Abstract

Ancient Indian texts are the repository of valuable learnings that teach ethical and moral discipline in life. Ancient texts provide an ecocentric view of life in which a harmonious relationship is an essential part of sustainable development and peaceful co-existence. The contemporary world is facing an existential crisis due to the climate change phenomenon. The anthropomorphic world is bereft of human values and that has created a void between nature and human civilization. The paper engages with the issues and conflicts that the climate change phenomenon has generated and hence the solutions that the ancient Indian texts provide to human beings through the philosophical, practical, and spiritual engagements.

KEYWORDS: Climate Change, Vedic Philosophy, Arthashastra, Sustainability

Climate is defined as ‘the slowly varying aspects of the atmosphere–hydrosphere–land surface system. It is typically characterized in terms of suitable averages of the climate system over periods of a month or more, taking into consideration the variability in time of these averaged quantities[i]. Since climate can be studied in terms of temporal and spatial aspects, it encompasses the past, present, and future epochs across the world. The climate change phenomenon which human beings have been witnessing has a history and the history possess within itself, the testimonies of prehistory. The paper, thus, engages with the prehistory of the climate change, taking Ancient India as the reference point to approach the crisis which is generated due to the dismissal of learnings of ancient India. Thus, the paper derives its sources from the texts of ancient India and tries to identify the practical as well as spiritual solutions to tackle the global problem of climate change.

In English literature, the genre of ecocriticism originates in the late 1980s in the USA which is the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment, deriving its roots from the philosophy of transcendentalism; focussing on Nature, Life Force, and Wilderness. In the Indian context, the ecocritical approach exists and is an integral part of ancient texts that direct humans to assimilate self with nature that will ultimately lead the being to Brahma. In Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Krishna says:

naasti buddhir ayuktasya na chaayuktasya bhaavanaa

na chaabhaavayatah shaantir ashaantasya kutah sukham // 2.66 //

Means, ‘the man whose mind is not under his control has no Self-Knowledge and to the unsteady no meditation is possible and to the non meditative mind there can be no peace and to the man who has no peace how can there be any happiness[ii]?’2

According to Bhagwad Gita, Duty is nothing but the maintenance of harmony with the atmosphere, and human beings should not act in conflict with nature as it is the essential conditionality to survive in this world which creates peace in the world. In contrast to the teachings of Bhagavad-Gita, Human beings have created a war against nature that has resulted in global warming and climate change catastrophes. From 1906 to 2005, the average surface temperature of the Earth rose by 0.74◦C[iii] it has led to serious ramifications in terms of sea-level rise, the decline in arctic sea ice, and extreme weather events. It is the result of conflict with nature and it can be reduced and mitigated if humans ponder over the ancient learnings.

Ancient Indian texts teach a way of life that is ecologically holistic in nature which reveres the earth as mother. It is mentioned in Atharvaveda, Mata bhumi putro aham prithiwaya[iv], means Earth is my mother and I am her son and this sacred relationship develops a sense of commitment and submission for nature which is also a Dharma, duty of a being on earth. It is the duty and responsibility of human beings to care for the earth as our body is made up of Pancha Mahabhutas[v] (The five great elements) - space, air, fire, water and earth and are all derived from Prakriti, the primal energy and constitute the environment. This consciousness can reduce the conflict with nature as it can develop a sense of absolute oneness with Prakriti(nature).

The concept of Ishavasyam — Divinity is omnipresent and takes infinite forms, is the core part of living of the Sanatan (eternal)-Hindu culture and it is reflected in the worship of rivers like Ganga which is treated like Goddess.

Bael (Aegle marmelos), Aśoka (Saraca asoca), sandalwood, coconut, dūrvā grass (Cynodon dactylon), tulsi or tulasī (Ocimum), the banana, lotus, marigold, china rose (hibiscus), and the flowers of milkweed (aak, Calotropis) have a significant position in rituals and these trees and plants are treated as sacred and reverent[vi] 6. There are many festivals which are associated with trees. In North India, Bardmavas is a festival that is also called Vat Savitri Vrat. According to legend great Savitri tricked Lord Yama, the lord of death, and compelled Him to return the life of her husband Satyawan. Hence Married women observe Vat Savitri Vrat for the well-being and long life of their husband and it is performed around the Banyan tree, which is treated as sacred and it is a symbol of longevity.

