Preparation required to survive during the adverse times Part - 1

1. Coronavirus pandemic is just a small glimpse into the severe adverse times

Since January 2020, Coronavirus has created havoc throughout the world. Due to lockdowns during this pandemic, many businesses and industries have been badly hit. This has led to recession in economies around the world. Due to this pandemic, loss of lives and financial losses are vast. The hanging sword of the pandemic spread, it has become difficult to move freely in society, take treatment in hospitals, etc. An environment of fear and stress exists everywhere. From all this as of November 2020, it appears that the corona pandemic is just a small glimpse into the severe adverse times.

2. Brief outline of the horrific adverse times

Adverse times in the form of World War, earthquakes, floods, etc. are yet to come. Many Nadipatti-readers, Saints and seers have predicted that the advent of adverse times is certain. The knocks of the adverse times are evident.

By holding China responsible for the spread of corona pandemic, some European countries along with USA, are gearing up for war against China. World War 3 is approaching. These adverse times we are speaking of will not be a matter of a few days or months instead they will last 3 long years; in other words, until the ‘Hindu Rashtra’ (Ideal Divine Rule) is established.

During adverse times, the power supply gets disrupted, the transport system collapses due to shortage of fuel, etc. As a result, the Administrative machinery is not able to render help everywhere. There are obstacles in the Government’s assistance as well. Hence, cooking gas, essential commodities such as food grains, water are not available for months at a stretch, and if available at all, they are rationed. During such times, it becomes difficult to find doctors, Vaidyas (Ayurveda practitioners), medicines, hospitals, etc. easily. Considering all these facts, everyone should prepare at the physical, mental, familial, financial, spiritual levels well in advance.

3. Preparation at the physical level

Food is the fundamental requirement of living beings to live. For us to not starve during the adverse times, it is essential to buy sufficient quantities of food grains to sustain the entire family, well in advance. The present generation is not aware of the methods of storing and preserving various types of food grains for a long duration. Hence, in this series, we have suggested some methods of food preservation. All said and done, whatever be the quantity of food grains, it will get consumed and if for some reason, the stock is not supplemented, it will get exhausted. As a precaution to not reaching a state of extreme destitution, we need to simultaneously cultivate food grains and vegetables.

There are many restrictions to cultivating food grains such as rice, legumes; but root and tuber vegetables, vegetables that require less water and those that can be grown around the year, fruiting trees, etc. can be grown around the house and in the balcony of a flat too.

Practical suggestions to go about such cultivation are provided in this series. During adverse times, cooking gas may not be available. Hence, it has been advised that wood-fired stove, solar cooker, etc. be used It may not be possible to cook all normal food items during the adverse times. Keeping this in mind, practical suggestions have been given on storing specific food items and ways to preserve them longer.

A list of items that are a daily necessity for a family, as well as items required occasionally, is given. This will help the readers make their purchases judiciously. Surviving is impossible without water, and the present generation of humans cannot think of living without electricity. Hence, suggestions for alternative sources of water, storing water, purifying it, as well as alternative sources of electricity, have been provided in this series.

Every aspect has been covered with the intent of providing as many alternatives as possible to make the adversity of time bearable. One should consider the need, availability of space, financial state, local weather and geographical location while making arrangements. Where there are limitations to provide suggestions at the practical level, we have limited ourselves to give instructions only; for example, while the article suggests that a well be dug out to avoid scarcity of water during the adverse times, we have refrained from providing details. Readers are requested to consult experts or study books in such matters.

4. Preparation at mental level

Many suffer from restlessness, anxiety, depression, fear, etc. during adverse times. To avoid such phases of unhappiness, and to face the adversities courageously, guidance has been provided on the appropriate autosuggestions that one can use to condition the mind in advance.

5. Preparation at the spiritual level

Whatever preparations an individual does on his own to protect oneself during the adverse times, during extreme adversity we are compelled to rely on God. If an individual obtains God’s grace by performing spiritual practice, then God certainly helps him during any crisis. The seriousness about performing spiritual practice will develop after reading this series.

6. Start preparing immediately

If readers start preparing immediately as advised in this series, the adverse times can become bearable. Readers should also caution their brethren in society about all these matters.

Compilation of some topics in this series is still going on. We have commenced publication of this series to enable the readers to obtain a headstart on the preparations. Very soon, we are also going to publish a Text series on this subject.

7. Prayer

We pray at the Holy feet of Shriguru – ‘May this series of articles become useful, not only to survive during the adverse times, but also to remain blissful by accepting the perspective that spiritual practice is an integral part of life’ !

