Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries.The official theme for 2024 is "Planet vs. Plastics."
Bhoomi Pujan
O! Mother Earth, who has the ocean as clothes and mountains and forests on her body, who is the wife of Lord Vishnu, I bow to you. Please forgive me for touching with my feet.
The Earth is equivalent of a mother to everything living and non-living objects. The pulling power of Mother Earth is such that a man aspiring to reach the star feels at home only once he lands back in her laps. The pulling power of the mother Earth is named as Gravity. The mother Earth has earned this attraction through her patience, forgiveness, tolerance, endurance, simplicity and diligence; and simply for this reason the mother Earth remains an attraction for every creature.
The Ocean covering the mother Earth is considered to be her different clothes. As human beings are covered by clothes the mother Earth is covered by the Oceans; and as clothes add to beauty of the human beings, the Oceans add to the Earth’s attractiveness. Just as the mother Earth never violates her limits, the human beings must not cross bounds by demonstrating nakedness.
The mother Earth is generous beyond our imagination; for hidden in the depth of the oceans there are unlimited treasures but she has no need for any of it - she happily distributes it to her children. In short, the mother Earth seeks joy in in giving away all her wealth and feels pride in seeing her children prosper.
The mountains on the surface of the Earth are considered to be her breasts from which she feeds her children. On these mountains there are unlimited varieties of minerals and trees which provide medicines for humanity. In Sanskritthe word 'pya' means both milk and water - hence the milk giving breast and rivers streams creating mountains are symbolic comparisons. As water we source from rivers and streams is life sustaining; the humanity sustains itself by obtaining, clean and sweet water. In Sanskrit language water is sometimes referred to as 'life'.
The mother Earth grants us life through water and sustains us through the food; the mother Earths generosity, forgiveness and tolerance are beyond comparison and unmatched. When we dig into her she gives us water; when we farm on her she gives us food. This habit to reward us with giftswhile suffering herself. Apart from mother earth who else could teach us that. For our effort of planting one seed, the mother Earth gives us multiples and that too with a smile.
We her children dance on her as well as make filth, jump; for our gains we dig her, farm her, build tall buildings, the mother Earth takes it all from us with a smile; we must learn to respect her generosity with grace.
Our glory as well as nobility as human beings would be multiplied by graciously paying respect to her; as ancient sages have referred to Lord Vishnu as our father and the Earth as our mother. The mother Earth gives us sustenance but never expects anything in return. The sages knew the importance of her greatness and ability to produce before placing a foot on her in the morning. When looking at the mother Earth we must learn to pay respect to her rather than questioning her adequacy.
Until we learn that we are not the real owners of the mother Earth, we are unlikely to recognise ourselves as her rightful children. Today, it is evidenced everywhere that the human beings are determined to establish control and draw lines on her and make the mother Earth an object only desirable for meeting their needs.
Through the Bhumi Pujan, there is an opportunity to demonstrate our graciousness, establishing new production, contemplate fragrant life as well as an attitude of forgiveness just like the mother Earth.
By Dr Jiva Odedra
Why are trees revered in Hinduism?
· Banyan tree (ficus benghalensis)is the national tree of India.
· This tree is considered sacred in India.
· The great Banyan in the Indian botanic garden, horus is considered to be one of the largest trees in the world in terms of area covered .
Hindus have always had great reverence for trees and other plants because they are the foundation of life. In the Puranas and other religious texts, great importance has been accorded to trees and plants, equating them with gods. It is recommended that they should be treated as members of the family. With confirmation by scientists that plants are living beings, the credibility of religious texts has been strengthened. This has also strengthened belief in the effects of good and bad deeds on rebirth. The special status granted to some plants is now easier to understand.
The neem tree is sacred and its flower is offered to God and eaten on New Years day although it is sour. The bilva tree, its flowers and fruits are very sacred for Shiva worship. The tulsi plant is regarded as the abode of Krishna and is important in all pujas. Sandal wood, its paste and oil are important in worship of gods.
All plants and flowers have medicinal value in the Hindu system of medicine (ayurveda) brought by the divine medicine man Dhanvantari during Samudra mathana (churning of oceans).
The coconut tree and the coconut are sacred and are offered to God during worship. Mango leaves are used as festoons during pujas and auspicious events. All flowers and leaves of plants are used during worship for pushpa puja and patra puja. The lotus is a sacred flower and plant for Hindus. The banana plant and leaves are used for ornamentation and worship.
According to religious texts, when people plant trees and care for them, those plants are reborn as their children. Whoever gives trees and plants in charity pleases the gods through flowers on the trees. In sunny and rainy weather trees serve as umbrellas to passer-by desiring refuge and rest. By offer droplets after the rain, they please forefathers. Those who offer flowers attain affluence and prosperity.
In the Rig-Veda, 6/48/17, it is said:
Do not be like the devilish buzzard that troubles other birds by grabbing their necks and killing them. Do not trouble the trees. Do not uproot or cut them. They provide protection to animals, birds and other living beings.
In the Manusmriti, it is said that trees bring with them the fruits of their deeds from the last birth. They are living beings and experience sorrow and happiness. God has created them for the welfare of living beings. They face the sun and the heat, but protect those who come under their shade. They provide refuge and residence to birds and insects. They bear flowers and fruits. One cannot estimate the number of saints and sages who offered prayers under the shade of trees. It is characteristic of the trees to give and keep giving.
Since a traditional burial consumes nearly one tree, Hindus are bound to plant three trees, on special occasions, during their life span. Which actually makes sense, especially in today’s world where we need more and more trees to give us life when we live and for fire when we die.
Have you done your duty and paid your part to Mother Nature for your life and death?
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