Gratitude to Nature

 

Why is it important to show our gratitude to Nature? As we observe the festival of Dasara, Bhagawan reminds us today of this important aspect.

"Mountains help man to build houses by using stone slabs quarried from them. Trees provide the timber for constructing houses and also firewood for domestic use. Among animate beings, every creature, from an ant to an elephant, is of assistance to man in one way or another. Cows provide nourishing milk to man. Bullocks are useful for ploughing the fields and helping to grow food crops. All other creatures like birds, fish, sheep and others are serving man in different ways. Seen in this light it will be clear that all things in creation are helpful to man in leading his life. 

Thus man is deriving innumerable debt from Nature. But what is the gratitude he is showing to Nature? What gratitude is he offering to the Divine? He is forgetting the Divine who is the provider of everything. That is the reason for his becoming a prey to various difficulties and calamities. While he is receiving countless gifts from Providence, he is offering nothing in return to Nature or God. When we are enjoined to return good for evil, how unbecoming is it to fail even to return good for good?"

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse - 12.7.1988) 

Man is not learning the great lessons Nature is teaching him. The foremost lesson is doing service with no expectation of return. - BABA