Introduction:
During monsoons, due to climate change, Jaipur experienced heavy rains with 118mm recorded in just 24 hours. A series of cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the crisis of subsidence in the Joshimath township, the devastating event in Wayanad claiming over 400 lives, and Shiva’s Abode in Kedarnath being threatened—all are nature’s angry responses to our irresponsible actions.
My son and his family, who stays on the west coast in USA is staying without power due to the recent cyclone ‘Bomb’ for last 48 hours. Yesterday, I saw on TV that Philippines also experienced similar extreme weather condition and a few months ago this happened in Europe.
These events underscore the urgent need for sustainable development practices and better environmental management to mitigate the impacts of climate change and ecological neglect.
In Hinduism, the connection between humanity and the environment is deeply woven into the fabric of religious practices, where reverence for nature is not merely symbolic but a duty enshrined in sacred texts. However, the transformation of these intrinsic prayers and cultural practices into mere symbols, often detached from their original meanings, has led to significant ecological consequences. In this blog, we will explore the differences between the guidance provided by our scriptures—intent versus symbolism, the resulting consequences, and the path forward.
The Sacred Duty to Protect Nature
The Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, are replete with hymns that express a profound respect for nature. These hymns emphasize the sanctity of the environment, highlighting the interconnectedness of all living beings and the natural world.
For instance, the Rig Veda (10.121.10) speaks of the divine presence in every aspect of nature:
यः पृथिव्यां तिष्ठति योऽन्तरिक्षे योऽदित्येषु यो मनुष्यो अरेः।
यो अप्सु यो वनस्पतिष्व यो विश्वेषु भूतेषु तस्यैते शृण्वन्त्विष्टः॥
Translation:
“He who abides in the earth, in the sky, in the heavenly regions, in the waters, in the herbs and plants, in all creatures—may all those deities listen to our prayers.”
Interpretation:
This verse is not just a poetic expression but a reminder that the divine exists in all elements of nature itself. When profound Hindu philosophy tells us that our bodies are made of five ‘tatvas’ : earth, water, fire or energy, air and sky or space it reminds us to take care of everything that exists within these ‘tatvas’ –both living beings and non-living resources as each of it imbibes the divine. It suggests that worshipping the divine goes hand in hand with protecting the environment, making ecological preservation a sacred duty.
Earth as Our Mother
The Atharva Veda (12.1.12) goes further to personify the Earth as our mother:
माताभूमिः पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्याः।
परिजिग्ञसिषन्त्स्वाहम्।
Translation:
“The Earth is my mother, and I am her child. May she be adorned with all forms of life.”
Interpretation:
This verse invokes a deep sense of responsibility towards the Earth. By viewing the planet as a mother, it compels us to protect and nurture her just as we would our own mothers. Seen from ecological lens, this verse has a deep meaning. It directs us to nurture the mother earth in such a way that it is able to sustain all forms of life. This relationship between humans and the Earth is not just symbolic but integral to our survival and spiritual well-being. The ancients knew the importance of ecological balance and have cautioned the future generations to take care of it.
Peace in All Realms
In the Yajur Veda (36.17), we find a universal invocation for peace:
ॐ द्यौः शान्तिरन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः पृथिवी शान्तिरापः शान्तिरोषधयः शान्तिः।
वनस्पतयः शान्तिर्विश्वेदेवाः शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्तिः सर्वं शान्तिः शान्तिरेव शान्तिः सा मा शान्तिरेधि॥
“May there be peace in the heavens, peace in the atmosphere, peace on the Earth, peace in the waters, peace in the vegetation and herbs, peace in the trees, peace in all the forces of nature, peace in the entire universe, and may that peace come to me.”
