Nature Is Our Own Echo-Part II

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Our culture has been to worship Nature, living in total harmony with her. In the final analysis it is this attitude that will be the winner. The message is very clear. Do not exploit Nature. Give back to her what you take from her. If we do not follow this policy, we will have to pay for our sins. Nature brooks no denials; the compensation has to be made. The more aggression the greater will be her retribution. In any sphere, it is the vision which is important.

The Vedas have a vision of the Lord. Heaven is His head, the earth His feet, the sun and moon His eyes and the Vedas His speech. The scriptures have found fit to see and venerate the Lord everywhere. Today's man tends to take things for granted.

We have developed unnatural habits of eating, incorrectly sleeping and wrong thinking patterns which is not in keeping with Nature's way. Our minds are filled with greed, hatred and jealousy; cut-throat competition prevails everywhere. In the market place today, it is each man for himself. All these negativities contribute to the mental pollution prevalent in society today. It is this pollution which leads to the outer pollution. Our vision needs correction.

When a person identifies with a small thing, his vision is small. When his scope of identity is enlarged, the Divinity in him becomes greater, more evident. Man identifies with the physical body most naturally, this being the closest to him slightly away from him is his family, he feels a sense of oneness with members of his family. He is willing to make sacrifices for his children. If he can identify with the society around him the level of selfishness is reduced.

At the national level, feeling one with the nation, being able to have a wider scope of vision, the level of selfishness drops even further. Expanded further, if the mind realises its oneness with the totality of the universe, the mental pollution fades away completely.

How can one who feels oneness with the totality cause harm to anyone? When the mental pollution fades, there is no one left to quarrel with. Everywhere he sees only the reflection of his own self. The Bhagawad Geeta re-iterates that when we take care of Nature, she blesses us. If we exploit her then we have to combat her unleashed fury. Nature is our very own echo. By leading a life in keeping with Nature's norms and partaking of her blessings, we can all grow harmoniously and prosper together.

About the author

Swami Tejomayananda

Swami Tejomayananda, the Chairman and spiritual head of Chinmaya Mission worldwide, is one of the foremost disciples of Swami Chinmayananda. He is an outstanding teacher of Vedanta and an accomplished poet, author, and composer.