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APARIGRAHA - THE HUMANE SOLUTION
One Rși addresses a cow as aditi and a goddess impressing upon his hearer that she should not be slain. Aghneya(not to be killed) is a frequent designation of cow in the Rgveda. Cows were the chief forms of wealth in the vedic period. Atharvaveda and Satapatha Brāhmaṇa often talk of worshipping of cows and the evil consequences of beefeating. In general cattle occupy an important place in the Vedas.
Plants are frequently invoked as divinities along with waters, rivers, mountains, heaven and earth. 'One entire hymn is however devoted to the praise of plants (oșadhi) alone mainly with regard to their healing powers”. Some later Vedic texts mention the offerings made to plants and adorations paid to large trees. One hymn of Ķgveda celebrates the 'forest as a whole personified as āraṇyani' (the forest nymph). The sights and sounds of forests are described with a fine perception of nature.
Interestingly, in the religion of Parsis respect for nature and its elements is expressed by the devotees on the day of repentance, when they say 'I repent for the offence I have committed to metal, subinetal, earth, air and water'. (Patet Irani - The Prayer of Repentance of Parsis as quoted in "The Teaching of Zoraster and Parsi Religion'- Kālidāsa's 'Abhijñāna Šakuntalam' is a Sanskrit drama second to none. Love and reverence for nature is beautifully expressed in this master piece, with its entire background of prakrtior nature. The inanimate prakȚti becomes a living human being with its ways it is shown to interact with humans. The relation of praksti with humans is beautifully depicted with its delicate nuances. Even though, it is a piece of extraordinary imagination of the poet, but the imagination cannot completely be separated from life, time, and surroundings of the poet. The cooperation of nature and man is so well-knit and it is marvelously expressed by the poet. Ancient India has been described by great Indian thinkers as a culture of forest (āranya saṁskȚti). The life of the inmates of aśramas of ancient India used to be nurtured in the sanctity of the natural physical environment, which was expected to be responsible for the spiritual development of the aśramaites. These asramas or tapovanas were habitats for their
1. History of Sanskrit Literature - A.A. Macdonell p.119. 2. S.A. Kapadia, London, 1905 page 43.
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