Through the centuries, Hindu religious scripts, stories, and rituals have attempted to drive home the importance of preserving nature by deifying every form of it.
For us, Ganga is not just a river but a mother, a goddess, and much more. It’s considered holy because it sustains life on a huge and fertile delta.
Peepul, Banyan and Neem are not just trees but they are regarded as the embodiment of deities and we worship them. The Bel leaves and fruits, Mango leaves, Tulsi leaves and Coconuts are offered to the God during worship. The Lotus is a sacred flower for Indians. The banana plant and leaves are used for decorating the temple and worship. Ayurveda tells us that all plants and flowers have medicinal value.
The bond between Indian people and trees is very strong. Ramayana and Mahabharata have innumberable descriptions of trees and forests. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna compares the world to the Banyan tree because it is so large and provides a home to many different creatures. The Mahabharata says that ‘even if there is only one tree full of flowers and fruits in the village, that place becomes worthy of worship and respect.’
In Indian iconography, there is a close relationship between the various deities, and their animal or bird mounts. Each God or Goddess is associated with a particular animal or bird, and this lends a special dimension to the animal kingdom.
Krishna is worshipped along with his cow who gives us so much yet asks nothing in return. Shiva is worshipped alongwith his bull Nandi. Vishnu flies on Garuda the Vulture. Saraswati is worshipped with her swan and peacock and Laxmi is worshipped with her owl. When you seek blessings from Ganesha, you seek blessings from his companion –mouse - too. Ganesha, the son of Shiva, is a combination of elephant and man; the elephant is worshipped in this country and even today forms an integral part of many temples and festivals.
We do not look upon cattle as mere beasts of burden, but treat them with dignity and gratitude; On the harvest festival in many parts of the country, bullocks, which are an integral part of the village economy, are honored, decorated and taken out in processions across the village.
The concept of ahimsa prevents a Hindu from causing harm to any creature, and therefore, many Hindus are vegetarian.
In Hindu pantheon, God incarnated himself first in the form of a fish and then a tortoise. His fifth incarnation was a man-lion.
The Atharva-Vedic concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam includes human beings, animals, and all living creatures. It says that human beings cannot command or demand mastery over other creatures and are forbidden from abusing and damaging the nature. People did not spring fully formed to dominate lesser life, but evolved out of these forms and are integrally linked with them. They are expected to live in harmony with Nature.
Ahimsa does not only mean no violence to human beings. It also means no violence to air, rivers, oceans, plants, trees, forests, mountains, birds and animals.
But somewhere down the line, we forgot who we are and what is our relationship with nature. We thought worshipping trees is what uneducated rustic people do. We thought Ganga is a just a river and not our mother. We thought that the story of Ganga descending into the earthly planet as a result of severe austerities performed by Bhagiratha is a myth. We forgot how Yamuna was an important part of Krishna’s consciousness. We started mocking those who said that mountains are abode of Gods. We started treating Cow as just an animal and not our mother who gives us so much yet asks nothing in return. We forgot that lions and tigers are our God’s transport and not to be hunted. We thought vultures presented an ugly sight and we didn’t care as they were getting wiped out.
It’s time we woke up.
It’s time to recall who we are.
It’s time to recall what our ancestors taught us.
It’s time to recall we are part of this Nature of which birds, animals, trees, forests, rivers, and mountains are part too.
It’s time to understand that we cannot destroy the Nature without destroying ourselves.
It’s time to seek our own security!
It’s time to save the Earth!
It’s time to internalise the mantra of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam!’
It’s time we start seeing divinity in all living creatures.
Written by - Mr Rakesh Shrivastava
