Makarand R. Paranjape

 

From the most ancient of times, Hindus have shown immense reverence for all forms of life. Forests, for instance, were especially sacred. The most important Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, have large sections designated as the Aranyakas, or the forest books. The Upanishads, which embody the quintessence of Hindu thought and philosophy, form a part of these forest books. Here is an example of one of the celebrated declarations from one of these texts, the Bhumi Suktam, Atharva Veda