In 1925, Mahatma Gandhi, a spiritual giant and the father of the free Indian Nation wrote about "Seven Social Evils" that are no less applicable today than they were in the early twentieth century. They are as follows:

1.   Politics without Principles

2.   Wealth without Work

3.   Commerce without Morality

4.   Education without Character

5.   Pleasure without Conscience

6.   Science without Humanity

7.   Worship without Sacrifice

In a visit to New Delhi when paying homage to Mahatmaji's Samadhi, Pope Paul was surprised at the depth of a man who spoke for the conscience of humanity. When he read these seven statements, he whispered into his associate's ears, "What a great Soul!"

Mahatma Gandhi considered the Gita his "Live Eternal Mother." We note that in the third chapter of the Gita, called Karma Yoga, man is born out of sacrifice and should live and die in sacrifice. There is no other way to be truly free and joyous. If a man does not first return what he has so graciously received from God for the good of all creatures, does not forget his own selfish needs, and does not live on bare necessities, he is considered a "thief." This fundamental spiritual principle puts everything we do to the test of whether we are truly living up to the spiritual expectations of us.

All great prophets and saints have loudly proclaimed this, even at the cost of their lives. All wealth, beauty, art, and knowledge must be considered a temporary gift from God and must immediately be used for the good of all humanity, lower creatures and nature. Unfortunately, we find lust, greed, pride and vanity as commanding goals everywhere, including in religions as taught today.

This was also the reason that Shri Krishna warns in the Gita that lust, anger and greed are the three gates to hell. A wise man should stay away from them. He also exhorts Arjuna, His beloved devotee, to abandon all self made religions and surrender to Him alone for the ultimate good. Such surrender, of course, requires a true understanding of the entire Gita's message.

Let us now examine the seven social sins or evils as they apply today. In the days of advanced western civilization, which is so blindly followed by the rest of the world, we find that scientific and technological progress has only looked at the outer world, neglecting the inner consciousness. We can travel at amazing speeds to distant planets and communicate worldwide through satellites, but we cannot communicate with our wife or our husband, with our children or neighbors, not to speak of society and nations. A blind hedonist rush for wealth, lust and greed has become the order of the day. A man or a nation is judged smart by how much wealth he can produce at any cost, by any means, for the pleasures of the flesh; flesh that will soon turn into ashes. Wealth, knowledge and knowhow in themselves are not harmful until they start ruling our hearts rather than our hearts or minds ruling over them.