Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Environmental values in Hinduism


The empathy and compassion to all living and non-living things and to live harmoniously with nature is inbuilt in Hindu tradition. A Hindu address his tradition as manava dharma or human culture. Dharma connotes moral value that shows the essentiality to uphold, maintain, support or nourish the human needs.

Thus, dharma is  implied in every Hindu peoples' daily practices as he sees everything he acquires in abundance belongs to the almighty. For example in Atharva Veda 12.1 it is stated that :-



Earth, in which lie the sea, the river, and other waters,
            in which food and cornfields have come to be,
            in which live all that breathes and that moves,
            may she confer on us the finest of her yield....

            Set me, O Earth, amidst what is thy center and thy navel,
            and vitalizing forces that emanate from thy body.
            Purify us from all sides. Earth is my Mother; her son am I;
            and Heaven my Father: may he fill us with plenty....
                                                                                                  Atharva Veda 12.1

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