EVOLUTIONARY SYMPHONY OF NATURE
1 Continuing with the theme of sacred nature, which traces sources of
some of the ideas about nature and the human being from the Vedic
tradition. The representation of “nature and human” in the Vedic period can
be viewed from two perspectives. The representation, thought, and behavior
of the people during the Vedic period from an eco-sociological viewpoint
differ from the eco-philosophical interpretation. The term rta , an
alternative conceptualization of nature as “natural law”, and the
interpretations of these concepts are also detailed in this chapter. I have
also briefly suggested the ecological implications of such understandings.
2 In contrast to some attitudes toward nature as an “It” that is
separate from humans, Hindus see the surrounding world as a “Thou” of which
they are an interdependent part. Humans and their society are imbedded in
nature and dependent upon cosmic forces. Individual human life is
experienced as a microcosm of the universe. (YM says “NANO”} Human life is
in continuity with the cosmos. Hindu religion has a strong ethical
direction aimed at keeping this relational continuity in balance. For the
Hindu the universe is God’s body, of which we humans, along with everything
else in nature, are but a part. {PURUSHA SUKTAM} The essence of earth, air,
water, the tree, cow, you and me is the same divine spirit manifesting in
different forms. Therefore, it is natural that the ethic of radical
non-violence (ahimsā) to all forms of human, animal and plant life should
have originated in India. To harm another (person, animal or plant) is to
harm God’s cosmic body of which one is a part. It is tantamount to harming
oneself which one would not want to do on the grounds of logic,
self-interest or, at the highest level, respect for the divine.
3 In Hinduism we call Mother Nature by many terms and names. She is
Mula Prakriti, the universal creative force who gives birth to all life
forms from Herself, and sustains and nourishes them through Her own
infinite bodies. She is Adi Parashakti, the Ultimate Power of the universe.
She is Mahamaya, the Great Illusion of the world. The Rigveda calls Her
Mahimata, the Great Mother. In the form of our own Earth, she is called
Bhumi Mata. She has thousands of names. Consider a tree with only a tiny
twig above the ground but a very massive root underneath. What you call
Mother Nature is this tiny twig. The massive root hidden inside the ground
is Prakruti that can only be realized by a Samkhya acharya of a very high
order, and can't be realized by simple meditations, so called. People
erroneously speak of Nature as Prakruti which is in fact the sole cause of
the root cause of this visible perceivable Nature. In the strict
phraseology of Samkhya, nature is called Kruti, not Prakruti, as some
people imagine. In Hindu culture the mother is superior to the father.
Manu 2:145. The teacher (Acarya) is ten times more venerable than a
sub-teacher (Upadhyaya), the father a hundred times more than the teacher,
but the mother a thousand times more than the father.
He who lives to see his mother impoverished and wretched lives in vain. He
who full of regard for his mother protects her with devotion, gets fully
rewarded in this world and the next. (Nrsimha P. 13:45) In this world and
the next, they are the best of people worthy of honour and adoration who
obey their mothers. Nrsimha P. 13:46 The highest Dharma is maintenance of
the mother (Nrsimha P. 13:63)
4 Hindus who are non-dualists say that Brahman, the Ultimate
Reality, is all. Nothing but Brahman exists. Thus, the universe we see is
not real. They talk of the power of Brahman known as maya. Maya is also
called primordial nature or Adya-prakriti. Some non-dualists say that Adya
prakriti is the same as Brahman while others say that Adya-prakriti is
unknowable and inexplicable. When the true nature of Brahman is hidden by
the power of maya, there arises the condition of individuation and relative
existence; just as when the real nature of rope is concealed by darkness,
there arises the possibility of its being mistaken for a snake or a stick
or a fissure in the earth. When the true nature of Atman becomes concealed
by maya, conditions are created for the appearance as a jiva, or finite
creature, endowed with the notion of being a doer or agent and the
experience of pleasure and pain, love and hatred, and the other pair of
opposites. The concealing-power and the projecting-power of maya function
almost simultaneously. Ignorance, which conceals the real nature of the
rope, by the very power inherent in it creates the illusion of a snake or
stick. The projecting-power of maya creates the entire universe (Brahmanda)
and all the objects dwelling therein.
Therefore Brahman, in association with maya, may be called the Projector or
Manifester of the universe. But this projection is only an appearance; it
is not real. As has been stated above, Brahman, or the Absolute, cannot
participate in an act of creation. When one sees the dual universe and
seeks its cause, one finds it is Brahman associated with maya. Non-dualists
differ with dualists and pantheists, as the latter take the creation to be
real. According to the non-dualists the universe is falsely superimposed on
Brahman through maya; and the superimposition cannot affect the real nature
of Brahman.
