A lot of excitement is being generated about Vedic ecology at the on-going Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.
A group of activists are popularising the concept among COP delegates many of whom were seen collecting details about Vedic ecology which is being projected as a natural science revolving around the five elements of nature and ancient yagna and puja rituals.
Dr B. Lakshmi, who is leading the Vedic ecology promotion group, said that though the concept is not new to India, it is becoming popular only off late. “It is the ancient doctrine of protecting nature through a set of principles espoused in the Vedas. Ecology is interconnected to several other disciplines of biology as it has a profound relation with human life and environment. Similarly, Vedic ecology evinces an intimate relationship to a mode of life and religion,” Dr Lakshmi said.
Explaining the concept, she said eminent Austrian scientist Erwin Schrödinger had shown that the continual work of pumping out disorder was necessary if one wished to maintain internal order. This concept was followed by Vedic people thousands of years ago by performingyagnas.
“Our belief in the existence of Asthadikpalakas is based on Vedic ecology. Asthadikpalakasare the eight deities ruling the eight quarters of the universe, whose attributes and actions can be correlated with the bio-geo-chemical cycles. After the puja, people immerse the idol along with the leaves and flowers in a lake. The fungi developed on plants are useful in the recycling of minerals, especially phosphate. The phosphates play a major role in life energy cycle,” she said.
“The leafy matter, which falls in the water during idol immersions, plays a key role in enriching the water with nutrients and eutrophication. Plant leaves create nutrients in water and help develop the positive nature of water. Our ancestors knew this and thus they began the tradition of putting leaves into water during festivals.”
The varieties of leaves thrown into lakes during particular periods are decayed by microorganisms, which are abundantly present in the water. By this water is purified, energised by amino acids. It is important to continue this process and Vedic ecology is the answer to water pollution, Dr Lakshmi explained, adding that the principles of Vedic ecology could be easily implemented in villages and rural areas.
Dr Lakshmi pointed out that in early times, extract of natural medicinal herbs, fruits and leaves of various plants were smeared on temple drums and trumpets.