Ganga River in Haridwar
By Swami Shivanand Saraswati*
Life flows when rivers do! During a seminar in Matri Sadan, late Professor GD Agarwal aka Sanand Swami once told this story from the 1970s about an acquaintance. While living in Varanasi, this person once caught an eye infection and went to a nearby Vaidya (Ayurvedic Doctor). The Vaidya suggested putting a few drops of Ganga water in the eye every day. Vaidya suggested taking the water from the centre of the river (where it is more pure) and not from the banks. There was no other medication given. Surprisingly, the infection healed very quickly! This experience triggered the scientist in Sanand Swami, and later he was monumental in the research of bacteriophage – the bacteria-consuming virus which keeps the Ganga water afresh, even after years of keeping it in a container. The healing properties of Ganga water are known to most people in India though, who consider it more miraculous than scientific. But with the existence of bacteriophage in the open, the miracle became scientific evidence.
Of course, Sanand Swami’s experiment is unlikely to hold true today. Hundreds of hydroelectric power projects (dams) have been constructed that obstruct the regular flow of the Ganga and her tributaries. After continuously highlighting the ill effects of dams for many years, Sanand Swami eventually sacrificed his life after a 111-day Satyagraha demanding Ganga to be free of these dams and allow for Ganga’s aviral (incessant) flow.
And what is true of Ganga, is true for all rivers that originate in the ice-capped Himalayas. And what is true for Himalayan rivers, is true for all rivers of India, and of the world – for the entire water system is absolutely one.
Examples of Le Chatelier’s equilibrium being disturbed are everywhere. In the Himalayas for example, hundreds of hydroelectric power projects have been constructed in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in the last two decades. Every major power project begins with a large lake, forcefully cordoning water within the confines of mountains acting as walls. These newly created massive water bodies disturb the original natural equilibrium, changing the local microclimate which results in frequent cloud bursts and consequent flash floods. The porous mountains become a recurrent site for landslides. In the last three months alone, we have seen massive destruction of all kinds of life in these two states alone.
In our seemingly altruistic intention of economic development, this seemingly harmless idea of generating unlimited hydroelectricity from river systems is a major interruption and obstacle to the flow of rivers, and by extension to the Divine Yagya of Brahma. Atharvaveda has given us more than enough warnings of what will happen when this worship is interrupted, and we are already seeing many of those unfolding today.
The same water of rain, the reason for our origin, growth, prosperity, and happiness, turns deadly. Regular, slow rainfall is replaced by frequent cloud bursts. Homes turn into debris. Life turns into death. For humans & animals on the ground and fishes in the water.
From Bhoomi Sookt of Atharvaveda, 12th Kaand:
यस्यामाप: परिचरा: समानीरहोरात्रे अप्रमादं क्षरन्ति।
सा नो भूमिर्भूरिधारा पयो दुहामथो उक्षतु वर्चसा । 9 |
i.e. The land where water (from rivers) is free to flow continuously, without obstacles, day and night, will give us the elixir of life.
In simple words, let the rivers flow as they are! Let the ponds be as they are! Only this water will remain fresh and pure and can sustain life.
यो नो द्वेषत् पृथिवी य: पृतन्याद्यो भिदासान्मनसा यो वधेन तं नो भूमे रन्धय पूर्वकृत्वरि ।14।
O Goddess of the Earth, the one who hates your sons (i.e. the inhabitants of the Earth), the one who makes various plans to destroy the Earth, or even has thoughts of destroying the Earth in his mind, who wants to tear the Earth apart – May all those enemies be completely destroyed.
Nature only wants one thing, to be herself. Brahma, the creator of life only wants his Yagya to be continued, so that we, His Children, live and thrive.
– Concluded
*Founder of Matri Sadan, Haridwar which is an organization fighting against corruption and environmental disaster.