Similarly, Amalaka Ekadashi or Amalaki Ekadashi is a Hindu holy day, celebrated on the 11th day (Ekadashi) of the waxing moon, in the lunar month of Phalgun (February–March). It is a celebration of the amalaka or amla tree (Phyllanthus emblica), known as the Indian gooseberry, it also has medicinal value. The god Vishnu, for whom ekadashis are sacred, is believed to reside in the tree. The amla tree is ritually worshipped on this day to get the grace of the deity. There are many examples where trees are being worshipped in India, paying sacred homage to nature. So, the treatment of nature within the religious consciousness restricts the exploitative mentality of human beings.

Climate change has affected the land adversely and it has led to the loss of fertility of the soil also. According to a report by the Soil Science Society of America, 50% of land degradation in the world is due to desertification[vii] and it is the result of dry soil due to rising global temperature which takes away the moisture from the land. Kautilya in The Arthashastra mentions the provision to safeguard agricultural land. Land in the period of Kautilya was not left abandoned especially, the sowing land and the chancellor was advised to recruit secret agents disguised as ascetics to find dishonest and careless farmers[viii]. Such a system is lacking and that is why the land fertility has reduced and due to the excessive use of fertilizers, the land has become poisonous.

The concept of sustainability can be traced back to the ancient Indian texts. It is not only for the present generation of human beings that the natural resources are present, but these are the collective sources and so Kautilya in The Arthashastra mentions the presence of animal sanctuaries where animals are treated as guests9[ix] and even if they become hostile they are not allowed to be killed within the sanctuaries. Such is the respect for nature that the ancient texts teach humanity.

Lord Mahavira, in the Āchārāṅga Sūtra, gives preaching on the environment and according to him:

“Nature is to be protected in all ways — no waste, no overuse, no abuse, no polluting. If we follow these principles, then we would stop destroying our environment as well as preserve the resources that are available for all to share. If there are more resources available for all, then the poor will also get a fair share thereof[x].

These words reflect the ideas of shared values, mutual coexistence, and a system of life without greed. Kautilya in The Arthashastra cautions people to stay away from excessive greed and lust as they lead to humiliation and loss of wealth[xi]. The self-centred approach is targeted by the Ecocritic Vandana Shiva when she uses the term “dinosaur mentality,” which “only sees the big[xii]” and this mentality has reduced a human being to the level of an animal who is gullible only and has shunned the practice of healthy skepticism.

Shastrarth was the ancient practice of debate and discussion which includes both skeptical and dialectical approaches that healthy and constructive discourses are missing now. The famous shastrarth between Mandana Misra and Shri Adi Shankara is an example of the classical debates that are missing in contemporary times and it has reduced the scope for the dissemination of authentic and true sources of knowledge. Today, the capitalistic model has captured and controlled the institutions of knowledge and the corporatization of everything has created a culture industry.

In the culture industry, the individual is an illusion not merely because of the standardization of the means of production. He is tolerated only so long as his complete identification with the generality is unquestioned[xiii].

The generality in the age of Climate change has made everyone the climate change culprit as well as victim, who is not only helpless but is ignorant also, as one is the contributor in the disaster of one’s own life on the earth. This state of mankind is due to the consumerist mentality of human beings. Today, humans should recall the

Atharvaveda teaching that instructs to inculcate the practice of sharing food with others which provide punya (a good deed) and also to consider food as the abode of food deity. This sense of religious association provides righteousness in life and makes a person sensible and responsible for one’s own actions which are certainly not evident in the age of Anthropocene-the epoch in which human activities have altered history.