Paratpar Guru (Dr) Jayant Athavale, the only Visionary
on the earth working for the survival of all human beings
and for the welfare of the creation during the coming adverse times !

When a demon named Hiranyaksha abducted the Earth and hid it in the ocean, Shri Vishnu protected it by Incarnating in the form of ‘Varah’ (Boar). To maintain the balance of creation, Deity Shiv remains in meditative state incessantly. Paratpar Guru (Dr) Jayant Athavale is also bestowed with many Divine virtues and seekers have had many spiritual experiences of His being Godlike. He too, like the Deities is concerned about the protection and welfare of the entire human race and that of the creation.

In the adverse times, we will be facing natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and man-made disasters such as World War. To guide the entire human race in facing these adversities competently, Paratpar Guru (Dr) Athavale has commenced the production of Text series, ‘Sanjeevani (Life-line) in the adverse times’. These series include Holy texts that hold information about various remedies which we can use to cure ourselves in the absence of doctors and medicines. They also include, ‘Remedies on ailments caused by obstructions in the vital energy flow system’ and ‘ spiritual healing on ailments using empty boxes’. These most simple and effective remedies have been invented by Paratpar Guru (Dr) Athavale Himself. Starting in the year 1980, He has collected hundreds of paper clippings about therapies such as Ayurveda, Acupressure, Reiki, etc. Those clippings are now proving useful for compiling texts. This also reveals Paratpar Guru (Dr) Athavale’s foresight. He is making seekers study medicinal herbs which can be easily planted by people all over the world, on their terraces, in court-yards or in the vicinity of their houses. These herbs will help people prepare and have home-made medicines easily available during the adverse times, He is ensuring that such herbs are planted everywhere. He has published the texts related to planting of such medicinal herbs too.

During the adverse times, it is not just enough to know the remedies to survive, but there is a dire need of essential commodities such as food grains, water, fuel, electricity, etc. Considering all these factors it is essential to be prepared to face adverse times not only at the physical level but also at the mental, familial, financial and spiritual level. Paratpar Guru (Dr) Athavale is the only one to tell what an individual should do at the personal level, as well as what the community’s collective efforts should be. He has published articles on ‘Preparations to survive during the adverse times’ through the Sanatan Prabhat and on Sanatan.org. Text series in this context will be published soon.

No matter how much an individual prepares of his own accord, to survive during the most dreadful calamities such as earthquakes, Tsunami, he has to rely on God alone. If he obtains God’s grace by performing spiritual practice, God protects the individual against any kinds of peril. This has been proved from many examples such as that of devotee Prahlad, the Pandavs. This is why, through various media, Paratpar Guru (Dr) Athavale has been earnestly telling everyone that ‘to survive, start spiritual practice now!’

Hindu Scriptures say, ‘The earth has to undergo perils when abiding by Dharma (Righteousness) is on the decline and Adharma (Unrighteousness) is on the rise. When society abides by Dharma and develops seekership, and when social life and national life support Dharma, the earth does not have to suffer disasters, it helps in maintaining the balance in the Creation. This is precisely why Paratpar Guru (Dr) Athavale providing guidance to everyone at the spiritual level to establish ‘Divine Rule’ which is Dharma based, not only in India but, all over the World. With the same intent, He is uniting Saints, sects, seekers, devout Hindus and patriots.

Since last few years, vital energy level of Paratpar Guru (Dr) Athavale is extremely low, just enough to survive and He is suffering from many ailments. He is in a Brahmaleen (State of union with God) state Himself and can renounce his body blissfully if He decides so. Despite all these aspects, only to protect all human beings during the adverse times He is working 15-16 hours a day literally congregating vitality in His body with the aim of seeing the entire human race turning sattvik (Spiritually pure), Divine KIngdom getting established all over and whole Creation’s welfare being achieved.

Obeisance unto Holy feet of the Shri Guru who is the establisher of Dharma, Emancipator of the World, Nurturer of the Creation, Epoch-maker- the extremely compassionate one !’

– H.H. Sandeep Alshi (11.11.2019)

Until 2023, meaning till the ‘Hindu Rashtra (Nation)’
(The ideal Divine Kingdom) is established in India, the adverse times will continue !

