We live in a beautiful world where there are a lot of other living creatures and plants that make our lives beautiful and help us in our day to day living. The world around us is an ecosystem that depends on every other living creature for its continued and healthy existence. This makes our Earth all the more beautiful and also enriches the environment we live in.
In Hinduism, our ancient rishis understood the equilibrium that other living creatures create and thereby made it a point to understand the health and well being of animals as well as humans. In every gurukul, Pashu Vaidya or veterinary sciences were taught alongside other subjects such as agriculture, spiritual scriptures, administration of kingdoms, social justice and many many other subjects. Veterinary sciences played an important role because life then was lived around animals. The cows give us milk, the dogs guard our houses, the cats eat the mice, the mice were also eaten by the snakes who did not venture into the houses but stayed where they could get food. We still put kolam or rangoli in front of our houses so the ants and other insects can get the food they need from outside our houses and not venture inside (though that never seems to stop the ants from getting inside our houses!).
Birds, too, are plentiful and they also help people. The sparrows and crows eat the ants and other insects who would otherwise become a pest and destroy crops. A few other birds help in pollination of flowers. There are also countless other fragrant and colourful flowers that attract bees. Bees are also essential for pollination of flowers which, after pollination, become fruits and nuts that we enjoy so much and are essential for our health and well-being.
We respect these birds in our culture by feeding them on special days, like Kanu, the day after Pongal when we feed the crows and sparrows some of the rice that we eat. In some houses, birds are fed everyday with the fresh rice and dal that is made in their homes.
Today, we live in cities, and have forgotten to appreciate that nature is not just beautiful but also functional. It’s functionality is not just to be enjoyed but that it is essential for us to continue life on Earth. In the above paragraphs, I have just given a minute glimpse of how interconnected we are to the insects and animals that we see everyday. We, as a society, must understand that we share this Earth with other living beings; we do not own it. We live with the other creatures, but we are in no way independent of them.
Many beliefs and practices in Hinduism protect animals and their habitat. Animals like cows, tigers, snakes, peacocks, monkeys, eagles, elephants, mice and many other animals are associated with our Gods and are considered sacred to some degree or the other by themselves or by association.
Cows are sacred because they give us milk. From milk, we make lots of other products like ghee and curd. Milk is also very nutritious for us and keeps us healthy. Cows are also considered a form of Goddess Lakshmi - the Goddess of wealth.
Snakes are always scary, but they are considered the symbol of birth, rebirth and death. Killing a snake is considered a great sin and is believed to affect your luck in future lives of you and your family as well. In Hinduism, snakes are considered sacred and are connected to Shiva and Vishnu. Lord Shiva has a snake around his neck and Lord Vishnu is always seen lying on the 5 headed snake called Adishesha.
Elephants are associated with the elephant God, Ganesha, who removes obstacles. The white elephant, known as Airavat is the vehicle of Lord Indra. They are supposed to be a sign of strength and perseverance.
Monkeys are revered because of Hanuman, who helped Lord Ram reunite with his wife, Sita. Every Hanuman temple seems to attract monkeys in one way or the other. Some of these temples are around the habitats of monkeys and they are encouraged to visit the temple. Their positive traits are innovation and playfulness. But they also signify a flighty mind that is restless and cannot focus on any one thing.
Many animals and birds are mentioned in various Hindu religious scriptures. Most of them advise humans to live in harmony and co-exist with their surroundings. Though we have superior intellect, animals are also spiritual in nature. They adapt to their situations without complaints and thrive in whatever habitat they live in. Even if an animal loses a limb, it learns to walk and live with what it has. They never sit in one place and remain helpless.
Animals and birds always live the best life they can within the limitations of their habitat. Just like plants do as well. Have you seen a crooked tree? It has grown that way so it can get maximum sunlight or other nutrients that it needs to grow. It does not stagnate and die before trying its best to survive.
This maxim is reflected in our religious teachings. We must do our duty no matter what the circumstances so we can get better and appreciate life better. We must learn to live harmoniously and enjoy the variety that God has gifted us with so we can enjoy the beauty of the Earth that is our home. That way, we achieve our potential.