Interpretation
This hymn highlights the interconnectedness of all life forms and ‘tatvas’. It suggests that it is important that all five ‘tatvas’ that are intrinsic to human for survival be at peace. It further goes to say that there should be peace in herbs and trees, all forces of nature and the entire universe should not be disturbed as a prerequisite of getting solace. Thus, our ancients were aware that peace in the environment leads to peace within ourselves. The ecological balance is thus not only a physical necessity but a prerequisite of retaining peace within ourselves. We are suffering from the wrath of nature and our peace is disturbed because we have exceeded our limits of exploitation by overlooking the need to meticulously plan catering the anthropological requirements with due respect to the ecological balance and other environmental considerations. Some of the Hydropower Projects have been severely criticized for disturbing the ecological balance of the ecologically fragile area which is considered to have enhanced the incidence of landslides, glacial bursts and subsidence of Joshimath town. These are described below:
Several hydropower projects in the Uttarakhand region have been criticized for disturbing the ecological balance, contributing to landslides, and causing or exacerbating the subsidence of areas like the Joshimath township. Here are some of the notable projects:
1. Tapovan Vishnugad Hydropower Project
- Location: Near Joshimath, on the Dhauliganga River.
- Impact: This project has been a significant source of concern due to its proximity to Joshimath. The tunnelling activities and blasting required for the project have been linked to the destabilization of the ground, leading to cracks in houses and roads in Joshimath. The area’s fragile geology, combined with the vibrations from construction, has likely contributed to the subsidence issues in the township.
2. Vishnuprayag Hydroelectric Project
- Location: Alaknanda River, near Vishnuprayag.
- Impact: The Vishnuprayag project has also been implicated in causing environmental damage. The construction and operation of this project have been associated with increased landslide occurrences and the destabilization of the region’s fragile slopes.
3. Rishiganga Hydropower Project
- Location: Rishiganga River, tributary of the Dhauliganga River.
- Impact: This project came under scrutiny after the catastrophic flash floods in February 2021, which were triggered by a glacier burst. The floods severely damaged the project and raised concerns about the environmental risks posed by building such infrastructure in ecologically sensitive areas. The debris and sediment buildup from the construction of such projects have been linked to exacerbating landslide risks.
4. Phata Byung and Singoli Bhatwari Hydroelectric Projects
- Location: Mandakini River.
- Impact: These projects have been criticized for contributing to deforestation, altering natural water flow, and increasing the risk of landslides. The area has seen increased landslide activity, which has been linked to the construction and operation of these projects.
The irony is that this hymn, popularly known as the ‘Shanti Path,’ is recited in every religious assembly, every yajna, and on every auspicious occasion. In my school, which was founded by someone with a deep belief in the Arya Samaj, we were asked to recite it at the end of each school day, in full reverence to the divine. However, no one ever took the time to explain its profound meaning—neither in my school nor in the assemblies I attended since childhood. As a result, a hymn so intrinsic to the cultural values of Hindus has been reduced to a mindless ritual.
Over time, we have entered an age of shortcuts, where everyone is so preoccupied with the daily grind of making money that they have no time to read and understand the profound philosophies known to us since ancient times. We find time to attend grand meetings of forums on ‘Climate Change,’ a crisis hastened by the mindless exploitation of Mother Earth and industrialization, but we have no time to learn and adapt our own intrinsic values. I have penned a poem in Hindi and English to express these thoughts:
Hindi Version:
अनवरत संघर्ष
शांति पाठ कर के
प्रार्थना तो करते हैं सब
कि पृथ्वी, जल, आकाश और थल
शांत रहें, न करें ग़ज़ब।
पर मानव से आहत हैं सब
थल, जल और आकाश के जीव
वायु, प्रकाश एवं अंतरिक्ष
मृदा, जीव, भूगर्भ और वृक्ष।
कथनी कुछ, करनी कुछ और
मानव की लालच की नहीं कुछ ठौर
बदला जब पाँचों तत्वों का स्वरूप
कैसे न दिखाएँ शिव अपना रौद्र रूप।
प्रकृति ने क्या किया अपकार
उसको दिखाते टीवी पर बार बार
पर क्यों हुआ मां से ऐसा घोर अन्याय
ज़रा इस और भी तो ध्यान लगाएं।
पर किसे फुर्सत है इस व्यस्त संसार में
जहाँ हर चीज़ है बिकती बाजार में
लोगों की पीड़ा से भी कमा के पैसा
छोड़ देते हैं मूल कारण वैसे का वैसा।
अगले वर्ष हो गी फिर से वही कहानी
वही डूबे खेत, टूटे घर, भूस्खलन और जनहानि
नेता गैन जाएँ गे नाम कमाएं गे
पर मूलकारण रोकना कभी नहीं चाहेंगे।
विकास होना चाहिए चाहे प्रकृति हो आहत
फिर वहीं विकास की मिले गी इज़ाज़त
हो सकता है अगला विनाश हो इस बार से ज़्यादा
जितनी बार बने गा उतना ही फायदा।
English Version
Unceasing Struggle
We chant for peace, we pray and strive,
That Earth, water, sky, and land survive,
In harmony and calm, without a blight,
That all stays tranquil, day and night.
