There is an inseparable bond between man and nature. For man, there cannot be an existence removed from nature. However, because of his thoughtless actions, the equilibrium in nature is getting disturbed; the pulse of human life is becoming erratic too. Air and water have become polluted. Rivers are drying up. Seasons arrive unseasonably. New diseases are spreading. If things continue this way, the human race is in for a monumental catastrophe.
There is an underlying order to everything in nature. There is a place in creation for all creatures. The forest, river and mountain all have their dharma (natural duty). Nature has provided sustenance for all created beings. It has its own ways of recycling and reusing natural waste, thus preserving itself. We don’t need to do anything to maintain the beauty of forests, rivers and mountains.
However, when human beings systematically plunder natural wealth for selfish reasons, the natural order gets disturbed. Nature’s face becomes disfigured. Along with other creatures, human beings too will have to face the consequences. When science advances, cities and business enterprises grow in tandem. The human population in cities increases. The amount of waste also increases exponentially. Therefore, we should discover scientific means for properly handling this waste.
If not, our natural environment will begin to decay. Diseases will spread. We cannot solve the problem merely by building hospitals or by discovering new medicines. Today, everything is getting polluted—air, water and food stuff. Apart from the toxins found in chemical fertilisers, the adulterators added for the sake of increasing profits is making the food we eat toxic and hazardous for consumption. The earth is drying up because of deforestation. Rivers are dwindling into streams.
We should learn from these experiences. If we are still not ready to change, nature will teach us. The only thing is, we may not be able to bear the brunt of the teaching. Mother Nature has blessed humankind with her bounty. But if we forget our responsibilities, if we give free rein to our desires, nature will retaliate. Nature’s boons will turn into curses. Children, remember that nature stands before us as a symbol of our renunciation. Like mountains, rivers and trees, every single object in nature is teaching us lessons in renunciation.
Look at a tree—it gives fruit, it gives shade, and it imparts cool air. Even as it is being felled, it offers shade to the person cutting it down. Similarly, if we consider any object in nature, we will see that practice renunciation in some way or the other. But what are we doing for nature? It is said that whenever we cut a tree, we should plant a sapling. How many do this? Even if we did so, considering the scale of destruction carried out by human beings, how can one single sapling possibly help to maintain the balance in nature? In the place of huge tree, we plant a sapling. Can a tiny sapling ever replace a fully grown tree? Can a child do the work that a mature adult can? Whereas the man might be able to carry a huge load of sand, a child might be able to carry just a spoonful. Similar is the difference between a tree and a sapling.
Nature is a goose that lays golden eggs. However, if we think that we can claim all golden eggs for ourselves at one go by killing the goose, the result will be total destruction. We should stop polluting and exploiting nature. We must, for our own survival and for that of the coming generations. Nature is a kalpa-vriksha, a wish-fulfilling tree, that can bestow prosperity on us.
We cannot delay anymore. We must make the right decisions and embark on the right course of actions. These must come from all the levels. Individuals, governments and organisations must think about how we can face the threat to nature. Both individual and collective efforts are necessary. It is enough to think in purely intellectual or logical terms; we must also consider solutions provided by spirituality. The main cause of problems today is that we have tried to put aside spiritually inclined ways of thinking from society. In countries abroad, there is cleanliness but no values; that is the problem they are facing. It is only when we tie cleanliness to godliness that there arises a fullness, a completeness.
The writer is a world-renowned spiritual leader