In the age of Anthropocene, natural disasters are not only the cause of some geophysical phenomenon. The actions of human beings have vehemently affected the biogeochemical cycles on Earth. Human beings have started exploiting and discriminating resources recklessly and it has created a divided world that is full of conflicts. If humans recall the learning of Ishopnishad that encourages every human being to see God as omnipotent, residing in all the living and non-living things, one will not hate and exploit any resources[xiv]. Dr. Radhakrishnan, in his work, Upanishadon ke Sandesh, underlines that to understand these teachings, one must have moral and spiritual discipline in life.

In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, ‘satyam’ word is divided into three parts, ‘sa’, ‘ti’, and ‘yam’ in which the first and last words signify truth and the middle one signifies false nature of the world in which a being exists and survives[xv]. If one understands the concept, one can grasp the ephemeral nature of the existence in the world and hence will not hoard or exploit the things as if they were to exist for eternity with the being. It is the ultimate message of all the ancient texts that material indulgences are not good and the purpose of life is to achieve the ultimate reality; The Brahma.

In Puranas also, several teachings restrict the exploitation of nature. In Vishnu Puran it is mentioned that “God Keshava is pleased with a person who does not harm or destroy other creatures or animals”. Similarly, in Narasimhapuram killing of birds for eating was prohibited. “O, wicked men if you kill a bird then you are bathing in a river, pilgrimage, worship, and yagnas are all useless[xvi]. The need of civilization, therefore, is to establish a harmonious relationship between nature and human beings; in Vedic culture it is called "Mitrasyaaham chakshushaa sarvaani bhootaani sameekshe." which means that look at every entity of Nature with the eyes of a friend and

sympathiser[xvii]. One can also recall the lines from the Shuklayajurveda 36:18

ते घ मा म य च ुषा मा सवाण भतानू सम तम् म याहं च ुषा सवाण भतानू      समी े म य च ुषा समी ामहे

It means may all beings look on me with the eyes of a friend and may I look on all beings with the eyes of a friend; may we look on one another with the eyes of friendship[xviii].

In Manu Samhita, it is stated that the cruelty against animals is a punishable offense. According to it, if one wounds an animal, one will bear the cost of treatment. Also, it is strictly prohibited to kill some animals which are religiously sacred including cows and monkeys. Plants are also protected with the laws and the green plants are not allowed to be cut and if one cuts them, one is called the offender and condemned as a degraded person. These are the ancient laws which uphold the biodiversity on earth with reverence. Today, the world needs to revisit and adopt these dharmic traditions which work on the principle of righteousness and integrity.

According to the Vedanta philosophy and Vedic scientific views, there are 8.4 ×106 varieties of life having degrees of consciousness and human beings have a higher degree of consciousness than the other organisms including microorganisms[xix]. So, it is the duty or dharma of humans to observe the oneness within the diversity and hence act accordingly. The action should be taken into consideration with the life force that exists within all and that has the common origin which is God.

There is the Vedic tradition of Dvija 20 (twice-born) which means a person has two births in one life; one is genetic, given by parents and the other is spiritual, given by teachers and this double birth provides scope to a being to uplift ones own life physically and spiritually. The right form of education is necessary to understand the importance of life and existence and the air-conditioned classrooms and halls emitting CFCs cannot practically teach the vitality of the environment. For this, one needs to revisit and analyze the gurukul tradition of teaching and learning which reflects the way of life within nature and the care for nature.

References:

Adorno Theodor and Max Horkheimer. “The culture industry: enlightenment as mass deception.” The Cultural Studies Reader, edited by Simon During, Routledge, 1993.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, A.C. Sri Isopanisad. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Mumbai.

Dessler, Andrew E. “An Introduction to the Climate Problem.”

Introduction to Modern Climate Change, Cambridge University Press

Kautilya. “The Kautilyan State and Society” in The Arthashastra, Penguin Classics.

Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli. Upnishadon ka Sandesh, Rajpal & Sons Publication, 2017.

Singh, T.D. “Human Life and Evolution of Consciousness.” Life and Origin of the Universe. Anderson Printing House, Kolkata, 2008.

Singh, T.D. “Vedantic Spiritual Biotechnology-A Glimpse.” Vedanta & Biotechnology: Bioethical Perspectives, Anderson Printing House, Kolkata, 2009.

END NOTES