PAGE TWO (See Page One in the Home page)

Nowadays, deep ecology recognizes a moral right of nature to exist and flourish independently from just being useful to manking. While mere environmentalism focuses on a more virtuous exploitation of nature for human purposes, deep ecology is willing to reverse its role by seeing nature as the larger entity of which we are but a part, and on which we depend. Like deep green movements the Bhagavad-gita takes a holistic view of the world we live in and seeks to apply the understanding that the separate parts of the ecosystem (including humanity) function as a whole.

The next question is, "Who shall nature and its human children serve?" By realizing that the Absolute is greater than the sum of its parts, what if humanity stepped aside aside from being the direct beneficiary of all its concerns. Just as your hand will not get healthy by squeezing and absorbing the nourishment it is meant to bring to your mouth, the vocation of religion is largely about serving the divine Source as though it were an ultimate mouth. In Bhagavad-gita the embodiment of Divinity puts it this way:

 "Knowing Me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all the worlds and the benefactor of all living beings, My devotee attains peace".5.29.

This verse if often referred to as "the peace formula". People failing to realize the Supreme as the beneficiary of their endeavors are trying to be lords of all they survey when they are actually under the stringent laws of an environment that is itself servant of the Supreme. Hence service to "That" which is above mankind and nature is the sure way to Peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?

TO BE CONTINUED