Taking care of Nature is our duty: RSS chief
| Date :31-Aug-2020 |
Staff Reporter :
Dr Mohan Bhagwat was addressing an on-line programme ‘Prakriti Vandan’ organised by Hindu Spiritual Service Foundation
Dr Mohan Bhagwat, Sarsanghchalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), appealed to the people to take care of Mother Nature so that she took care of humanity. “Instead of exploiting Nature, we must focus on drawing from her what is enough for our need as has been ingrained in our ancient culture,” he said. Dr Bhagwat was addressing an on-line programme ‘Prakriti Vandan’ organised by Hindu Spiritual Service Foundation on Sunday. The programme was organised to pay reverence to Mother Nature. He stressed on conservation of Nature, and emphasised upon way of life followed by ancestors who treated Nature as an important part of their life. “Our ancestors had understood that human beings were a part of the entire ecosystem. A body is dependent on the functioning of its organs.
Similarly, functioning of the organs is dependent on pranic energy received from the body. Since we are a part of Nature, it is our duty to take good care of Nature,” said Dr Bhagwat. In Indian culture, even an ordinary literate person from village knows that plants should not be disturbed at night. For, this knowledge about plant life has been passed on to him through generations as part of culture, even before the modern scientific knowledge about plant life. Similarly, said RSS chief, Indian culture had given comprehensive thought to life around humans. Hence, flour was fed to ants, a portion of meal was served to cow, food was given to dogs, birds, insects, and also a hungry human being. “It is this inherent sense of responsibility towards all living beings in the Nature that distinguishes Indian approach from other ‘modern’ approaches, as far as environment protection and Nature conservation are concerned,” he said.
Indian culture was well-evolved and hence ancestors used to worship rivers, plants, Tulsi, mountains, cow, snake etc as part of treating everything in Nature as part of larger life. However, Dr Bhagwat said, the holistic system got disturbed in last 200-250 years. The ill-effects of this approach of exploitation of natural resources are becoming visible now. “If humans continue to exploit natural resources, the situation may worsen. Neither we nor this world will survive.
Realising this, Environment Day is being celebrated these days. It must be celebrated in every household. At the same time, we must remember the teaching of our ancestors. Hence, we are celebrating ‘Prakriti Vandan’ on August 30 this year. We must also celebrate Nag Panchami, Govardhan Pooja, Tulsi Vivah and such festivals with contemporary references,” he added. Merely celebrating one particular day will not serve any purpose, but people will have to vow to change their behaviour accordingly for securing the future of humanity by correcting the mistakes of past 250-300 years in next 100-200 years, RSS chief concluded.