Hindu-Blog.com: Hinduism and Nature (Go Green Connection)

Namaste, Hari Om,

‘No religion, perhaps, lays as much emphasis on environmental ethics as does Hinduism. It believes in ecological responsibility and says like Native Americans that the Earth is our mother. It champions protection of animals, which it considers also have souls, and promotes vegetarianism. It has a strong tradition of non-violence or ahimsa. It believes that God is present in all nature, in all creatures, and in every human being regardless of their faith or lack of it.’ - Dr. David Frawley

(Note: I don't wholly agree with the first line, i believe all religions hold this same emphasis, just in various ways). 

“Plants are mothers and Goddesses.” - (Rig Veda Samhita x-97-4)

This is extremely powerful, a mother can birth children, thus trees and plants can birth new off spring. We should look at mother nature as a true mother, they provide shade, food and sustainability in living conditions.

All to often we forget about the world we live in, sometimes we think that we are just one person, how can we save this earth, "We are just a drop in this big ocean".

Well the maha sagar (great ocean) would be nothing without every drop, same for our efforts - together we can fill any bucket drop by drop.

There is a old stigma that the older generations do not know of the go green theme, or are unaware of our planets suffering. Looking at the below points, not only do the older generations know of it, they also forewarned us all of it. In the Garuda Purana, Garuda flew to the three worlds and told Vishnu that he has seen movable and immovable creatures in all three worlds. I stopped and thought to myself, what is an immovable creature? These are plants, trees and living matter that does not move, yes even rocks!

If we do not have respect for the life forms that support us, how can we support each other? Lets take a look at some of the notes from past scriptures;

“Waters cleanse humanity from the evil of pollution committed by it.” - (Atharva Veda Samhita xii-2-40)

The waters we have in our world are being defiled by pollution all for the magical dollar. We are sacrificing our own mother for the sake of pleasing our materialistic needs. Ganga Mata came from the louts like feet of Lord Vishnu, thus she is pure and ever cleansing. Wherever there is dirty water caused by humans, there will be a lack of good health and food standards – is this a direct link to dirty water? Yes.

Continue reading the below, it’s a great eye opener to those who are Hindu/faith based/religious, and question why we should go green. You can not afford a dualistic lifestyle while walking the spiritual path – I have often said that we can not just turn off the Spiritual switch when we want too. It must be on always as we are tested always!

Contaminating our bodies with flesh and sorrow (From the dead animals as they experienced pain while bing slaughtered) is bad, same for contaminating our planet. It starts with one drop, together we can fill the bucket and clean up this world.
 
Enjoy,

Jai Mata Ki Jai,

-SimpleHinduBhai





Please read the Article below from Hindu-Blog.com:

Nature and Hinduism are so entwined that it is quite impossible to think about one without the other. The need for an ecological balance is stressed in the Vedas and Upanishads and this message is repeated in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita, Puranas and in the messages of Hindu saints. Mother Nature is worshipped in Hindu religion. But for majority of Hindus, worship is confined to temples and homes and thus they are equal contributors in global warming, pollution and emissions.


Here are a few thoughts which ancient seers of Sanatana Dharma had shared more than 5000 years ago regarding the importance of nature and majority of them are highly relevant today.

•One should not destroy the trees. (Rig Veda Samhita vi-48-17)

•Plants are mothers and Goddesses. (Rig Veda Samhita x-97-4)

•Trees are homes and mansions. (Rig Veda Samhita x-97-5)

•Sacred grass has to be protected from man's exploitation (Rig Veda Samhita vii-75-8)

•Plants and waters are treasures for generations. (Rig Veda Samhita vii-70-4)

Earth, in which lie the sea, the river and other waters, in which food and cornfields have come to be, in which lives all that breathes and that moves, may she confer on us the finest of her yield. Earth, in which the waters, common to all, moving on all sides, flow unfailingly, day and night, may she pour on us milk in many streams, and endow us with lustre. (From the Atharva Veda - Hymn to the Earth - Bhumi-Sukta)

