Environmentalism According to the Vedic View

[Guest guest]

Namaste all Vedic Friends,

It is increasingly apparent that the environment and what is

happening to it, in it, and what humanity has to do with it, is a

growing issue. Here is my article on the Vedic view of

environmentalism. It is not an action plan regarding what we should

do, but it is a guide in adjusting how we should look at nature, and

whose nature it is. After all, even at a major environmental

symposium, it was recognized that that which is regarded as sacred

will more likely be treated in a respectable way. Thus, in this

regard, when we view nature and the environment as something sacred,

something that is bigger than ourselves and belongs to something more

important than ourselves, it is more likely that people will begin to

treat it differently, and as if the way they treat it and take care

of it really matters. And that what they do is connected with

everything else and affects everything around them.

So this article should inspire this vision or perception that

will be the basis of humanity's change of attitude and action toward

the environment and nature.

Hari OM,

Stephen Knapp

 

www.stephen-knapp.com

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Environmentalism According to the Vedic View

By Stephen Knapp (Sri Nandanandana dasa)

 

 

The environment means nature, and whose nature is it? It

is God's nature. Did anyone else create it? Did anyone else put it

all together so that it operates the way it does? In fact, mankind is

still trying to figure out all the intricacies of its functionality.

 

In all the inventions or devices we produce, all the

ingredients and resources that we use are all given by God. The

elements we need to make big buildings, bridges, ships, cars, or the

fuel to operate them, are all being given by God, and we need to show

the proper respect. To think we are the proprietors of everything is

the illusion. It is our pride that makes us think we are so

intelligent when actually the very brain with which we think is not

created by us but has again been given by God.

 

As everything is created from the Supreme, then we should

certainly have a high regard for everything as the expansion of God's

energies. This not only includes all of our fellow men, but all

creatures, as well as all aspects of the planet. Violence toward the

planet in the form of not caring for the environment, misusing and

polluting our natural resources, not managing the land and forests

properly, are all forms of disrespect toward God and the blessings

that have been given us. Why should we expect God to continue giving

us the necessities of life, or the means to acquire them, if we are

going to ruin them, or do not know how to care for them properly? So

we must never pollute our resources or waste the food we have.

 

We should also see that even the Earth is a living being,

full of life. The globe is a mother to us since she supplies all that

we need. All of our food, water, and resources for sustaining our own

lives, as well as supplies for shelter and clothing, all come from

her. How she reciprocates with us in regard to what she provides

depends on how we treat, honor and care for her. The imbalance in

nature, such as the green house effect, the changing climate and

weather patterns, are reflections of the imbalance in the

consciousness of humanity. Once there is balance and harmony in

society's consciousness and the way we regard and treat the

ecosystem, this will then be reflected in the balance in nature. Then

many of the storms, natural upheavals and disasters will begin to

cease.

 

The environment and the material creation are supplied

with all the potencies to produce all the necessities that we

require, not only for humans but also for all species. Human society

should not consider itself as the only enjoyer of all of God's

creation, and that no other creatures have a claim to it. Humanity is

actually a minority species when we consider the many types of

creatures that are sustained by the environment. If we manage the

ecosystem properly, it will continue to produce everything we need.

However, if people who have no genuine spiritual understanding start

exploiting the Earth to take whatever they want in any way they want,

then the supply of resources starts decreasing and the Earth, being a

living organism, stops producing or responding to the needs of

society as abundantly as it used to do. Then there will be shortages,

droughts, and forest fires; subsequently the prices on commodities

will increase. Gradually more people will become poor, and poverty

and starvation will spread in parts of the world. Then we see fierce

competition for whatever resources can be attained. When many people

die while fighting over land and commodities, or temporary and ever-

changing political stances, then all the bloodshed from the dead,

dying or wounded is like offering Mother Earth blood sacrifices to

drink. She is pained by this, as are so many other higher beings that

watch the activities of humanity. Rather than respecting the Earth

and cooperating to share her resources, when we fight over them it is

most heartrending for Mother Earth. Thus, when the Earth and the

Lord's environment are not properly appreciated and maintained, or

are exploited by ungodly people, then scarcities and excess pollution

is the result. However, nature itself can go on nicely except for the

interference of ungodly men.

 

As a society controlled by godless men gathers all the

resources from the land as fast as possible for power and quick

profits, it may appear to be a mighty economic gain at first, but in

time it is never enough. As demand grows, scarcity raises its angry

head. When the environment is not respected and cared for properly,

there are also changes in the various species that have existed for

thousands of years, even extinctions. These are all signs of further

unknown changes in the future that will be revealing themselves to us

when it will be too late.

 

There may be times when the Earth needs to cleanse

herself of unwanted activities or from the pain she suffers from

society's wrong aims of life. She may move in various ways to adjust

things so that humanity is not so out of balance and will be forced

to reconfigure the value systems that are displayed by humanity and

make them geared more toward the real goal of life. When Earth reacts

in particular ways to relieve her from the weight of unwanted

activities or segments of society, we should not miss the message. A

society that is too spoiled often easily forgets the real reason why

it is here.

 

The proper vision is that everything is the property of

the Supreme. If we have any possessions or wealth, we should see that

we are only borrowing them for a short time. We certainly cannot take

them with us when we leave this body, thus someone else will take it

all when we are gone. The ultimate owner of everything is the Supreme

Creator. Thus, the proper way to use anything is in the service or

consciousness of God. The same goes for taking care of the

environment. Everything belongs to God so, ultimately, we should take

care of it as if we were being watched by God and only taking care of

His property while, by God's good graces, it produces the resources

we need to live. After all, as the Lord in our heart and as the

Supersoul of every living being, He is observing everything we do.

 

All of one's land, home, wealth, and possessions belong

to the Supreme Being though we wrongly think, AI am this body and all

that belongs to it is mine@. Thus, a person of wisdom should not see

anything as separate from the Supreme Lord. In spiritual

consciousness, such a person will see everything, whether it be fire,

air, water, the earth, the sun and stars, all living beings, the

trees and plants, the rivers and oceans, and in fact everything that

exists as an expansion of the energies of the Supreme Lord. Even

while actively engaged with so many objects and undertakings in this

creation, a person who sees the whole world as the energy of the

Supreme Being is indeed a great sage of wisdom.

 

Therefore, we should care for the environment as if it is

not ours but God's property, and in this way assure ourselves that it

will continue to provide all of our necessities for many years to

come, and into many future generations. This is the Vedic view.