As we celebrate the 78th Independence Day, I am reminded of the prayers we recite in our temples:
सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः, सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु, मा कश्चिद् दुःखभाग् भवेत्।।
Translation:
May all beings be happy,
May all be free from disease.
May all experience auspiciousness,
May no one suffer in any way.
Together with this, I also thought of the prayers that I recite as I end our prayers:
ॐ द्यौः शान्तिरन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः, पृथिवी शान्तिरापः शान्तिरोषधयः शान्तिः।
वनस्पतयः शान्तिर्विश्वेदेवाः शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्तिः, सर्वं शान्तिः, शान्तिरेव शान्तिः, सा मा शान्तिरेधि।।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः।।
Translation:
May peace radiate in the sky and the vast ethereal space,
May peace reign all over this earth, in water and all herbs,
May peace flow over the whole universe,
May peace be in the Supreme Being,
And may peace, true peace, embrace us all.
In this blog let us delve further into this profound philosophy that our ancestors professed and practised but only a few of us mindlessly recite.
Recently, while reading a blog by Acharya Divyachetnananda Avadhuta in the Times of India on ecological balance, I was struck by how closely his recommendations align with the wisdom from our ancient scriptures:
The blog “We need a New Approach to Ecological Balance” published in the Times of India on August 14, 2024, highlights several key points:
Ecological Imbalance: The blog emphasizes the severe ecological imbalance caused by human activities since the Industrial Revolution, leading to the destruction of the harmony among trees, wild animals, and humans1.
Pollution and Health: It discusses the increasing pollution of air, water, and soil, which has resulted in the resurgence of diseases and new health issues.
Agricultural Impact: The indiscriminate use of pesticides and groundwater is highlighted as a major threat to food security and agricultural productivity.
Global Warming: The blog underscores the urgent threat of global warming and the need for immediate action by policymakers.
Based on this, the blog advocates a concept of neo-humanism, promoted by Shri Shri Anandamurti, which advocates for embracing all living and non-living entities to rejuvenate ecology and the need for spreading the Spiritual Knowledge to restore the ecological balance. But my humble submission is that this philosophy was always integral and central to Hinduism but remained mindlessly recited in temples as a part of the daily prayers but we had forgotten to practise it in our daily life. The reason being that the job centric educational pursuits that we follow, and practise have alienated us from the pursuits of being holistic in our character. Today we are more engineers, doctors, lawyers, accountants, actors and what not but not educated to embrace basic human values. I don’t blame the foreign rule for this, as some of us do-they were here to exploit our resources because we let them do so mindlessly. But even after attaining independence we continued to pollute every element mindlessly that we still worship symbolically: earth, water, air, agni (or energy) and even the space. The real forces of spirituality too had an ardent duty to correct the humanity but they remained alienated.
I contemplated that the pursuits and approach were always known but ignored by the humanity out of shear defiance to the forces of nature, shortsightedness, greed, overenthusiasm to develop, urge to splurge and show off, pseudo development and the list could be endless.
Our ancients understood that peace in the world could only be achieved if all beings remained happy, free of disease, experience auspiciousness and no one suffered in any way. Only if we do this, can the peace radiate from the sky and ethereal space, there will be peace in the forces of the five elements of the earth, air, water, earth and its resources and no disturbance will be caused by the supreme forces of the Sky and Space.
But through a deep respect for the environment and the natural order. Yet, in the modern era, consumerism has driven humanity away from this wisdom, leading to ecological imbalance and the looming crisis of global warming.
The Forgotten Balance
Materialism and Consumerism, with its unending thirst for resources, has led to the exploitation of nature at a scale previously unimaginable. Forests have been cleared for urban spaces and agricultural land, oceans polluted with plastic waste, and the atmosphere choked with greenhouse gases. In the process, the delicate balance that the Vedas emphasized has been severely disrupted.
The Shanti Mantra, with its invocation of peace in the sky, earth, and water, reminds us that every aspect of our environment is interconnected. Disturbing one element leads to a chain reaction that impacts the entire system. This understanding, deeply ingrained in ancient wisdom, was unlearned as the world embraced industrialization and mass consumption.
Relearning the Wisdom
The consequences of consumerism are now starkly evident. Global warming has led to unprecedented changes in climate patterns, causing severe droughts, floods, and heatwaves. The melting of polar ice caps has led to rising sea levels, threatening coastal communities worldwide. The biodiversity that once thrived in harmony with human civilization is rapidly declining, with countless species facing extinction.
To address these challenges, the world must relearn what was unlearned. The concept of ‘Santosha’ (contentment) from the Vedic tradition teaches us to be satisfied with what we have and to live in harmony with nature. This principle is the antithesis of consumerism, which drives the desire for more, often at the expense of the environment.
The Way Forward
Relearning this wisdom requires a shift in mindset. Modern society must move away from the relentless pursuit of material wealth and instead focus on sustainable living. This means adopting practices that reduce our ecological footprint, such as minimizing waste, conserving energy, and protecting natural habitats.
Recently, I attended a conference on Quality Control in the Construction Industry, where many speakers discussed the emergence of eco-friendly buildings, including zero-carbon-ready structures, circular construction practices, water-efficient designs, and the integration of green technologies as new necessities. The main takeaway was clear: exploit a fresh resource only after exhausting all possibilities of recycling and reusing existing materials.
But this principle extends beyond construction. The overemphasis on materialism and consumerism has made it imperative to adopt this mantra as a way of life. The new mantra for sustainable existence is, “Reuse or recycle with pride.” This approach is crucial in all walks of life if humanity and the cohabiting flora and fauna are to be sustained on this planet.
One practical approach is to embrace renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, which align with the Vedic ideal of harnessing nature’s resources without depleting them. Additionally, reforestation and the preservation of biodiversity can restore the ecological balance that has been lost.
Conclusion
The Vedas offer timeless wisdom that is more relevant today than ever. We have reached a tipping point where the lessons of the past must be relearned to secure a future for coming generations. By reconnecting with ancient principles of ecological balance and respect for nature, we can address the challenges of global warming and create a world where true peace, as envisioned in the Shanti Mantra, prevails.
In the words of the ancient sages, “तदेतत्सर्वं शान्तमेव शान्तमेव स्यात्”—May everything in this universe be at peace. It is time for humanity to heed this call once more and relearn the wisdom that consumerism made us forget.
Inspire Positivity 