‘Currently, the adverse times have already begun through the medium of earthquakes, floods, and the outbreak of the coronavirus, etc. From the year 2021 onwards, the severity of the adverse times will increase. These adverse times will continue till 2023, that is, until the ‘Hindu Rashtra (Nation)’ (The ideal Divine Kingdom) is established in India. – Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Jayant Athavale

1. Some natural disasters and international developments
indicating that the adverse times have begun to some extent

1A. Some natural calamities

Natural disasters have plagued the world for the past few years. Let us look at some recent examples. In 2013, floods in Kedarnath damaged 60 villages and killed more than 1,000 people. In the year 2018, 3 lakh people were displaced due to the floods in Kerala, while more than 375 people lost their lives. A tsunami caused by a volcanic eruption off the coast of Indonesia in December 2018 killed at least 300 people. Hundreds of acres of forests in California (USA) have been burned to ashes twice in the last few years causing severe damage to the natural resources on hundreds of acres of land.

1B. Some of the international developments that could lead to World War III

Pakistan’s continuing skirmishes with India and Pak-sponsored terrorism, China’s frequent incursions into India, North Korea-US conflict over North Korea’s nuclear disarmament, the ongoing Sino-US conflict over China’s ambition to become a superpower, the resumption of the Cold War between the United States and Russia, the United States and some European countries itching to impose sanctions on China as retaliation for ‘the calamity of the coronavirus caused by China’, etc., many countries of the world, including India, could be plunged into the abyss of the World War III at any time.

2. Glimpses of the adverse situations that mankind has had to face

2A. Situation during World War II

During World War II, Germany declared war on Britain. As a result, in Britain, 1.3 million people had to migrate in the first four days alone. Blackout regulations were imposed during the war. It used to be pitch dark on the street outside at night. Even a glimmer of light coming out of a window or a door was liable to be fined ! This blackout lasted not for 1-2 days or few months, but 5 years ! During World War II, Russia was also affected by Germany’s military campaigns. At that time, extreme food scarcity forced the Russians to eat ‘cakes’ having leaves and sawdust as ingredients !

2B. The situation created in Nepal after the earthquake in the year 2015 which caused major upheaval

2B 1. Difficulty due to shortage of cooking gas

2B 1A. Black marketing of gas cylinders

For a cylinder of gas worth Rs 1,500, one had to pay Rs 8,000 in the black market.

2B 1B. The wood of the houses that had collapsed in the earthquake had to be used as ‘fuel’

People did not get gas cylinders for the next 7 months. So people used the wood of the houses that collapsed in the earthquake as ‘fuel’. A few months later the Government made firewood available, but the price of that wood was as high as Rs. 20 per kg.

2B 1C. Problems arising from using wood as fuel

1. Timber merchants sold wet wood. The wet wood did not burn quickly, making it difficult for women to light stoves.

2. Many people did not have an axe to chop wood and some did not know how to chop wood even if they had an axe, so they had to rely on others to get chopped wood.

3. Landlords would not allow people living in rented houses to cook on the wood-fired stoves. Landlords would claim that ‘the smoke from the stove would blacken the walls and ceilings of the house’.

2B 1D. It became difficult to get the long-awaited ‘gas cylinder’ home due to paucity of vehicles

After several weeks of waiting, some gas cylinders were delivered; but the unavailability of vehicles caused by fuel shortages made it difficult to transport the cylinder home.

2B 2. Shortage of groceries

During that time, there were not many grocery items available in the grocery stores. The available goods also had to be bought four times higher than the usual price, for example, the cooking oil which usually sold for Rs. 100 to Rs. 180 per liter was sold at Rs 500 per liter.

2B 3. Patients dying of even minor illnesses due to lack of medicines

Some people also died from minor illnesses due to non-availability of medicines in the hospitals.

2B 4. Problems caused by electricity shortage

The power supply in Kathmandu was officially shut for 14 hours a day. However, sometimes the power supply would last only 2-3 hours a day. When the power supply was turned on, the people would turn on the water pump, cook on electrical appliances, etc. That ‘load’ used to overload and fuse the transformers. Government employees would need 4-5 days to repair such transformers.

2B 5. Problems caused by a shortage of petrol and diesel

A. Vehicles were not available due to the shortage of petrol and diesel. As a result, schools and industries were closed.

B. Sometimes fuel was distributed by the Government but one had to wait in line for 4-5 hours to get it. Fuel used to run out much before the last waiting person could get it. Therefore, people had to wait for several more weeks. There was no information from the Government about the when the fuel would be available and distributed next. As a result, people would park their vehicles in a queue on the road for many days.

C. Petrol which was usually Rs. 100 to Rs. 130 per liter was sold in the black market at Rs. 500 per liter and diesel which would normally cost Rs. 80 to Rs. 100 per liter was sold at Rs. 250 to Rs. 300 per liter.

D. Fuel shortages led to an increase in the number of cyclists. Therefore, even the cheapest bicycle was costing Rs. 10,000 at that time.

