"Kulakke moola kodali kaavu"

കുലയ്കേ മൂല കൊടലി കാവു is a saying in Kannada which means, "the wooden handle of an axe kills its own race." 

Immense are the possibilities of technology, but many of the things invented are used for the destruction of the living and non-living beings directly or indirectly. We are least bothered about what happens to others when we apply something – be it the chemical fertilizers for farming or atomic weapons used for wars.

There is a story about the human predicament.  Four princes went in search of some special science that shall help the humans to have a better life.  They went round the world and each one learned a special art. The first one, learned to assemble the born of any dead animal together; the second one learned to put flesh on the skeleton and the third one to put the skin and hair to the skeleton.  The fourth one learned the art of giving life to a dead body.  They went around, found a skeleton; the first one put it together, the second one put flesh to it and the third one its skin and the fourth one gave life.  But the sad fate was that it was that of a lion.  I do not have to tell the predicament of the four people in front of a lion.

There is another story - about a demon called Bhasmasura in Hindu mythology.  He gets the boon from Lord Shiva that whatever he touches should be reduced to ashes.  But as soon as he received it, he wanted to test it on Lord Shiva himself.  Shiva took to his heels.  Lord Vishnu appears in the form of a beautiful woman, Mohini, and distracts his attention from Lord Shiva.  He wanted to marry her.  She puts one condition that he should dance with her and do whatever she does. He agrees and she dances many postures and finally makes him touch his own head with his hand.  He was reduced to ashes. 

Modern technology seems to be like the burning power of hands granted to that demon.  If he turns out to be negligent even for the slightest moment, it may lead to the ruin of the world or self-destruction! 

The greatest enemy of humankind is humans themselves.