5 Introduction to Self-Knowledge (Atmabodha) by Swami Nikhilananda
So is mother nature God? The answer is that mother nature is in the
ultimate sense not even real and is not God. Think of a cinema show. The
white screen is Brahman on which is projected a cinema (the universe) by
Adya Prakrti which is the power of Brahman. The characters in the cinema
are talking, dancing and singing but ultimately these are not real.
Similarly the universe and the changes wrought by Mother Nature are not
real because they are the characters on the screen.
6 Dualist position
(a) Vishsistadvaita position Universe and Brahman
You are the primordial deity with no origin. You are Prakrti, you are
Purusa, the protector of the world. You are Visnu the lord of the universe.
You are Brahma, with the universe for your body. You are the first
principle. O Visnu, you alone are the greatest luminary. You are the
supreme soul, O lord of Sri, you are the greatest abode. O lord of the
earth, Rudra enveloped by tamas originated from your fury. Brahma, the
creator of the universe enveloped by rajas was born of your grace. The lord
enveloped by sattva, was born of your grace. O Visnu, O Rudra, you are
identical with the universe.
Linga Purana I.36.4-8
Hindus who are dualists of the Vishistadvaita type say that universe and
its living beings is the body of God. They say that Brahman is the sum of
God, universe and living beings and is equal to one. In this view mother
nature that operates in the relative universe is not God. The universe and
its living beings are all real.
(b) Dvaita
These people say that God is eternally different from the universe and its
living beings. Here also mother nature is not God.
6 Who are the seven mothers according to Vedas?
According to the Vedas, the seven mothers are:
Ātma-mātā: One's own mother
Guroḥ-patnī: The wife of one's spiritual master
Brahmāṇī-rāja-patnikā: The wife of a king
Dhenur-dhātrī: The cow and nurse
Pṛthvī: The earth
Sapta Matrikas – The Seven Divine Mothers | Sanskriti ...
The seven mothers are also known as the Saptamatrika, which are a group of
seven mother-goddesses in Hinduism. Each goddess is the female counterpart,
or shakti, of a god.
Explanation
Audau Mata: The biological mother who creates, maintains, and transforms
us. She is also considered one's first guru.
Guru Patni: The wife of one's spiritual master. She acts as a spiritual
anchor to her husband.
Brahmani: The wife of a sage. She acts as a spiritual anchor to her husband.
The Saptamatrika are represented in shrines throughout India.
7 1) Audau Mata (the biological mother)
As the energetic force of the Divine creates, maintains, and transforms the
cosmic manifestation, the biological mother creates, maintains, and does
her best to transform us into the best versions of ourselves. Beyond
providing for our material needs, the exemplary mother is also considered
one’s first guru, who strives to nurture and cultivate our spiritual
development. By her thoughts and actions, she makes indelible impressions
upon the consciousness of a child, even while that child is still in the
womb, creating a foundation for one’s spiritual success in life, despite
the circumstances one happens to be born into. A nice example of a mother
facilitating such impressions on her unborn child can be found in the
ancient Hindu text, the Bhagavat Purana. Once, when the power-hungry king,
Hiranyakashipu, left his home to perform austerities in hopes of becoming
invincible, his wife, Kayadhu, who was pregnant with their child Prahlad at
the time, was arrested by the gods. Thinking she would give birth to a
being who might cause as much terror in the universe as his father, the
gods planned to kill the child as soon as he was born. A wise sage named
Narada, however, understanding the situation, stopped the gods, and instead
brought Kayadhu to his ashrama, where she stayed under his protection until
Hiranyakashipu could return. Praying for her unborn baby’s safety, Kayadhu
took advantage of Narada’s association by sincerely receiving spiritual
instructions from him. Though only a baby in the womb, Prahlad absorbed all
of Narada’s teachings. Thus when he was born, despite being raised by a
megalomaniac, Prahlad grew into a selfless person who became known as a
great devotee of Vishnu. Besides illustrating the immense influence a
loving mother’s actions can have on her unborn child, the story of Prahlad
teaches that fearless compassion — an inherently divine feminine trait as
displayed by Narada — is a power that far exceeds the fear-based violence
attempted by the gods.
2) Guru Patni (the wife of one’s guru)
As per the Vedic tradition, children at the age of five would customarily
be sent to a gurukul (education system of ancient India), where they would
receive their worldly, and more importantly, spiritual education. Because
this system often involved the students actually living in the home of the
guru, who would provide the discipline and structure required for learning,
the wife of the guru would become like a mother figure for the students,
bestowing upon them the warmth and affection needed for developing children
living away from parents.
