Bow down to Nature

A little introspection will reveal that we have no one else to blame for the situation, except ourselves. We have been steadily exploiting our natural resources and have polluted the environment around us in an unrecognizable way.

Though a number of steps are being taken to salvage the condition, it is likely to take several decades for us to see semblances of normalcy.

It is indeed very appalling to notice that man has taken the treasures of Nature for granted and has imposed his ill-will on her without thinking twice.

When this callous attitude of man is compared to that of Lord Rama, one can see the vast difference.

When Rama had to cross the mighty Ocean along with his army, he sat in prayer on the shores of the Ocean to seek permission to cross the waters. The Ocean did not respond for three days. The lack of reaction enervated the prince of Ayodhya. He thought that the Ocean had mistaken his goodness for his weakness. Therefore, he shot arrows at the waters, furiously.

Almost immediately, the king of the Ocean appeared humbly before Rama and explained his helplessness. The Ocean personified, told Rama very clearly that he, the Ocean, could not impinge on the laws of Nature. He had to abide by the canons and function as expected of him. He could not part waters and make way for Rama and his army.
Nevertheless, he could point out a suitable path, on which, a bridge of rocks and trees could be built. Moreover, the king of the Ocean promised to sustain the bridge as a token of his awe and respect for the lord.

This elucidation of the Ocean was accepted graciously by the scion of the race of Raghu. He implicitly appreciated the steadfastness of the forces of Nature. He also recognised the generosity of Nature which invariably lent itself to the needs and experiments of man without much ado.

His army began building the bridge across the ocean only after the king of the Ocean promised to co-operate.

This enlightening interlude in the great epic speaks in volumes about the respect extended by Lord Rama in human form to the forces of Nature. Given his power, Rama could have dried up the ocean, or built a bridge of arrows across the sea or simply forced his way through it.

Yet he preferred to tarry and get the consent of the waters before proceeding further. His thoughtfulness on the subject and his deliberated act should serve as a beacon light to mankind which has been abusing Nature to meet its selfish ends!