of miracles and powers supernatural!

That alone is supernatural and miraculous.

which bestows freedom from anxiety.

O Nanak, God's Name is enshrined is man's heart

through Guru's grace - a true miracle indeed.

— Sri Guru Amar Das, Adi Granth, page 650.

***

Spiritual life does not consist of loud prayers and frenzied dancing — they only upset the peace and quiet of early morning.

Walking on water is not spirituality nor is praying on mats suspended in mid air.

They alone may be called mystics, O Bahu,

who have enshrined the Friend in their hearts.

— Abyaat-e-Baahoo, 177

***

Miracles do not happen. Miracles cannot happen. Miracles are just the stupid desire in man's mind to have something special... the desire for the sensational.

—Osho, The Wisdom of the Sands, Vol. II

***

I look upon miracles as the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of truth. When the disciples of Buddha told him of a man who had performed a so-called miracle — had taken a bowl from a great height without touching it — and showed him he bowl, he took it and crushed it under his feet and told them never to build their faith on miracles, but to look for truth in everlasting principles. He taught them the true inner light — the light of the spirit which is the only light to go by.

— The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. I, "Soul, God and Religion"