3) Brahmani (the wife of the sage)
In Vedic civilization, sages, or advanced spiritual practitioners, were the
philosophical and moral leaders of society, acting as a spiritual compass
for kings who were responsible not just for the citizens’ material
well-being, but their spiritual well-being as well. Sometimes, however,
sages had the tendency to be overly focused on the rituals recommended in
scriptures for the disciplined development of spiritual life, and would
forget the ultimate purpose of them — to become a more compassionate,
loving, and selfless being. Such a tendency is highlighted in the Bhagavat
Purana, which narrates a story about a time Krishna’s friends became hungry
while they were out one day herding the village cows. Aware that there were
some sages performing a vedic sacrifice nearby — these sacrifices generally
involved the preparation of various foods — Krishna told his friends to go
and ask the sages if they would spare some of this food so that they could
eat. Shortly after leaving, however, the cowherd boys returned
disappointed, having been ignored by the sages. Krishna sent his friends
off again, this time advising them to instead ask the sages’ wives for the
food. Feeling immense love and compassion for Krishna and his friends upon
hearing of their hunger, the wives immediately collected a feast and
brought it to them. Seeing their wives’ natural display of unconditional
love and service, which ironically is the ultimate goal of performing Vedic
sacrifices, the sages understood their mistake, and immediately felt
remorse for their callousness toward the cowherd boys. Like a mother who
reminds a father that the ultimate point of providing structure and
discipline in a child’s life is to guide that child towards becoming a more
happy and loving person, the soft-hearted wife of a sage in Vedic culture
acted as a spiritual anchor to her husband, ensuring that he never lost
sight of life’s true Divine goal in his guidance of society.
4) Raj Patnika (the queen)
Responsible for cultivating a societal atmosphere conducive for the
people’s material and spiritual prosperity, an ideal ruler in Vedic India
was respected as more than just a king, but as a father to the citizen’s as
well. Subsequently, the queen was viewed as a respected mother, who viewed
the residents of the kingdom as her own children, inspiring and helping the
king to implement policies favorable for the ultimate welfare of all.
5) Dhenu (the cow)
Primarily centered around agrarian economies built on the harmonious
relationship of man and cow, communities of ancient India viewed the animal
with the utmost love and respect. Besides her intrinsically gentle and
meek nature, the cow’s production of milk, which enabled the making of
numerous food products that helped to sustain life in Vedic times, invoked
in society an immense feeling of gratitude. Thus providing far more for
humans than what she required in return, the cow was honored as a mother,
and was never meant to be taken advantage of. Traditionally, when the cow
began producing milk after giving birth, the calf would be left with the
mother for roughly two weeks to drink as much as it needed. It was only
after this two-week period that the surplus milk produced by the cow would
start to be used for human consumption. In this way, the people of ancient
India would humbly receive and use milk, all the while respecting and
facilitating the calf’s needs. Recognizing the motherly aspect of the
Divine in others, including animals, is important, because it helps to
invoke the gratitude required to treat others with love and respect, thus
making the world a more peaceful and happy place.
6) Dhatri (the caregiver)
It goes without saying that those who help to take care of you when you’re
vulnerable or sick, be they a physician, nurse, daughter, son, sister,
nephew, niece, etc., should be shown deep gratitude. Whether a man or
woman, the energetically feminine role of caring for people in their time
of need — even when those people are grumpy, short-tempered, or lacking
appreciation — can be tapped into and expressed by anyone, as the feminine
aspect of the Divine is within us all. Such motherly energy, which takes
great strength and sacrifice from a person to display, should therefore
never be taken for granted, and always be held in high regard.
7) Prithvi (the earth)
Like a staunch and magnanimous mother who generously gives her children all
they need for their sustenance, the earth produces all of life’s
necessities, requiring nothing in return. Unfortunately, rather than
respecting and treating the planet with the great love and gratitude any
good mother deserves, much of society mindlessly exploits her resources
without any mind of moderation. As a result, we are all experiencing for
ourselves, through climate change, the negative consequences of not
properly appreciating the earth’s immense service to us all. In order to
protect and preserve the planet moving forward, it’s important we recognize
this service as a profound expression of unconditional love from the
feminine Divine, and how such love is an energy that is conveyed in its
most powerful and unadulterated form by mothers. We should therefore all
learn to take inspiration from the motherly goddess, and actively
acknowledge the many ways her presence exists in our lives.