2B 6. Internet was shut down due to lack of electricity, petrol and diesel

When the power supply of various offices was off, the power supply was maintained with the help of generators. However, after the earthquake, along with electricity, there was also a shortage of petrol and diesel, and these generators became useless. So the work which was dependent on the internet stopped.

2B 7. Many lost their jobs due to the closure of industries

During that time, about 2,000 businesses were shut down and about 1 million people became jobless.

– A seeker), Nepal. (24.4.2016)

All of the above examples are a glimpse of the severity of the adverse times. We cannot even imagine the vastness of the problems we would be facing during adverse times. To deal with all these problems competently, there is no alternative but to even the preparations have to be comprehensive !

During the adverse times, everyone must prepare themselves
at different levels without making the mistake of relying solely on the Government !

Transport stalls during adverse times. Therefore, the Government cannot reach everyone and everywhere to render help. The help provided by the Government can also get hindered. There is a shortage of cooking gas, food and other necessities. There is a strong possibility of corruption in the distribution system. The Government tries to comfort the citizens by starting the rationing of certain food items and opening up ‘drug distribution centers’; but there are also limitations to Government assistance. With all this in mind, to survive in the adverse times, it is essential for everyone to be prepared on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels.

During the adverse times, avoid the ‘let us cross the bridge when it come to it’ mentality !

When guidance is given to people to create seriousness about the adverse times, some say, ‘What happens to everyone in adverse times will happen to us also. In the adverse times, what is going to happen, will happen no matter what. We will take care of it when it happens.’ The following approach should be considered in this regard. Destruction is bound to happen in adverse times. The household has elderly persons and small children. Older people are dependent and helpless, while children are ignorant. The onus of caring for and protecting them rests with the responsible persons of the family. If they fail to prepare for the adverse times, the elderly and children will suffer badly. The responsible persons will incur demerits for their negligence.

1. Physical level preparations to survive the adverse times

1 A. Do this to avoid starvation

1 A 1. Anticipate the shortage of cooking gas, kerosene required for the stove, etc. and do the following.

1 A 1 A. Keep a wood-fired stove at home

1. If you do not have a stove at home, buy an earthen, cement or cast iron stove. Some manufacture iron stoves which consume less fuel, emit less smoke and can be shifted easily. These are the advantages of such stoves when compared with traditional stove. One manufacturer is ‘Dattu Chulha’, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (Mobile : 9425009113). Some have provided a chimney for smoke to go out of the kitchen. We can study the utility of such modern stoves and depending on our need, buy one that suits us. (In an emergency, one can prepare a makeshift fireplace by placing 3 stones in a specific manner.)

2. Learn to light a stove, the process of cleaning it daily, etc.

3. Store enough firewood, coal, dried dung-cakes, ‘biomass briquettes’ (made by compressing bagasse, sawdust, peanut shells, sunflower stalks, etc.). Biomass briquettes are available in shops in big cities and Online as well.

4. Learn to cook on a stove. Learn to cook rice, dal, bhakari (A type of Indian bread) roasted on fire after heating it on a frying pan, etc. While learning to cook on a stove, try to reduce the habit of using the kitchen counter top.

1 A 1 B. Buy solar cooking equipment

1. Those who do not have solar power generation set should purchase equipment such as a solar cooker.

2. Those who have solar power should buy ‘Induction stove’ and utensils appropriate for cooking on such a stove. (Note that there are limitations to getting solar energy in cloudy weather.)

1 A 1 C. Where there is sufficient wet garbage (vegetable stalks, leftover food, other substances which rot quickly etc.) being generated, go for a biogas plant.

Apart from kitchen waste, cow dung can be used, toilet waste can also be fed to the biogas plant. In some States, the Government bears the entire expense to erect a biogas plant; whereas, in some States, the Government provides a subsidy that covers its partial cost.

1 A 1 D. Those who own cattle can erect a gobar-gas plant

They can release the toilet waste into the gobar gas plant. A farmer who erects such a plant can get a subsidy that covers partial cost of the plant from the State Government under some specific scheme.

1 A 2. Avoid using machines such as mixers while cooking; develop the habit of using conventional equipment instead.

A. Instead of churning buttermilk using an electric hand-held blender use a hand churning staff.

B. Use a grinding stone for preparing chutney (A spicy condiment of Indian origin) and pestle and mortar to crush groundnuts or spices.

C. Familiarise yourself with traditional equipment (such as hand-mill for grinding, stone mortar and pestle for pounding).

Reference : Sanatan’s forthcoming Text series – ‘Preparations required to survive the adverse times’

(Copyright : Sanatan Bharatiya Sanskruti Sanstha)

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