But nature’s beings, both land and sea,
Air, light, and space, all grieve in plea,
Soil, creatures, and trees with sorrow cope,
As human greed takes away their hope.
Words say one thing, actions another,
Man’s endless greed knows no tether,
When Humans disturb the tatva of life,
How would Shiva not retaliate and remain quiet?
Nature wronged, we often see,
Broadcast on TV repeatedly,
But why such injustice to Mother Earth?
Isn’t it time we reflect on her worth?
But who has time in this bustling world,
Where every item is bought and sold,
Even from suffering, profits are made,
Leaving the root cause, unaddressed and frayed.
Next year the story will unfold the same,
Fields submerged, homes lost, lives in pain,
Leaders will visit, their fame will rise,
But the root cause will remain disguised.
Development must go on, no matter the cost,
Even if nature is gravely lost,
Next disaster might be worse, who can tell?
But as long as profits rise, All IS WELL!
Conclusion
We began this blog by exploring the intrinsic nature of ancient Hindu philosophy regarding the preservation and protection of ecology and nature. Our ancient hymns consistently remind us of our duty to the environment. Yet, as a culture, we seem to have lost our way in the glitter of making money and engaging in thoughtless actions in the name of development. As a technocrat, I, too, support development—but not when it is pursued mindlessly.
As the Bhagavad Gita says:
अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसम्भवः।
यज्ञाद्भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः॥
Meaning:
“All living beings subsist on food; food is produced by rain, rain comes from the performance of yajna (sacrificial duty), and yajna is born of karma (right action).”
Interpretation:
This verse emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship between human actions and the environment. It teaches that the sustainability of nature’s resources is directly linked to the performance of our duties, particularly those that involve sacrifice and selflessness. If we perform our duties wrongly and overexploit Mother Nature, retaliation is inevitable—sooner or later.
If we reduce the profound philosophy brought to us by our ancestors—rooted in centuries of wisdom—to mere symbolic rituals, without embedding it in our character, disasters are bound to occur. We worship rivers, and the grand display of ‘Ganga Aarti’ at Varanasi and Haridwar is world-famous. Yet, we mistakenly hope that nature will not retaliate when we alter river courses, overexploit them, and mindlessly pollute them with industrial waste and religious offerings. Trees, herbs, and plants, which we expect to remain quiet, cannot be controlled merely by our symbolic ‘Shanti Path.’ Instead, we must engage in planned and mindful actions, working together with nature rather than exploiting it in our greed.
Thus, the ecological consequences of reducing our intrinsic prayers and cultural practices to mere symbols are evident in the environmental crises we face today. The detachment of religious symbols from their original meanings has led to a loss of the sense of duty toward the environment, which was once a cornerstone of Hindu spiritual practice. To address these consequences, it is imperative that we reconnect with the deeper meanings of our traditions and fulfil our sacred duty to protect the environment. Only by doing so can we restore the balance between humanity and nature, ensuring peace and prosperity for all beings. This blog post aims to reignite that connection, encouraging a revival of practices that honour the environment as an integral part of our spiritual and cultural heritage
Inspire Positivity 