Paper short abstract:

Concern for natural ecology and development was expressed in the ancient Indian thoughts and rituals, encompassing all the five traditional elements of natural environment ,e.g. land (ksiti), water (ap), radiation or energy (tejas), wind (marut) and cosmic space (vyoman) and human activities.

Paper long abstract:

It is only during the last few decades that the people, in general, have been getting more and more concerned about the urgent need for protecting the delicate ecological balance. Concern for natural ecology and development was expressed in the ancient Indian thoughts and rituals, encompassing all the five traditional elements of natural environment ,e.g. land (ksiti), water (ap), radiation or energy (tejas), wind (marut) and cosmic space (vyoman) and human activities

Hymn Rig Veda X: 146 is addressed to the Lady of the Forest, Aranyani, "she who tills not yet has stores of food" a sentence that clearly express the concept of sacred forest. She becomes fearful and destructive towards those who trespass her law.

The symbolic relationship between earth and living beings has been enunciated in Brahad- aranyaka-Upanishad (2/5/1), like:

"this earth (iyam prithivi) is helpful to all living beings (sarvesam bhutanam madhu); all living being are of helpful effect (srvani bhutani madhu) to the earth (asyai prithivyai)"

The above passage clearly implies that while the mother earth, no doubt, produces and sustains the entire biosphere, the mankind and other members of the biosphere also, in their turn, must be shaping and sustaining the earth adequately on sound principles of economy.

Dattatreya is the deity with three heads representing Hindu trinity. He received education and wisdom from twenty four elements of nature and creation. He took upon himself to protect and conserve the environment. He is the patron saint and presiding deity of the environment.

E-paper: this Paper will not be presented, but read in advance and discussed