Where destiny lies

Why is that some countries seem blessed, while others have to grapple with a myriad of disasters? MARTIN VENGADESAN examines the karma of countries, from two different points of view. THERES a tragic air of inevitability about the bad news that we hear in the world, isnt there? Civil war, ethnic strife, bad governance, natural disasters all seem to hit some countries more than others. Lets be honest, Switzerland seems to have enjoy a greater run of peace and prosperity than Ethiopia, Japan seems to have gotten breaks that have eluded Indonesia. And yet, in the last few weeks, weve seen Mother Nature wreak havoc on poor and rich nations alike, be they Guatemala and Pakistan or the mighty United States. Is there a pattern to all this ill fortune? How can one explain the varying fortunes that different countries experience? Is it a result of geo-political factors, or is there something a little bit more supernatural about it? And if theres an exact science to it, can we reasonably predict the future of nations? Vasthu Sastra expert T. Selva is convinced that the destiny of nations is written in the stars, and determined in part, by the shape of a nation. But, he stresses, it is actually incorrect to state that a country can possess karma. Karma is a reference to an individuals last birth and this is only applicable to human beings and not countries. Every individual has both good and bad times that can be determined based on his or her date of birth, but for a country there is no date of birth. No one knows when India or China was born, he explains. Selva says that according to the ancient Indian almanac, there are four Yugams, an age of the world that runs into a few million years. They are the Kritha Yugam, which went on for 17.28 million years, Thritha Yugam (12.96 million years), Dwapara Yugam (8.64 million years) and currently we are now in the Kali Yugam period, which runs for 4.26 million years. So far we have passed 5,107 years. According to this research, the earth will collapse following this period (Kali Yugam). Scientifically, there is evidence that Earths polarity changes once in 25,000 years; American scientists reported on Dec 11, 2004, that the strength of the Earths magnetic

field has decreased 10% over the past 150 years, raising the remote possibility that it may collapse and later reverse. However, there is no reference in Vasthu Sastras ancient texts linking Vasthu principles to Earths magnetism. Still, according to those who believe in Vashtu Sastra, readings can be done based on the shape of an individual country. From the Vasthu point of view, a reading must be done from the equator, dividing the northern and southern parts of the world. If you analyse the world, prosperity is only enjoyed by countries in the northern hemisphere. There are some countries like Australia that are enjoying prosperity, but its short term. Look at the land it is drying up. If you study history, Southern Africa, South America and countries like Indonesia fail to be prosperous and you will find that people in these countries are poor and not blessed with natural resources. And even if they are blessed with resources like South Africa, there is often political turmoil that hinders the countrys development. This view is, of course, a broad generalisation, as there are also astrological factors to consider, and each individual country will have a different reading, explains Selva. Scientists believe that at one point, the world was one huge land mass called Pangaea. What effect, if any, would the changing shape of contemporary countries have on its fortunes? For example, when Germany reunified, did its Vasthu readings change? Yes, if countries can unite, it can change the shape and size of the respective countries favourably. Another option is for countries that are not compliant with Vasthu principles (those with bad readings) to reclaim land missing in certain parts like the south-west portion, which is the wealth corner. Conversely, if the land is protruding in the wrong location like the south-west or the south-east, the country concerned should consider giving up the inauspicious extension to make the country a perfect square or rectangle. Thats a unique way of looking at global politics. Interestingly, a leading feng shui expert declined to comment on the grounds that the feng shui of countries was too sensitive an issue to discuss. It is, of course, fascinating to think that the future of the world may be predetermined, but political scientist Dr Chandra Muzaffar, the founding president of the Inter-national Movement for a Just World (JUST), is distinctly sceptical of such views. Indeed, he is a firm believer in assessing the fortunes of a nation through the more conventional study of history, geography and science.

I would like to see the good or bad things that happen to a country as phenomena that can be ex-plained rationally, at least most of the time, he said. Earthquakes happen because of seismological changes. It is a science that one can examine empirically. Its important that we see what is right in front of us, instead of concocting supernatural reasons for the poor state of the world. Global warming is no myth. I think that the studies are fairly well-received within the scientific community, that deforestation, desertification and rising sea levels are contributing to a dramatic increase in natural disasters all around the world. Most of the factors that contribute to the rise in the frequency of such disasters are manmade. The way in which we have industrialised and urbanised has had catastrophic consequences for our environment. In past centuries, there was this notion of progress as the taming, or more accurately the destruction, of nature. We are, in general, a little wiser to the planets needs, but we are certainly not living in harmony with the environment. Then we have historical factors such as colonisation and the development of a nations political culture. All these are factors that one can explain through scientific study. Based on what we can literally see in the world around us, and given the current climate of the modern scientific age, most of us would concur with Dr Chandras assessments. Yet there is within us an instinct to believe that there is a higher power with a purpose beyond our understanding ? after all, is that not what most religions are about? Indeed, most ancient civilisations were centred around the worship of the forces of nature, and there is something vaguely comforting in the belief that our future is predestined. But the next time disaster strikes, will we look rationally at why it happened, or seek answers that are more mystical in nature? Related Stories: Vasthu vs geo-politics