Why Societies Collapse into Chaos—and How Meditation Can Break the Cycle of Power, Greed, and Decline
Matsya Nyaya: The Law of the Fish
Matsya Nyaya is an ancient Indian philosophical concept that literally means “Law of the Fish”. It describes a natural order where, in the absence of authority or law, the strong prey upon the weak – like big fish devouring smaller fish in the sea. This principle is often equated to the “law of the jungle,” where might makes right. In the sea or in the wild, this is the natural state of being.
Civilisation vs Anarchy
In human society, Matsya Nyaya is a reflection of a state of anarchy, chaos and disorder. Humans have a higher consciousness than animals and thus are able to make a legal system that prevents this state of affairs. That is why it is called “Human Civilisation”.
Yet history has shown that Matsya Nyaya keeps happening at regular intervals in human society too. Why does this happen? What causes humans to slide back to their animal instincts?
The Rise and Fall of Civilisation
Let’s look at human society. Every human society structures itself into a hierarchy, either in the aftermath of a chaotic event or over time. This is a natural inherent inbuilt process. The society then stays in that hierarchical state mostly for a generation or two, with everyone enjoying the benefit of civilisational stability. After that, cracks start forming in this natural state and the move towards anarchy and chaos starts.
Read history – you will find this pattern occurring all the time. Why is that? Is it the natural way of life?
The Role of Elites in Stability
When the society settles down into it’s natural state of hierarchy from anarchy, stability comes easy. For the elites – the learned, the rich and the powerful – all have an interest in maintaining the state of civilisation. The horrors of anarchy are enough for them to realise the value of civilisation. Though their contribution is more in creating the stability, they create a legal system that is fair to all and they see to it that it is implemented fairly as well. The real elites know that not only is their contribution to society more but that it also helps keep the stability in society.
The Second Generation Problem
The problem starts in the second generation. In most cases, the second generation of the elites is brought up in a soft manner. Further, circumstances being easy for them, they do not have to really exert themselves.
The commoners strive hard to become the elites to enjoy the spoils of society. This causes a clash between the upcoming commoners and the established elites.
The Inevitable Churn
Human nature is human nature. Every parent wants to give their progeny more and for the progeny to carry on with what they have provided them – justified or not. This is the root cause of the problem. The second generation of elites generally turns out to be parasitic and feeds off society rather than contributing to society like the previous generation of elites.
Every generation brings a change of people. Some commoners rise to become the new elites. Some of the old elites fade away, some drop down but most of the old elites try every trick to remain as elites even if there are others who are better than them.
The churning starts again – it may not be violent but a new hierachy pushes to be formed from inside. If the new hierachy is able to take over, society keeps running in a civilisational way. If not, the seeds of anarchy are sown.
The Warning Signs of Decline
And the easiest way to see if the society you are living in is headed for anarchy is this – Are the rich getting richer, the powerful getting more powerful, the poor getting poorer, the weak getting weaker? If yes, anarchy is not far away.
The Way Out: Meditation
So what needs to be done? Is there a way out? Or are we condemned to repeat this cycle of anarchy and order?
The answer is simple. Yes there is a way out. Meditation. It may sound simplistic but it is not.
Meditation increases the awareness and consciousness of every person who meditates. That is the nature of meditation. As your consciousness and awareness grows, you move away from the animalistic state towards the Divine state. This journey opens up the individual to many possibilities. As a result, the meditative individuals start moving the society to higher levels of civilisation. There is great human and technological development, which makes life easy and pleasurable. This is because a meditative person naturally moves from the animalistic – I, me, myself – state to a higher state where they are in tune with the higher energy states of life.
Meditation is the antidote to greed, unbridled power, chaos and anarchy at the mass level. Meditation is also the nectar that takes one to the higher divine states at the individual level.
Reestablishing Natural Order
Coming back to the churn in society, when the next generation or progeny of elites realise that it is better for the natural order to flow rather than block it or push it in their way, the new elite order establishes itself to the benefit of everybody in society.
Conclusion: Sanatan Wisdom for Generational Harmony
Sanatan civilisation has existed for thousands of years despite all circumstances. Learn from it and ensure that not only your generation but the generations after, get to enjoy and grow from it’s wisdom.