Vedas & Environmental law
Environment plays a very significant role in human civilization. Human beings have close relations with the biosphere in which they live. The whole environment and ecology consisting of earth, air, water, plants and animals provide the necessary and sufficient conditions for sustaining human life.
the vedic vision to live in harmony with environment was not merely physical but war far wider and much comprehensive. The Vedic sages realized that the pure water, air etc. are the roots of to good health and happiness and hence they considered all these as gods. And this wish can be fulfilled only when environment will be unpolluted, clean and peaceful. Now a days various types of environmental laws like Forest act 1972, Wildlife protection Act 1970, Water protection and pollution act 1980, Environmental protection Act, 1986 have been enacted for the protection and preservation of environment. But about 3000 years ago, the sages recited the following verse—
“dyauḥ śāntirantarīkṣan śanti pṛithivī śāntirāpaḥ śāntiroṣadhayaḥ vanaspatayaḥ śāntiviswadevah śāntibrahma śāntiḥ sarva śāntiḥ śāntireva śāntiḥ sā mā śntiredhi”.
(Sukla yajurveda 36-17) “
Let there be balance in the space !
Let there be balance in the sky !
Let there be peace on the earth !
Let there be calmness Let there be !
Let there be growth in the plants !
Let there be growth in the tree !
Let there be grace in the Gods !
Let there be bliss in the Brahman !
Let there be balance in everything !
Let there be peace and peace !
Let such peace be with everyone of us ! ”
From this vedic message it is clear that environment belongs to all living beings, so it needs protection by all, for the welfare of all.