Environment: Sanskrit literature and Bhartr̥hari’s Śatakatrayam: A discussion
Makhan Das
Nature is crashing today due to the perversion of men and men made machines. Mega fauna has lost their natural power of development along with the destruction of nature. Awareness of the environment can be seen in Sanskrit literature. In ancient times, the people and nature of India lived as one. In the Vedic literature, the worship of natural energy is reflected in the mantras of the Vedic sages. Sukta no 90 of the first mandala of R̥gveda speaks of protecting the environment. In the Sāma songs of Sāmaveda also mentions the natural environment, the Atharvaveda also describes the natural environment. Most of the poems and plays in the demotic Sanskrit literature have a deep connection with the awareness of the natural environment. In the poems and plays of Bhāsa, Kālidāsa, Bhavabhūti, Bhāravi and other poets, the environment and its importance can be seen. Like other poets, the poet Bhartr̥hari was also quite aware of the environment, in Śatakatrayam kāvya we get the mention of environment. He urged everyone to go to the forest. He said “Hello my dear my friend, go to the forest, live by fresh fruit, wear new valkala. Bhartr̥hari describes the beautiful nature- the vidyādharas are situated on the rocks of Himalaya which are cooled by cold water of Ganges.