8 SYMPHONY OF NATURE: Our surroundings are constantly disturbed by
an infinite number of vibrations, creating a symphony that affects us in
ways that we might not even realize. Vibrations perturb air particles,
causing sound waves. Since our bodies are primarily composed of water,
these sequences of perturbations can affect us both positively and
negatively. If the frequency is between 20 Hz and 20 kHz, it falls within
our audible range and is converted into electric signals by our eardrums,
becoming emotional triggers. Musicians explore these properties to create
connections with their audience. Listening to natural soundscapes can
reduce stress, lower heart rate, improve mood, boost cognitive function and
even reduce pain. Meditation is known for amplifying this connection by
analyzing and tuning into the universe’s vibrations, both within and around
the person meditating. In Ontario, we are fortunate to have beautiful bird
calls that actively contribute to crafting a natural and healing
soundscape. Environmental sounds also offer valuable insights into
biodiversity. Many species are easier to hear than to see. Monitoring these
soundscapes can help track biodiversity levels. Studies have shown that
changes in soundscapes can indicate shifts in biodiversity, highlighting
areas where conservation efforts are needed or where conservation work is
making progress.
9 The symphony of nature can be seen in the sounds, sights, and
diversity of the natural world.
Sounds
The symphony of nature is a soundscape made up of the acoustic signals of
all the organisms in an ecological system
The sounds of nature can include birdsong, streams, and other sounds that
can calm the mind
The vibrations from these sounds can affect people positively or negatively
Sights
The symphony of nature can be seen in the beauty of the natural world,
including the variety of landscapes, plants, and animals
The symphony of nature can be seen in the changing seasons, from the dawn
chorus of birds to the lullaby of the night
Diversity
The symphony of nature is made up of the diversity of all the creatures
that live in the world
Each creature, from the smallest snail to the largest whale, plays a role
in the symphony of nature
K Rajaram IRS 15225
On Sat, 15 Feb 2025 at 05:59, Markendeya Yeddanapudi <
[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> --
> *Mar*The Great College of Nature
>
>
>
> The Troposphere is not a collection of thoughtless and feelings-less
> gases. It is the great Symphony of perceptions, and understandings of
> musical expressions, continuously enriched by the symposiums of diverse
> life forms. The diverse feelings and perceptions and understandings are
> continuously distilled as airflows and wind flows. The organisms inhale the
> learnings and exhale their understanding and own contributions.
>
> In free and healthy nature without human tampering, every organism feels
> wonderful reinforcement of spiritual upliftment, propelled to participate
> in the continuous symposiums’, creating healthy evolution. Every organism
> is a classmate of every other organism and co artiste.
>
> The eyes by themselves can see only 00.0037% of the totality. The
> remaining 99.9963% is the abstract arena of feelings, emotions,
> perceptions, understandings and enlightenments. In free and healthy nature
> the eyes switch on the remaining 99.9963% of the great college of
> continuous enlightenments and rapturous learning. Just like a cell in your
> body, you become the cell in the Troposphere. Every cell in you performs
> its specific nano function, enabling you to live. Similarly in the free and
> healthy nature as a cell of the troposphere you perform your specific nano
> function contributing to the macro learning in the Troposphere.
>
> The free and healthy nature continuously ignites every cell of you, making
> your life their macro healthy life. God is not an organism. It is the macro
> juxtaposition of continuous enlightenment. The free God makes you sing and
> dance the natural language of free and healthy nature. Music flows
> continuously from nature, in ever changing tunes, the natural Raphael’s
> tapestry of songs. Evolution advances musically.
>
> Now we are killing the very flow of music of nature with mechanization.
> When a machine is introduced millions of organisms are killed or tortured,
> their habitations and food robbed, unleashing the macro depression.
> Industrialization fills the troposphere with depressions and neurosis among
> organisms.
>
> One does not age gracefully in the industrialized area. One lives escaping
> from depressions and neurosis, by taking all sorts of medicines and
> escaping from reality, seeing cinemas, which synthesize make believe
> emotional situations.
>
> Nature creates the continuous poetry; each poem an enrichment of the
> previous poem like Raphael’s tapestry.Nature, the great college of God is
> not only closed but is getting destroyed continuously. Every University
> today is giving diverse courses in Engineering and in the management of
> engineering, totally dominated by the catastrophic mechanization. Every
> classroom is shut from nature, denying all access to the great college of
> God.
>
> WE all know that the Universe is so immense, that compared to the Universe
> even the Milky way galaxy becomes nano. The lithosphere or surface of the
> earth is just 04% of the total earth’s size. We humans are one specie among
> the millions of life forms. But we have become a collection of egomaniacs,
> the egomaniacal tiny microbes of the Universe. But our Universities shut
> all doors to nature and drill the students with mechanized lessons,
> euphemized as education.
