Nowadays, everyone in the whole world is worried about clean water and clean air. Every year the air of Delhi gets polluted during Diwali. Due to the lack of clean air, people are suffering from many respiratory diseases. Due to dirty water and bad air, the number of patients is increasing day by day in hospitals. Does Sanatana Dharma have any solution to this problem?
The Karma is going to take you today to the Sanatan world where our scriptures talk about not only saving the lives of human beings but also clean air, clean water, and the protection of all living beings. In fact, Hindu Sanatan Dharma is the only religion in the world that does not only talk about humans but has the welfare of trees, plants, and animals at heart for thousands of years. It is said in the Vedas that planting a tree is as virtuous as giving birth to a child. Not only in the Vedas, but it has also been said in all the texts to protect clean water, clean air, and all living beings.
Read this mantra of Yajurved and understand how the environment should be protected-
मे देहि अग्ने यत् मे तन्वा: ऊनम् तत् मे आ पृण ।।17।।
(Shuklayajurveda, Adhyay 3)
That is, ‘O Agni Dev, whatever is lacking in my body, you complete it in me.’
‘’अग्निवृत्राणी दयते पुरुणि’’
(Rigved, 10, 80, 02)
Hey Agni Dev! Destroy our present and future sorrows.
Not only Vedas but also great books like Ramayan and Mahabharat, talk about protecting the environment and living beings. When Bharat Ji is asked to take over the kingdom when Shri Ram goes into exile, he goes to the forest to persuade Shri Ram to take back the kingdom. When he goes to the hermitage of Bhardwaj Muni for a rest on the way. Muni Bhardwaj asks him why he came alone, and where was his army. Then Bharat Ji says-
वाजिमुख्या मनुष्याश्च मत्ताश्च वरवारणा:।
प्रच्छाद्य भगवन् भूमिं महतीमनुयान्ति माम्।।8।।
ते वृक्षानुदकं भूमिमाश्रमेषूटजांस्तथा ।
न हिंस्युरिति तेनाहमेक एवागतस्तत:।।9।।
(Valmiki Ramayan, Ayodhyakaand, Sarg-91)
Bhagwan! I am accompanied by many good horses, men, and elephants who follow me covering a vast area. I have come here alone so that they do not harm the trees, water, land, and lodges of the ashram.
It is clearly visible from Bharat Ji’s words how precautions were taken regarding the environment during the time of Ramayan; how much affinity was there for trees and plants at that time. In Shri Ram’s Ram Rajya, not only humans but all the trees and plants also lived happy and prosperous life. Look at what is being said in this verse –
नित्यमूला नित्यफलास्तरवस्तत्र पुष्पिताः।
कामवर्षी च पर्जन्यः सुखस्पर्शैं मरुतः।।103।।
(Valmiki Ramayan, Yuddhakand, Sarg-128)
The roots of the trees were always strong in the kingdom of Shri Ram. Those trees were always laden with flowers and fruits, the clouds used to rain according to the needs of the people and the wind also used to blow slowly, due to which, its brush used to make humans happy.
Today, the whole world is talking about sustainable development. It is being said that if we use the environment in this way, what shall we leave for the future? The same thing is mentioned in the verse of Mahabharata.
अतीतानागते चोभे पितृभिश्च महीयते ।
तारयेत् वृक्षरोपी च तस्मात् वृक्षांश्च रोपयेत्।।26
(Mahabharat, Anushasanparva, Adhyay-58)
Bharatanandan! The man who plants trees salvages his dead ancestors and future children as well as the ancestry, so trees must be planted.
