Ecological Awareness in the Vedas and Its Relevance Today

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About the Author "Dr. V. Nithyanantha Bhat, Hon. Director of Sukrtindra Oriental Research Institute, has produced a remarkably well-written book with a collection of sayings from various Sanskrit texts, and has expounded on them to write this important tome on the Ecological Awareness in the Vedas and Its Relevance Today. He starts with the ecological problems faced by the world today with special reference to Hinduism. Thereafter, he goes on to discuss ecological awareness in the Vedas and ends with the relevance of Vedic environmental ethics.

It was to prevent disasters that ancient Indians sanctified nature. These traditions live on in our sacred groves, sthalavrksas, nandavanam, reverence for animals and so on. The roots of these traditions are found in Vedic literature, as delineated by Dr Nithyanantha Bhat. If we could remember and respect them, nature will protect the land and people forever. This book will contribute to the growing literature on the respect for nature in Hindu traditions."

Foreword Human beings once lived in harmony with nature. They realised that prakrti was essential for their existence and, to protect the wonderful gifts of the Supreme Being, they imbued it with sanctity. Thus all of the natural world was sacred: the land was Goddess Bhumi Devi herself; forests and gardens, plants, rivers and waterbodies, mountains, animals, seeds and precincts were all deemed to be sacred. The Vedas are a paean to nature, and each deity represents a divine aspect of the elements: Indra the rain, Varuna the waters, Agni the fire, Vayu the wind and so on. In time they were celebrated as the pancabhuta or the five great elements that are the basis of all cosmic creation. Hindu civilisation gave more importance to nature than any other ancient civilisation.

The Hindu tradition gave the greatest respect to nature and natural resources. Before and after every ritual the shanti mantra is chanted, praying for peace to the elements. Before any construction, the earth is invoked for her blessings. By deeming the wind and waters sacred, pollution was avoided. Animals were revered either as deities, friends of deities or as vehicles of the Gods. The mountains were the abodes of the Gods and therefore had to be protected. And so on. No part of nature could be desecrated.

Preface I am happy to present this work titled Ecological Awareness in the Vedas and Its Relevance Today prepared by me. It has always been my wish to write on this subject which is of contemporary importance. And my wish has been realised now. This short book contains an introductory chapter which deals briefly with the Ecological problems faced by the world today and the relationship between Religion and Ecology, with special reference to Hinduism, followed by two other chapters which deal with the Ecological awareness in the Vedas, and Relevance of the Vedic Environmental ethics in today's world, respectively.

In preparing this book I have consulted the works of several thinkers and writers who have expressed their conviction that the Environmental ethics of Hindu religion, especially the Ecological awareness reflected in the Vedas, can play a major role in resolving the ecological/environmental problems faced by the man-kind today. I am indebted to all of them whose names are duly mentioned in the Text. I express my gratitude to Dr. K.L. Kashyap, Director, SAKSHI TRUST, Bangalore, for having permitted me to use his translations of the Vedic hymns from his works on Vedic Samhitas. I am thankful to Dr. G. Chandrasekhara Prabhu for having checked and corrected the Vedic Hymns quoted by me in the book.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages