Jain Journal 2014 07

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 46

Dr. Chandranath Chatterjee : Impact of Jainism on Environmental Sustainability 47
Atharvaveda are full of hymns which exeplicitly advocate the supremacy of different natural power. The Rgvedic hymns refer to many gods and goddesses that is just the personification of natural entities like sun god, moon god, thunder, water god, rivers as mother, rain, lightening, trees etc. Today it has been confirmed that solar energy is the ultimate source of energy that regulates the flow of energy through water chain, food chain and drives various other nutrient cycles and in this way establish a control over the earth ecosystem, but it was well understood and realized by the ancient Indians.
This respect to nature and ecology can be noticed in avast network of sacred rivers, sacred mountain, revered treesand plants, and even holy cities across India. Nature has the same blessed connection with manas mother has with her child. This is evident from the practice done by a classical Bharat Natyam dancer when she steps on to the stage. Firstly, she touches the floor and with a prayer she asks forgive ness from the Earth as she is going to stamp hard with her feet on the earth while dancing. Conservation of Flora :
Conservation and preservation of flora also called as plant kingdom has been an integral part of Indian culture. Tress have been given huge importance in the ancient Indian tradition. The four Vedas are full of hymns regarding reference to different herbs, trees, flowers and their significance for nature, ecology and man himself. Trees and plants were considered as living beings. Modern Science also confer that plants have life. To cut and harm them unnecessarily or at largescale was considered as sin. Peepal tree continuously releases oxygen in the atmosphere which is very important for humanlife, and therefore, such knowledge must have been put into a spiritual form by our ancestors. The tradition of sacred groves was also practiced in ancient period and it is still practiced infolk and tribal communities. A sacred grove is consists of oldtrees generally at the outskirts of a village. They were not cut and left untouched when the villagers or