The Environmental Awareness in Vedic Literature

Authors

Keywords:

Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Environmental Awareness, Vedic Literature

Abstract

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 defines “Environment includes water air and land and the inter-relationship which exists among and between water, air and land and human being, other living creatures, plants, microorganisms and property. Every living and non-living body is made up five basic, gross elements of Nature, called „Panchamahabhuta.‟ The substance capacity in the five basic elements (Bhutas) manifests in the following order - Ether or Space or Firmament (Akash), Air (Vayu), Energy or Fire(Tej or Agni), Water (Aapah) and Earth. The Vedas, in fact, is the oldest book in which we can study the first beginning of our language and of everything which is imbodied in all the languages under the sun. The ancient scriptures present in great detail, inter alia, the evolution of earth, the science of rainfall, its measurement and forecast, climatology, meteorology, hydrology, water use and management, environmental protection and agricultural planning etc. Waters have been considered as mostly “motherless, and the producers of all that is stationary and all that moves”. They are also hailed as mothers of all beings. “It is the waters which pervade everything, big or small, the earth, the atmosphere, the heaven, the mountains, gods, men, animals, birds, grass, plants, dogs, worms, insects, ants. All these (worldly manifestations) are waters indeed. All the living creatures found in the universe have distance environment and every living creature has an environment of its own. But when we look from man‟s perspective all of them constitute his environment. There is a general feeling in the Vedic texts that animals should be safe, protected and healthy. The whole process of nature is nothing but a sort of Yajna. The view that Yajna cleans atmosphere through its medicinal smoke, and provides longevity, breath, vision etc., is established in Yajurveda. Thus, the Vedic vision to live in harmony with environment was not merely physical but was far wider and much comprehensive. The Vedic people desired to live a life of hundred years. It is very clear that our Vedic seers were aware about the environment. „One should enjoy with renouncing or giving up others part. Vedic message is clear that environment belongs to all living beings, so it needs protection by all, for the welfare of all.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

N.J. Lockyer, The dawn of Astronomy, p 432.

A.R. Panchamukhi, Socio-economic ideas in Ancient Indian Literature, p 467.

Aitareya Upanishad, 3.3.

Rigveda, 1.115.1.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Vedic Physics, Scientific Origin of Hinduism, p. 58.

Yajurveda, 7.5.

Rigveda, 1.164.8.

Rigveda, 6.70.4-5.

Athervaveda, 12.1.15, 45.

Atharvaveda, 6.120.1- 2; Rigveda, 1.164.33; 1.159.160; S.R.N.Murthy, Vedic View of the Earth, p.87;

Atharvaveda, 12.1.12.

Rigveda, 10.9.3.

Rigveda, 1.55.8.

Rigveda, 1.49.2.

Taittiriya Aranyaka, 1.24.1-2; Yajurveda, 22.25; Atharvaveda, 1.6.4.

Rigveda, 1.23.16; 10.17.10.

Rigveda, 6.50.1.

Rigveda, 1.23.10; 6.50.6.

Chandogya Upanishad, 7.10.1.

Shatapath Brahman, 12.5.2.14.

Shatapath Brahman, 14.3.2.13.

Taittariya Upanishad, 2.1.

Rigveda, 10.30.10- 11-12.

Rigveda, 10.9.1.

Atharvaveda, 1.5.1.

Atharvaveda, 1.5.4.

Shatapatha Brahman, 1.9.3.7; Rigveda, 1.23.20.

Rigveda, 1.2.7-8.

Rigveda, 1.161.14.

Rigveda, 1.167.4.

Rigveda, 7.89.5.

Padmapurana, 96.7.8.

Jaiminiya Brahman, 1.192.

Yajurveda, 1.24.

Rigveda, 10.186.2.

Rigveda, 1.37.2.

Rigveda, 10.186.1; 10.168.4.

Rigveda, 10.90.8.

Yajurveda, 19.20; 3.37. Atharavaveda, 11.2.24.

N.M. Kansara, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in Vedas, p. 126-138.

Rigveda 10.146.

Rigveda, 10.97.2.

Chandogya Upanishad, 6.2.4.

Rigveda, 8.1.13.

Atharvaveda, 12.1.57.

Atharvaveda, 1.32.1.

Atharvaveda, 12.1.35.

Padmapurana, 1.44.455.

Yajurveda, 13.62.

Rigveda, 10.71.3.

Shatapatha Brahman, 1.7.1.5.

Yajurveda, 9.21.

Tarkasamgrahah, 2.

Yajurveda, 34.1-6.

Nandita Singhavi, Veda me Paryavarana, pp. 313-356.

Yajurveda, 36.1; Atharvaveda, 19.9.94; A.C.Bose, The Call of the Vedas, p 281.

Atharvaveda, 19.67.1.

Iishavasyopanishad, 1.

Downloads

Published

30-07-2017

How to Cite

Dr. Vishwanath Verma. (2017). The Environmental Awareness in Vedic Literature. Jai Maa Saraswati Gyandayini An International Multidisciplinary E-Journal, 3(I), 181–188. Retrieved from http://www.jmsjournals.in/index.php/jmsg/article/view/73

Issue

Section

Article