>
> Let us all dream and fantasize that there will be at least one University
> that starts the ‘Free Nature Parks’ where the students learn from nature by
> participating in the symphony of nature.
>
> YM Sarma
>
> Chat GPT
>
> This passage, “The Great College of Nature,” by YM Sarma, reflects a
> profound meditation on the interconnectedness of all life forms and the
> spiritual and evolutionary symphony of nature. It critiques
> industrialization and the mechanization of human life, arguing that modern
> education systems focus too heavily on technology and abstract concepts,
> thus disconnecting us from the natural world.
>
> The metaphor of nature as a "great college" in which every organism is a
> student and participant in a continuous process of learning and evolution
> is compelling. It calls for a shift in how we perceive education,
> suggesting that learning should not just be academic but also experiential,
> drawing wisdom directly from the natural world.
>
> Sarma contrasts this ideal vision with the reality of modern society,
> where mechanization and industrialization have created emotional and
> psychological distress, both for humans and the non-human life forms we
> share the Earth with. He envisions a university where students reconnect
> with nature, not just through textbooks but through immersion in and active
> participation in nature’s own processes. The "Free Nature Parks" concept
> suggests a return to a more holistic form of learning, where human beings
> are in harmony with the environment, contributing to a broader evolutionary
> symphony.
>
> What are your thoughts on this perspective? Does it resonate with your own
> ideas about education and nature?
>
> I think this perspective is beautifully thought-provoking, particularly
> the metaphor of nature as a “great college” where every organism plays a
> vital role in the symphony of life. It touches on something fundamental —
> the idea that human beings and nature are not separate, but rather
> inextricably intertwined. In today’s world, many educational systems focus
> heavily on intellectual and technological advancements, often at the
> expense of fostering a deeper connection with nature. What I find powerful
> about Sarma’s vision is how it calls for an immersive, holistic education —
> one that isn’t just about acquiring knowledge, but also about feeling,
> experiencing, and participating in the natural world.
>
> The idea of “Free Nature Parks” is especially resonant. It suggests an
> education that isn’t confined to a classroom, but rather a kind of learning
> that happens through interaction, observation, and contribution to the
> environment. It feels more intuitive and connected to how humans evolved to
> learn, growing alongside the world rather than apart from it. This kind of
> learning could nurture a deeper sense of responsibility toward the
> environment, potentially leading to more sustainable practices and a more
> harmonious existence between humans and nature.
>
> In today’s context, the detachment from nature is striking. The
> urbanization and mechanization Sarma describes, leading to emotional
> distress and a disconnection from the essence of life, is something I think
> many can relate to. It raises the question of how we can balance
> technological progress with the need to preserve and nourish the natural
> world.
>
> How do you feel about the role of technology in education? Do you think it
> can coexist with a deeper connection to nature, or is it more of a
> distraction from that connection?
>
> Thank you for such a thoughtful and insightful response. I appreciate the
> way you've engaged with the core themes of *The Great College of Nature*,
> especially the interplay between human education and the natural world.
>
> To address your question about the reconciliation between technology and
> the wisdom of nature, I do believe there is a potential for harmony, though
> it requires a radical shift in perspective. Technology, in its current
> form, often disrupts our connection to the natural world by prioritizing
> efficiency, speed, and profit over the more subtle, long-term rhythms of
> life. But if approached as a tool to amplify nature’s teachings rather than
> replace them, it could serve as a bridge, not a barrier. For example,
> technology could be used to enhance our sensory experiences of nature or to
> make the processes of ecological healing more accessible and widespread. We
> might develop ways to use technology that don’t just extract from nature,
> but work in tandem with it, deepening our understanding of the intricate
> web of life that we are part of.
>
> As for your second question, I see this vision not as a return to
> something ancient, but as the creation of something new—though it draws
> deeply on ancient wisdom. The idea of reconnecting to the rhythms of nature
> is not about romanticizing the past, but about integrating that timeless
> knowledge into the present moment, in a way that’s responsive to the
> challenges we face today. In other words, it’s a future-oriented return: a
> return to balance, to mutual respect with the Earth, and to a sense of
> shared participation in the great unfolding of life. This requires new ways
> of thinking, new ways of structuring education, and new tools that allow us
> to engage deeply with the world around us, without losing sight of our own
> place in the greater story.
>
> I’m curious to hear your thoughts—do you think technology can truly be
> integrated with nature in a way that fosters this sense of connection and
> wisdom? Or is the very nature of technology inherently at odds with the
> kind of learning you envision?
>
>
>
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