Indian way of Environmental Sustainability- Education vs Devotion

​Nowadays, we hear a lot about "Earth Hour" and saving the environment. We try to educate everyone—from school kids to adults—about the impact of using polythene and plastic. But let us be honest, even after knowing the bad effects, people still do it. Why?

​It is because modern discipline often relies on enforcement or convenience.

If you put a CCTV camera and say, "You will be fined ₹500 for throwing garbage," people will follow the rule. If there is a dustbin nearby, people will use it. But the moment the dustbin is missing, or the camera is not there, the "civic sense" often disappears. We throw the wrapper on the roadside because "no one is watching." Unfortunately, you cannot put a policeman inside every forest or on every inch of the road.

​Solution: Devotion Beats Enforcement

​Our ancestors realized that rules only work when someone is watching. So, they found a permanent solution: Elevate nature to God.

​When you enter a temple, you don't need a CCTV to tell you not to spit or throw garbage. You have an internal discipline born out of reverence and a healthy fear of God. Bharat applied this same logic to nature. If the Earth is God (Bhoomi Devi), you don't need a policeman to tell you to respect Her. You don't throw waste on God. This internal feeling works 24/7, even when no one is monitoring.

​Living Proof: The Sacred Trees

​This is not just theory; we see it in our villages. Take the example of the Banyan (Vatavruksha) or Peepal (Ashwattha) trees. We don't just see them as wood or leaves; we see the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara in them.

​In villages, you see people doing Pradakshina (circling) around them or tying threads for prayers. Because of this strong belief that "God lives in this tree," nobody dares to cut it down. Even if a road is being widened, people will think ten times before touching a Peepal tree. The moment you say "This tree is God," protection happens automatically. That is where devotion beats education.

​Seeing God in Everything

​Our philosophy teaches that we should see God in everything. The trees, the rivers, the mountains—everything is divine. The names and forms are just an illusion (Maya); the reality inside is one energy.

​So, the Bharat way of preserving nature is not about "saving the planet" like we are doing a favor. It is about worshipping the Creator who has become the Creation. When we see nature as God, protection happens naturally.

​The Sun: Not Just a Star, But a Devata

​In modern schools, we are taught that the Sun is just a star, a big ball of hot gas. But in our culture, we see Surya (Sun) as a source of energy on which we live. Plants survive because of him, and because of plants, we get food. Without him, there is simply no life.

​If you look at the definition of 'Devata' in our scriptures, it means "one who gives without expecting anything in return." The Sun perfectly fits that definition. He gives light, heat, and life every day without asking for a bill. When we see him as Surya Devata and not just a planetary object, a different kind of respect comes automatically. We fold our hands. That feeling is that "Sun is God."

​Forgiveness Before Stepping on Earth

​Imagine the level of respect in our culture. we start our day by apologizing to the Earth. Before we even put our foot down from the bed in the morning, we recite a beautiful shloka:

​"Samudra-Vasane Devi, Parvata-Stana-Mandite |

Vishnu-Patni Namastubhyam, Paada-Sparsham Kshamasva Me ||"

​Meaning: "O Mother Earth, who has the ocean as her clothes and mountains on her body, who is the consort of Lord Vishnu, I bow to you. Please forgive me for touching you with my feet."

​Just imagine that feeling! We are asking forgiveness just for walking on her. This is not treating Earth like a dead object to be used; this is treating her like a living Mother.

​Why Then India lacks civic sense?

​Now, a critic might ask: "If Bharat respects nature so much, why do we see polluted rivers and waste everywhere? Why is the cleanliness not there?"

​This is a valid question, but we must understand three realities:

​1. The Scale and Poverty:

India is huge. We have a vast population, and many people are still below the poverty line with minimal formal education. With such a massive crowd and struggle for survival, I would say our pollution levels are actually less than expected. If you put this much crowd in any other country with similar poverty, their system would have collapsed long back. We cannot compare India with small, developed nations. It is this underlying spiritual sentiment that is saving India from total disaster, even with such a vast, struggling population.

​2. Modern Education Diluting Values:

Ironically, the problem is also with the "educated" class. Our modern education is slowly deleting the aspect of God from nature. For many educated people, a tree is just a botanical object, and the Sun is just a burning star. Their adherence to rules is based on convenience—they follow it only if it suits them. Because they have lost the "God feeling," they have lost the internal check.

​3. Zero Enforcement, Only Sentiment:

Let us be honest, the enforcement of environmental laws on the ground is almost zero. Police cannot monitor every riverbank or forest. In a situation where enforcement is so poor, if nature is still existing, if forests are still standing, it is purely because of the sentiment of the common people. Just putting board dont litter will not work. Put fine when someone litter. See "Sikkim" as an example, it is in India people dont litter because it is enforced.

In other places if at all nature is surviving it is only because of seed of environment being god planted long long ago.

​The Way Forward

​So, what is the solution? How do we balance this?

​1. Bring Back the Reverence with Education:

We need to change how we teach. Don't just teach science through the lens of dry objectivity. Yes, teach a child that the Sun is a star, but also teach them to be thankful for it. Teach them that nature is a gift, not just a resource. If we combine scientific facts with the feeling of gratitude and seeing God in everything, we will create a generation that protects nature out of love, not just logic. When someone says Sun is god, dont say it is blind belief. Sun is god , there is truth and also purpose in it. 

​2. Strict Laws and Enforcement:

While sentiment is good, we cannot rely on it 100% in today's world. For those who have lost that connection or respect, we need strict laws. Wherever it is possible—in cities, in industries—we must have strict enforcement and fines. Fear of law is needed where fear of God is missing.

​3. Continue the Effort:

We must continue our efforts in education. We have to keep reminding people. It is a mix of Gyan (Knowledge), Bhakti (Devotion), and Danda (Discipline/Law) that will finally save our environment.