Makaranda Madhukar Anand Mahendale Festshrift

Author(s): M A Dhaky, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 190

Ecological Awareness in Indian Tradition
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Literary conventions like the longings (dohadas) of different trees also show how the hero with his erotic longings is symbolized in those trees.
Along with this we must take into account one particularly striking facet of man-nature relationship in Sanskrit literature and Indian ethos. If the king does not behave properly, in keeping with Dharma, the cycle of nature stands obstructed. The King's sinful ways make his subjects suffer. An irresponsible king's sins visit upon his subjects. That means nature responds to or is affected by the good and evil of the humans, especially of the ones in high office.
I have often wondered whether this is just a conventional belief or just a laudatory statement or if there is any grain of metaphysical or mystical truth in it. If we ponder over what Fukuoka has to say regarding man-nature relationship, if we try to fathom the depths of the Upanișadic statements like
Thou art That', and if we read what great souls have to say about their mysterious mystical experiences, I think, this attitude towards nature, gives an altogether new perception and insight to us. We begin to realize that the emotional life of all things and species in nature is the same. That even the trees and plants are sentient was proved by J. C. Bose in the last century. That is why we find all types of characters in Sanskrit Literature-human beings, gods and goddesses, rivers, demons, trees, serpents, celestial nymphs etc., and that their share in the same emotional life is the umbilical cord that binds all to Mother Nature.
Amazing corroboration for this point comes from modern physicists like Fritjöf Capra and David Bohm. Capra tells us that mystics in the East have through intuition grasped the fundamental unity of all things in the universe. David Bohm, while discussing the cosmic dimension speaks of the healing touch of nature. Quite a few books dealing with the living touch of jungle life breathe of the same spirit. The thrilling account of a young girl who traversed the great Australian desert from the east to the west coast in the company of only four camels and two dogs describes the remarkable insight she got into space and time during that journey.
The same is the attitude of Sanskrit writers towards nature. It shows a harmonious part-whole relationship with nature. To a certain extent at least