Nature has not yet been completely discovered by researchers, being of an endless quality, in terms of past, present and future. One needs to uphold the earth in terms of justice, austerity, worship, ritual, wisdom, truth, unity, charity, and mutual regard. The scope for advancement is by seeking blessing from the earth which gives man all its endeavors. Food needed by all living beings can only be cultivated on earth, significantly attributed as the bearer of cornfields. The natural resources of the earth consist of canals, rivers, wells, and the endless oceans. Earlier, the universe was described as being covered with water all around. Earth is regarded being multihued, having forests, hills, woodlands, snow, mountains, and volcanoes. Earth being auspicious, is asked respectfully to show humankind its magic.
Earth the mother of all, bears healing powers meant for living beings. The earth protects, nourishes, gives shelter and sustains all creatures that breathe and move. The universe toils day and night tirelessly without fail and therefore pours her knowledge towards living beings. Forests are an ocean of knowledge according to Indian Scriptures. The seer Valmiki reflects upon the beauty of nature in a poetic manner describing the forest.
Nature is the habitat of all beings, a frog eats a worm, the frog is eaten by a snake and the snake becomes the food of the owl. The cycle of life in nature is the very symbolism and importance of nature. What nature gives to living beings gets buried back to its sources as referred to the five gross elements-“Paňcamahābhῡtas” in Hinduism. The Paňcamahābhῡtas constitute the environment through space, air, water, earth and fire which have earth as its source, its energy. The elements are interlinked and interdependent for the proper functioning of the world. This independence is explained in the Upanisads related to Brahman, the Ultimate Reality, from which they derive from.
Our human body is related to the five great elements, while connecting to the five senses. The earth is related to the nose, to smell the fragrance of the soil, element of water to the tongue as it is always moist, fire is related to the eyes which sparkles in light, the skin is related to air as we feel and the space is related to the ears. The relationship between our senses to the five great elements lays down the bond between humans and the world. Nevertheless, nature is part of our own existence.
The importance of nature is related to our existence since birth till death. Whatever we receive from nature is returned back when our bodies are buried into it. Water which gets absorbed in the soil brings out a tree from a tiny seed. The seed which is the root of creation, can create a mass of trees and eventually provides a habitat to animals, whilst providing shelter to human beings as well. The cycle is a never ending process which is always running around us. A tree if it is cut off, its roots merge with other plants and give it a new life, a new beginning. This is the cycle of nature and so it is ours, by following the concept of the universal Law of Karma.
Barkha Devi Pirthye
B.A (Hons) India Philosophy
Mahatma Gandhi Institute