May those born of thee, O Earth, be for our welfare, free from sickness and waste, wakeful through a long life, we shall become bearers of tribute to thee. Earth my mother, set me securely with bliss in full accord with heaven, O wise one, uphold me in grace and splendor. (From the Atharva Veda - Hymn to the Earth - Bhumi-Sukta)

•Earth, atmosphere, sky, sun, moon, stars, waters, plants, trees, moving creatures, swimming creatures, creeping creatures all are hailed and offered oblations. (Taittiriya Samhita i-8-13)

•One should protect the habitation. (Rig Veda Samhita vi-71-3)

•Waters as friends of man give full protection to his progenies. (Rig Veda Samhita vi-50-7)

•One shall take care of quadrupeds. (Taittiriya Samhita iv-4-10)

•One shall be auspicious to animals. (Taittiriya Samhita ii-3-14)

•One shall not find fault with animals. (Chandogya Upanishad ii-18-2)

•Waters represent splendor. (Atharva Veda Samhita iii-13-5)

•Waters bear off all defilements and cleanse people. (Vajasaneya Samhita iv-2)

•Whoever injures the essence of food, kine or steeds is a robber who sinks both himself and his offspring into destruction. (Rig Veda Samhita vii-104-10)

•Offerings are dedicated to waters of wells, pools, clefts, holes, lakes, morasses, ponds, tanks, marshes, rains, rime, streams, rivers and ocean. (Taittiriya Samhita vii-4-13)

•There was only water in the beginning. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad v-5-1)

•Waters and herbs should have no poison. (Rig Veda Samhita vi-39-5)

•Waters are to be freed from defilement. (Atharva Veda Samhita x-5-24)

•Waters cleanse humanity from the evil of pollution committed by it. (Atharva Veda Samhita xii-2-40)

•Waters are healing and they strengthen one to see great joy. (Taittiriya Samhita vii-4-19)

The Mahabharata says that 'even if there is only one tree full of flowers and fruits in a village, that place becomes worthy of worship and respect.’

‘No religion, perhaps, lays as much emphasis on environmental ethics as does Hinduism. It believes in ecological responsibility and says like Native Americans that the Earth is our mother. It champions protection of animals, which it considers also have souls, and promotes vegetarianism. It has a strong tradition of non-violence or ahimsa. It believes that God is present in all nature, in all creatures, and in every human being regardless of their faith or lack of it.’ Dr. David Frawley

We Hindus are always proud to hear others praise our culture. We publish them, discuss them in social circles but rarely follow the unparalleled teachings in our scriptures.

Lord Ganesha, Holy Cow, Worship of Mountains, Worship of Nagas (Snakes), Tulsi and the numerous other plants and animals that form part of Hindu worship are nothing but messages incorporated by wise Hindu Saints to teach us that we humans are part of nature and not outside it and above it.

The Hindu concept of Brahman, the Supreme Soul, suggests that all animate and inanimate and all born and yet to be born are part of Brahman. Therefore an imbalance in a particular part will affect all other parts. The Supreme Being then finds out a method to transform that defective part. Since Brahman is present in all, it is easy to transform. And we humans might term such a transformation as the End or Death or total annihilation. For the Supreme Soul, it is a small repair work carried out by a minute virus.

Mother Nature is not dependent on Human Beings but Human Beings are. Ancient Seers knew it and therefore they worshiped Nature. Modern Humans termed it as animism and replaced it with more refined worships. And the result of such a refined worship ...

‘In our arrogance and ignorance we have destroyed the environment of this planet. We have polluted the oceans, we have made the air unbreathable, we have desecrated nature and decimated wildlife. But the Vedantic seers knew that man was not something apart from nature, and, therefore, they constantly exhort us that, while we work for own salvation, we must also work for the welfare of all beings.’ Karan Singh

Only a people’s movement can save the earth from destruction. We are armed with wise teachings of our saints. Now what we need is its implementation.

Courtesy: Quotes from Vedas as found in the articles of Dr. S Kannan and Dr. Karan Singh