MOTHER EARTH: We Must Stop Molesting Mother Nature Or We Face Bigger Disaster Than COVID-19

The President of Brazil, Bolsonaro in his speech given to his Brazilian miners says, "Interest in the Amazon isn't about the Indians or the fucking trees --- it's about mining." -- The NEW YORKER; November 11, 2019.

By Dr. Suresh Kurl

The stories about the creation could be found in every civilized culture, including Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. In Hinduism, the source is Rig Veda, Shatpath Brahmana and Bhagavata. In Christianity it is the Holy Bible and in Islam, the Holy Quran.

Rig Veda talks about the Hiranya Garbha (the golden egg) as the source of creation. Shatapatha Brahmana as a gold-mine of mythologies describes the details of Vedic rituals, Vedic myths, including philosophical and mythological stories, such as Manu being the source of our being. The scripture puts Manu, the Vedic Aadi-Purusha (the first man) and Shraddha (the first woman) together. And they begin the creation of human on the earth, just as Adam and Eve in Christianity.

The following text is a presentation I recently made on March 15 to a Congregation of the Faith Leaders, gathered to discuss the role of faiths on Climate. I was invited to share my views on Hinduism and its impact on climate. I am honoured to share with you those views: Nature and Hinduism, Climate and Hinduism and Vegetarianism and Hinduism, as they seem mutually inter-connected and affecting each other; at least to me. However, before, I proceed any further I would like to seek your forgiveness for using 'He' for God, as opposed to 'She,' as a result of my life-long habit of assuming God to be male.

Hinduism defines God as the creator of this universe. The earth, sun, moon, stars, oceans, rivers, forests, animals, birds, insects, and all of us, are His creation and His manifestation. God in Hinduism, in His monotheistic form is abstract, nirguna; without attributes, an object of concentration and meditation. In His polytheistic form, He is with attributes (sagun) and an object of devotion, worship and love. Philosophically speaking He is like a river. Take a dip on either side of the two river banks you will come out soaking wet. His will never change by changing the process of getting closer to him; not even by invoking Him by different names.

It is true that God in Christianity and Sikhism is not portrayed as uncompromisingly monotheistic as He is in Judaism and Islam, and yet in Christianity and Sikhism I, more than occasionally, feel the same perfume of deep love and devotion I feel in Hinduism. The writings of Mother Teresa's "COME BE MUY LIGHT" and the devotional songs of the Gurugranth Sahib ooze the same personal love for God I find in the Ramcharitmanas of Saint Tulsidas or Meerabai.

The sacred texts of Hinduism such as, the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana and the Mahabharata are full of references to nature. The very first Holy Scripture, the Rig Veda, supposedly compiled around 1500 BC, breathes deep love and devotion for nature. It's most chanted and loved hymn dedicated to the planet sun, known as the Gayatri mantra, is full of praise, happiness, health and wisdom.

Om bhoor bhu vah svah ………. tat—savitur varenyam

Bhar goo devasya dhee mahi, dhiyoo yo nah pracho da- yaata. --Rig Veda (Mandala 3.62.10)

"Let us adore the supremacy of that divine sun, the god-head, who illuminates all, who re-creates all, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, to whom we invoke to direct our understanding aright in our progress toward his holy seat."

-- Translated by Sir Monier-William Jones in the 1807.

I happen to believe that our ancient Holy men were not only spiritual thinkers, they were prophets as well. They knew a time would come, when human beings would exploit nature for personal gains, which would have a devastating impact both on nature, climate and food habits. In other words, just as this universe is God's creation and His manifestation, climate on the planet would become the manifestation of man's selfish behaviour; one day. The following examples are a convincing proof.

The President of Brazil, Bolsonaro in his speech given to his Brazilian miners says, "Interest in the Amazon isn't about the Indians or the fucking trees --- it's about mining."

-- The NEW YORKER; November 11, 2019.

"According to Australia's National Centre for Research in Bushfire and Arson, 13% of bushfires every year are deliberate and 37% are suspicious; Jan 17, 2020.

Another study in 2008 in Australia found about 85% of fires were triggered by human activity – this includes arson and carelessness or recklessness."

"The 2018 Camp Fire destroyed the town of Paradise, California, when sparks from a broken high-power transmission line set the landscape ablaze. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), the utility responsible for the equipment that sparked the fire, has now accepted criminal responsibility by pleading guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of unlawfully starting a fire." --Foreign Affairs; March 25, 2020.

However, not every human being is a pyromaniac. President Obama, who during his first term, established a task force for religious organizations to address the effects of climate change on the environment and American population.

Pope Francis, in 2015 urged Catholics and non- Catholics alike to focus on a broad range of issues and problems in the environment including pollution, climate change, biodiversity and global inequality of ecological systems. – Religion and Views on Climate and Energy Issues; Pew Research; October 22, 2015.

In order to insure the survival of nature's good health, the holy seers personified, idolised and elevated nature to the status of gods and goddess. So, the river Ganges is not just a body of flowing water, the Ganges is a living and breathing goddess we worship and respect like a mother. And as a mother, she has been helping us cultivate our crops for thousands of years.

The Bhagavad Gita, an internationally admired scripture talks about Lord Krishna manifesting himself in different forms of nature -- Sar-saam-asmi saagarah (Of bodies of water, I am the ocean), Sthaa-varaa-naam himaalayah (Of mountains, I am the Himalaya), Sro-taam asmi jaahnh-vi (Of rivers I am the Ganges), ashwasthah sarva brkshanam (Of trees I am the holy fig tree). --The Bhagavad Gita; Ch. X.

Our forests not only shelter our wild animals, the Ayurveda, our ancient herbal system of medicine still practiced in India, depends on forests. They selflessly offer us herbs, roots, bark and fruits for the treatment of ailments and to keep us healthy. At every step of our growth in life the scriptures teach us selflessness and generosity using examples from nature:

Paropa-kaaraarth vahanti-nadya … For the wellbeing of others, rivers flow.

Paropa-kaaraarth phalanti vrikshah… Trees give fruits, selflessly.

Paropa-kaaraarth duhanti gaaavah… Cows give milk, selflessly.

As children, I recall we were taught to chant a mantra every morning, before getting off our beds and putting our feet down on the ground.

Samudra mekhale devi…..parvat stan manDale,

Vishnu-patnee namastubhyam ….. paad sparsham kshamsva me.

The oceans are your girdle and the mountains your breasts (full of life preserving nectar). Mother, you are the wife of Lord Vishnu. Please forgive us for putting our feet on you.

This prayer is poles opposite to the Alaska's former governor, Sarah palin's chant -- drill baby drill, she chanted while campaigning to support President Trump during his 2016 election. I cannot name a single faith leader, Abrahamic or Oriental, who would encourage his followers to tear down the earth or burn down the forests for profit.

I view it necessary to remind, especially those, who believe in the concept of punar-janma (re-birth) to make genuine efforts to regain that balance between dharma (obligations to ourselves, to our nation, to our environment, and most of to our Creator), Karma (actions), artha (prosperity), kama (ambitions) and the moksha (salvation) to mend fences with nature.

Karma is not just action. It is that action, which results in serious consequence(s) and contributes to the make up of the next life. We don't know in what form -- human, animal, bird or a bug or a tree -- we will return to this earth again in our next life. According to the Bhagavad Gita it is difficult to penetrate the course of action, GAHNAA KARMANO GATIH; Ch. 4/17).

So, simply speaking, if Moksha is the target to get out of the complex trap of birth and rebirth, we have no other choice, but to stop molesting our own mother -- this earth and everything else that we call nature.